The mysteries and stories surrounding life in Beijing’s Forbidden City have been a source of entertainment and intrigue for history lovers the world over.
But while most of the palace’s rooms have been curated and opened to the public, one particular area had been hidden from view and sealed up for nearly 100 years.
The Qianlong Garden, also known as Palace of Tranquil Longevity, is a collection of rooms and courtyards, which was originally commissioned in 1771 by the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty. Meant to be his retirement residence after abdicating from the throne, emperor Qianlong went all out to create his perfect vision of a resplendent retreat. In fact, he was so impressed by what the craftsmen had built, he laid down an imperial decree that nothing in the Qianlong Garden should be changed even after his death.
Unfortunately, Qianlong did not get to retire so he never got to spend any time in the Garden before his death in 1799. However, the emperors that came after him had to abide by the decree to keep the Qianlong Garden unaltered and believed the best way to preserve it completely was to seal it off totally.
It wasn’t until the establishment of the Qianlong Garden Conservation Project, a joint collaboration by the Palace Museum and the World Monument Fund, that steps were taken to bring the Garden back to its former glory. Thankfully, most of the artwork, including the bamboo marquetry, silk embroidery and glass creations remain intact and unbroken.
According to the teams involved in the restoration project, the biggest challenge in restoring the artworks lies in finding skilled craftsmen who knew what were the original techniques used in the making of the carvings and embroidery.
The conservation project was strict in its requirement that the craftsmen had to use the original techniques of building the Qianlong Garden and not rely on modern machinery.
After more than a decade of restoration works the team has announced that the Qinalong Garden will soon be open to the public.
The date is estimated to be sometime in 2020, by then the entire garden would have been completely restored.
Art lovers and historians alike will be able to marvel at the intricate murals and carvings.
And be enthralled by the lavish beauty of a bygone era.
Images courtesy of Palace Museum and World Monument fund.
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