The Imperial Palace Will Open “Empress Dowager’s Active Zone” for Visitors

It is reported that the open area of the Imperial Palace will be increased from 30% to 70% by 2016. Cining Palace, Shoukang Palace, and Cining Garden will also be opened to visitors continuously. Reporter learned from the volunteers symposium of the Palace Museum that there is a Longzong Gate on the left of Qianqingmen Square, behind which is the unopen Cining Palace and Cining Garden.

According to historical records, this region was the empress dowager’s active zone in ancient times. Recently, this area is served as the storeroom of the Imperial Palace and never opened to the public.

After the Longzong Gate is rebuilt as the tourist service center, tourists can visit Cining Palace, Shoukang Palace and Cining Garden etc. The repaired Cining Palace will serve as sculpture gallery to exhibit cultural relics, while Shoukang Palace and Cining Garden will be displayed as it was before.

By 2016, all the administrations, offices and research institutions will also be moved continuously.

At present, the Imperial Palace has set about building the best cultural relics restore center across the nation, and will gradually carry out the recovery work of carpet, lamps, big-size furnitures and unframed paintings.

In addition, the Imperial Palace will increase exhibitions and displays. Most palaces in central axis, east line and west line will mainly reproduce the original features. Donghua Gate will open debut as a exhibition room to display 5,000 components of ancient buildings. At the same time, the Palace is planing to open a turret.