Forbidden City's Treasure Gallery

　　The Forbidden City's Treasure Gallery is located in the eastern part of the Palace Museum, set up in the western wing of the Hall of Imperial Supremacy, the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Hall of Longevity in Happiness, and the Hall of Joyful Longevity in the northeast corner of the Forbidden City. The Treasure Gallery is a treasure trove, featuring various gems, glittering gold and silverware, pearls, jadeite, as well as gold-threaded phoenix crowns and ivory jade carvings. Its treasures are unparalleled in the world; the most outstanding among them is a large jade carving of a pagoda with multiple tiers, weighing up to 5,000 kilograms.

　　The Treasure Gallery of the Beijing Forbidden City opened in 1958 and is one of the permanent exhibition halls of the Palace Museum. Along with the Clocks and Watches Gallery, it primarily displays Qing dynasty court artifacts and curios, and together with galleries dedicated to paintings, ceramics, bronzes, and other crafts, it forms the comprehensive exhibition system of the Palace Museum, complementing the displays of the original architectural complexes.

　　According to the head of the Court Department at the Palace Museum, the Treasure Gallery has undergone four major renovations. Prior to the latest renovation, the gallery facilities were outdated, lighting was insufficient, display cases were not properly sealed, and dust posed serious risks to both the exhibition effect and artifact preservation.

　　The Treasure Gallery is divided into sections in the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Room 1), the Hall of Longevity in Happiness (Room 2), and the Hall of Joyful Longevity (Room 3). It mainly displays ritual vessels, sacrificial objects, ceremonial attire, ornaments, daily-use items, and palace furnishings made from gold, silver, jade, and other precious materials collected by the Qing court. Room 1 mainly exhibits: a golden bell chime, a jadeite musical stone, golden seals, golden scrolls, ruyi scepters, a golden hair tower, golden incense burners, golden jars, tableware, and tea sets. Room 2 mainly displays: dragon robes, armor, phoenix crowns, a large golden pagoda, the Seven Treasures, the Eight Precious Objects, court beads, an ivory mat, and a large jade mountain. Room 3 exhibits jadeite fairy pedestals, armillary spheres, and other palace furnishings.

　　Among the treasures in the gallery, the most regal item is a golden box inlaid with gems in the shape of a gourd. Many visitors are captivated by its exquisitely crafted design upon first sight. The box is shaped like a gourd. The lid is inlaid with a large jade gourd, on which a small lapis lazuli gourd and leaves are embedded. Beside the large gourd are also a pink tourmaline gourd and a small jadeite gourd, along with branches and vines made of lapis lazuli and turquoise.

　　The gourd is regarded as an auspicious symbol of numerous descendants due to its sprawling vines, abundant fruit, and plentiful seeds. The pattern of multiple gourds on the vine is called "descendants for ten thousand generations." Additionally, the gourd sounds like "prosperity and wealth" (福禄), symbolizing boundless good fortune and prosperity for generations.

Palace Museum

Hall of Mental Cultivation (Zhongcui Palace)

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Gate of Divine Prowess

Hall of Preserving Harmony

Hall of Imperial Supremacy

Hall of Martial Valor

Palace of Earthly Tranquility

Palace of Heavenly Purity

Three Rarities Study

Palace of Longevity and Health

Hall of Mental Cultivation

Palace of Longevity and Peace

Imperial Garden

Palace of Eternal Longevity