Forbidden City to hold exhibitions to mark its 600th anniversary

The Palace Museum announced on Monday some of the exhibition plans to mark its 600th anniversary next year.

Starting from the second half of this year, more than 20 top-level exhibitions will be held one after another in the Forbidden City.

Several special exhibitions are quite eye-catching. In April, Zhongcui Hall for the first time will house an exhibition of guqin, a seven-stringed plucked instrument in some ways similar to the zither.

The Palace Museum announced some of the exhibition plans to mark its 600th anniversary next year. [Photo：IC]

Shan Jixiang, curator of the Palace Museum said, "We've announced five exhibitions. There are about 10 exhibitions at the Meridian Gate, and some of them may be very challenging. There are more than 500 pieces of porcelain wares from emperors Hongwu's, Yongle's and Xuande's reign period, more than 500 pieces of porcelain wares from the reign periods of emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong [of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911)]. We have never held such a large scale exhibition in the Palace Museum."

The Night Revels of Han Xizai and Along the River During the Qingming Festival, which are masterpieces of ancient Chinese painting, will be exhibited successively next year in the museum.

(Story includes material sourced from Xinhua)