Timeless Charisma

In addition to the social and economic milestones reached in 2020， one of Chinas most iconic destinations， the Forbidden City， todays Palace Museum， celebrated its sixth centennial on December 8. When it had been the imperial residence from 1420 to 1911， it also symbolized the periods highest level of architectural art.

To give visitors a short tour of the history and culture of the Palace Museum， an exhibition displaying over 450 artifacts was held from September to November. Everlasting Splendor： Six Centuries at the Forbidden City was a tribute to history， architecture and culture.

From an exclusive， well-guarded citadel， today the Palace Museum is part of peoples life. Even in the thick of winter， it was hard to get a ticket to the exhibition. Some of the visitors were also a remarkable sight， coming in hanfu， traditional Chinese clothes.

Innovations such as creative products and themed variety shows on television and Internet platforms have kept the Palace Museum in peoples mind. Last year， when it held the Lantern Festival celebration， there was such a rush to grab tickets online that it caused the booking system to crash.

（Text and photos by Wei Yao）