The most representative of the special activities that are open at night in the Forbidden City is the cultural activity “Shang Yuan Night in the Forbidden City” held during the Lantern Festival in 2019. The following is a detailed introduction to the event:
Activity background
In 2019, the Palace Museum ushered in the opportunity to open to the public at night for the first time in its 94 years of construction, which is also the first time that the ancient buildings of the Forbidden City are lit up at night on a large scale. The event, named “Shang Yuan Night in the Forbidden City”, aims to let visitors visit the Forbidden City at night through lighting and lighting scenery, and feel the unique festival and human touch of the Forbidden City.
Active time
“Shang Yuan Night in the Forbidden City” cultural activities were held at the Forbidden City on the nights of February 19 (15th of the first lunar month) and February 20 (16th of the first lunar month), 2019.
Activity content
Lighting and scenery:
Through elaborate lighting and scenery, the Palace Museum lights up the Meridian Gate, Yanwing Tower, Gate of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Supreme Harmony, Southeast Corner Tower, Donghua Gate, Northeast corner Tower, Shenwu Gate and other areas in the Forbidden City to create a festive atmosphere.
Meridian Gate to Shenwu Gate east side of the city wall area, by the festive atmosphere of red lanterns adorn the city wall, guide the audience walking.
Paintings such as “Riverside during Qingming Festival” and “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” are projected on the roof of the building in the form of artistic lighting, making the audience feel that they are walking in the painting.
Cultural Exhibitions and Performances:
Visitors can visit the exhibition “Celebrating Chinese New Year in the Forbidden City” to learn about the customs and scenes of Chinese New Year in the Qing Dynasty court.
In the Dongyan Wing Building, pipa player Zhao Cong of the China National Orchestra and his team gave a wonderful performance for the audience.
Viewers can also watch the virtual reality film Corner Tower to feel the unique charm of the Palace Museum architecture.
Audience interaction:
The event invited model workers, Beijing role models, delivery boys, sanitation workers, People’s Liberation Army and armed police officers and soldiers, firefighters, public security police and other representatives of the audience thousands of people to participate.
The audience is qualified to visit through online reservation and enters the tour according to the appointment time.
Activity meaning
Cultural inheritance:
“Shang Yuan Night in the Forbidden City” is not only a feast of cultural activities, but also an inheritance and promotion of excellent traditional Chinese culture. Through the activities, visitors can have a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the Forbidden City and feel the breadth and depth of Chinese civilization.
Innovative exploration:
The Palace Museum’s attempt to open at night reflects its active exploration in cultural innovation. This innovation not only enriches visitors’ experience, but also injects new vitality into the cultural dissemination and development of the Forbidden City.
Social responsibility:
The Palace Museum has demonstrated its sense of social responsibility by holding the “Shang Yuan Night in the Forbidden City” event to give back a cultural feast to the public. This sense of responsibility is not only reflected in the protection and inheritance of cultural relics, but also in the satisfaction of the cultural needs of the public.
Subsequent impact
Although the “Shang Yuan Night in the Forbidden City” event was only held for two days, it had a profound impact. This event not only allowed visitors to enjoy the unique charm of the Palace Museum at night, but also provided valuable experience for the exploration of the Palace Museum in the field of night opening. In the future, the Palace Museum is expected to launch more similar night cultural activities to provide visitors with a more colorful visiting experience.
