Treasure Hall in the Forbidden City

The Treasure Hall is highly recommended by many people as a must seen place in the Forbidden City. The Treasure Hall consists of three imperial palaces, namely, Character Cultivation Palace, Happiness Longevity Hall and Combined Harmony Porch. The private apartments of Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Ci’xi were here.

 

The Character Cultivation Palace must have reminded the old Emperor Qianlong of the Hall of Mental Cultivation where he lived for a long time. Happiness Longevity Hall used to be Emperor Qianlong’s library, and the Empress Dowager Ci’xi also celebrated her 61th birthday here. The Combined Harmony Porch was for repose for Emperor Qianlong. Now these three Palaces have been turned into three exhibition rooms where some of the imperial treasures are displayed.

 

Most of the exhibits are tea sets or dinner sets made out of materials like gold, silver and jade. The dinner sets were mostly made of silver as it could indicate whether or not the food was poisonous. The silver container would turn black when it contained poisonous food. Other exhibits are the old chimes, imperial seal, milk containers, Ruyi (a lucky sceptre), small incense burners and other religious vessels and bowls.The jade jar and mountain carries the good wishes of the emperor.

 

There are also many pavilions, pagodas and towers made of gold or jade. These were gifts for the Emperor s concubines. Also noteworthy is the gold stupa used to collect the fallen hair of Emperor Qianlong’s mother. It weighs more than 100 kg, and is made of gold.

 

The treasured ivory mat deserves special attention. It is 216 cm long and 139cm wide, made of delicate ivory strips. It is said that the mat was woven about 250 years ago. Altogether, 5 mats were produced and kept in the Museum at that time.