To its original glory, Palace Museum reopens key section after a decade of restoration

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows an interior view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- A key section of China's Palace Museum, situated at the site of the Forbidden City in Beijing, reopened to the public on Friday.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian), first constructed in 1537 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), later served as the residence and venue for daily state affairs for several rulers during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The historic building and its cultural relics have undergone nearly a decade of research-based conservation and systematic restoration.

A total of 1,020 exhibits are on display in the hall, according to Wen Ming, deputy director of the Palace Museum's palace history department.

Except for light-sensitive relics such as silk textiles, calligraphy, paintings, inscribed plaques and couplets, all the exhibits on display are original items, Wen said.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation owes much of its fame to its rooms in the Western Warmth Chamber (Xinuan ge), where Qing emperors received ministers and reviewed state reports.

Yet what piques visitors' curiosity even more is a royal private study, the Hall of Three Rarities (Sanxi tang), tucked into a modest adjoining room and named for having housed three legendary calligraphy scrolls dating back roughly 1,600 years.

According to the Palace Museum, the current exhibition in the Hall of Mental Cultivation faithfully reflects its original historical layout.

Visitors can glimpse Emperor Yongzheng's handwriting on a plaque above the throne in the central hall, while the couplets in a western room have been restored. The Hall of Three Rarities has also been recreated to match its documented appearance from over 200 years ago.

The conservation project, launched in 2015, emphasized in-depth research before any restoration work, setting a precedent for similar projects in the Palace Museum.

"We follow the principles of preserving the relics' original state and minimal intervention," said Zhao Peng, head of the ancient architecture department at the Palace Museum.

During conservation, the hall's polychrome paintings were mostly kept intact, with minor damage reinforced and heavily damaged areas carefully retouched. Large wooden beams were strengthened with carbon fiber, avoiding large-scale replacement, said Zhao.

A digital exhibition of the Hall of Mental Cultivation will also go live, where visitors can "experience" a traditional ceremony at the start of the year through interactive devices and virtually witness how an emperor wrote in prayer for peace.

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows an interior view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows the plaque of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows an interior view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows an interior view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows an interior view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows an interior view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows a view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows a caisson ceiling of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows a view of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)