The year of 2020 marks the 600th birthday of the Forbidden City. On the first day of 2020, the Palace Museum released a set of old and new photos reminding people of the past and present of the magnificent ancient architectural complex. Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum, also had a media interview for the first time and announced the following anniversary celebrations within the year.

(Forbidden City’s past and present)

For this year, people can expect a special exhibition looking back onto the past six centuries of the Forbidden City, and a series of seminars, TV productions and public service activities will also be organized.

(The square of the Gate of Supreme Harmony)

The former director of Dunhuang Academy in Gansu Province, Wang took office in the Palace Museum on April 8, 2019. His career has been dedicated to the conservation of grottoes, ancient murals and earthen ruins.

(Wang Xudong. Photo by Wang Jue, People’s Daily)

According to Wang, the Forbidden City is a treasure house which contains endless artistic, historical and scientific valuables to be explored. Though at 600 years old, it still has to better integrate itself into the international community, communicate more with other cultures, and learn from other countries’ advanced civilizations. At the same time, the Forbidden City needs to be connected with the general public by linking with people’s lives.

2020 is also the 95th year since the Palace Museum was founded. Standing in the new decade of the 21st century, Wang said they will keep trying to employ both restorative and preventive protection methods to conserve the cultural relics. He also expects to turn historical relic resources and digital resources into appealing cultural creative products to invigorate the Palace Museum.