2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Palace Museum in Beijing. To kick off the centennial, the special exhibition "A Century of Stewardship: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum" opened in late September. Once the imperial palace of China’s Ming and Qing dynasties, this UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site now serves as a living repository of over 5,000 years of civilization.
Every courtyard within the museum becomes a stage for dialogues between past and present, highlighting the Palace Museum’s mission of stewardship, legacy and innovation. The exhibit traces a century of confident preservation, from cataloguing ancient artifacts to pioneering inclusive programming that invites visitors from all walks of life.
In a recent episode of THE HYPE, CGTN host Julian Waghann is joined by four experts to decode the museum’s cultural core. Martijn de Geus from Tsinghua University’s School of Architecture explores how the site’s design bridges eras. Location sound recordist Zhang Jianxi shares insights from documentaries like "Masters in the Forbidden City" and "A Century of Stewardship," capturing the palace’s rich acoustic heritage. Senior contemporary art specialist Cao Zijin examines how modern artistic interventions spark fresh conversations with imperial aesthetics. And tour guide Yao Haijian offers a bilingual insider’s view on navigating red bricks and yellow tiles.
Tune in for a front-row seat as the Palace Museum charts its next century—where tradition meets technology, and legacy inspires innovation.
Reference(s):
Live: Palace Museum at 100 – Stewardship, legacy and innovation
cgtn.com
