Tue Mar 25 03:18:10 UTC 2025: ## Forbidden City’s Hidden Lab: Experts Preserve Imperial Treasures Using Cutting-Edge Technology and Traditional Techniques

**Beijing, March 25, 2025** – Behind the bustling tourist attractions of Beijing’s Forbidden City (Palace Museum) lies a high-tech restoration workshop where a dedicated team is painstakingly preserving over 1.8 million imperial relics. Using a blend of modern scientific analysis and traditional methods, approximately 150 restorers are meticulously cleaning, repairing, and reviving artifacts ranging from scroll paintings and porcelain to intricate antique clocks gifted by European dignitaries.

The team employs state-of-the-art technology, such as X-ray diffraction machines, to analyze damaged artifacts and understand the nature of deterioration. This scientific approach is combined with centuries-old restoration techniques, including “inpainting,” a meticulous process of color restoration. One example highlighted is the repair of a silk panel, believed to have been a gift to Empress Dowager Cixi, featuring the Chinese character for “longevity.”

While the work is often laborious and time-consuming, taking months to complete a single piece, the restorers find immense satisfaction in their efforts. “I simply enjoy the sense of achievement when an antique piece is fixed,” stated restorer Wang Nan. The head of the museum’s Conservation Department, Qu Feng, emphasized the importance of preserving these artifacts, highlighting that their restoration is about “protecting the cultural values they carry.”

The Forbidden City’s collection faced significant challenges throughout history, including wartime evacuations and the division of treasures after the Chinese Civil War. Many prized possessions were moved to Taiwan during this time. Despite these losses, the Beijing Palace Museum has significantly rebuilt its collection and continues its commitment to preserving its rich cultural heritage for future generations.

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