Palace Museum: A century through the lens of time
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S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Palace Museum: A century through the lens of time
A photo of the Palace Museum in Beijing, Oct 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
From a former imperial garden to a people's museum today, every brick and tile at the Palace Museum whispers tales of bygone eras.
Since its establishment on Oct 10, 1925, the Palace Museum has journeyed through twists and turns over a century. From arduous steps to confident strides, from exploration to innovation, it has come a long way.
Thanks to journalists, the evolving expressions of the Palace Museum, a place once exclusive to the imperial family, can now be shared and appreciated by the general public.
A snow-covered view of the Palace Museum is seen from Jingshan Park in Beijing, Dec 11, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
The impeccably preserved UNESCO World Heritage site nurtures the cultural legacy of people across China. Here, spring sees dancing crabapple flowers, summer showcases the "Nine Dragons Spouting Water", while autumn paints the ginkgo leaves gold and winter dons a serene coat of snow. Through lenses, the four seasons of the Palace Museum are more than just a display of natural beauty - they are a poetic journey across time.
A photo of a roof of a complex in the Palace Museum, taken in 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
From the grandeur of the Hall of Supreme Harmony to the elegance of the Imperial Garden, from the striking contrast of red walls against yellow tiles to the marvel of mortise-and-tenon structures, an enduring echo of the past resonates with all who cherish its history and heritage.
A photo of the marble ramp ( danbi) at the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Palace Museum, taken in September, 1987. [Photo/Xinhua]
Look down, and there are stones that chronicle history; Look up, and there is a tale of romance sung by the moon and stars. The Palace Museum represents not only the pinnacle of ancient Chinese architecture but also the grace and continuity of a civilization.
The 2026 Palace Museum Calendar is pictured at the Jianfu Palace Garden in the Palace Museum, Sept 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
In the modern world, the ancient Palace Museum is growing ever younger. Cultural products inspired by the Palace Museum have received thousands of rave reviews, with items like luggage tags featuring an "Imperial Order" becoming a must-have for young travelers. The annual Palace Museum Calendar, bringing treasured paintings and calligraphy to one's fingertips, has also found its way onto the desks of the younger generation.
Tourists pose for photos at the Palace Museum on Sept 10, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]
Today, as young visitors make up the majority of visitors to this ancient palace complex, it is living proof that a hundred years is not a process of aging, but a process of renewal.
Let us look forward, together, as the story of Chinese civilization continues to unfold.
Happy 100th birthday to the Palace Museum.
A photo of the Palace Museum taken in 1952. [Photo/Xinhua]
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A photo of the Palace Museum taken on Oct 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
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A visitor looks at the glazed rooftop figurines on the Hall of Supreme Harmony at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Sept 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
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A section of the Along the River During the Qingming Festival handscroll is pictured in this smartphone photo taken on Sept 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
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A "Jin'ou Yonggu" Cup (Golden Vase of Lasting Stability), an imperial treasure from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), is displayed at an exhibition in the Palace Museum to mark its 100th anniversary. [Photo/Xinhua]
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A chishou (mythical animal-headed gargoyle) on the terrace of the Hall of Supreme Harmony drains rainwater during a rainfall at the Palace Museum on July 31, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
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The Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum, Oct 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
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Crabapple trees bloom in front of the Hall of Literary Brilliance at the Palace Museum in Beijing on April 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
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Although I took a tour of the Forbidden City, there was too much to see during the time I was there. This is one of the throne rooms:
I've only seen it in pictures, but I have to say it looks like one of the most impressive man made locations on earth.
While on the tour, we were told some interesting stories about it. There was great paranoia among the emperors about their life, and they were known to continually change where they slept so an intended assassin would not know where to find them, that the ground was paved extra thick to prevent assassins from tunnelling their way in, and concubines would be brought to them naked to prevent them from bringing a hidden knife.