National Treasure

Author: Ma Junxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The same-titled TV series, a spectacular opening drama of CCTV in 2004, broadcasted in the prime time slot of CCTV-1. A little-known cultural Long March, a cluster of united efforts passing the torch, a thrilling journey of ups and downs, a group of valiant and resolute heroes. Author Ma Junxiang was born in Northeast China in 1963. He studied in Beijing, from undergraduate to graduate, then became a teacher, and later a scriptwriter. He has written nearly 200 episodes of TV dramas such as "My Lifetime," "Iron Teeth and Copper Jaw: Ji Xiaolan," and "The Commoner Magistrate Fan Ruhua," as well as millions of words in novels, theoretical articles, film reviews, and screenplays.
The Robberies of the Palace Treasures In history, what remains memorable to future generations are always the segments filled with regrets and melancholy. No wonder the Yandu Congkao says: "Alas! How can the rise and fall of life be constant?" As the jewels of the Chinese nation embedded in the crown of human civilization, the turbulent fate of the palace treasures in the first half of the 20th century, as they fled war, undoubtedly ranks as one of the most tragic symphonies in the history of human culture. In 1420 (the 18th year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty), the Yongle Emperor Zhu Di became the first emperor to rule the Forbidden City. By the late Qing Dynasty, the last emperor Puyi, a total of 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties resided in the Forbidden City. The palace housed countless art treasures representing Chinese culture over thousands of years. In the early 20th century, amid internal turmoil and external threats, the fate of these unparalleled treasures became a focal point of global attention.
The Forbidden City, also known as the Purple Forbidden City, derives its name from the analogy of the Ziwei Palace in the celestial sphere. Ancient Chinese astronomers divided the stars into the Three Enclosures, the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and other constellations. The Three Enclosures include the Taiwei Enclosure, the Ziwei Enclosure, and the Tianshi Enclosure. The Ziwei Enclosure, located at the center of the three, became the constellation representing the Emperor of Heaven. The Emperor of Heaven resided in the Ziwei Palace, which was naturally supreme. The human emperor, being the highest in the mortal world, was likened to the Emperor of Heaven. Ancient Chinese architects and craftsmen, with extraordinary skills and boundless imagination, designed and constructed the magnificent residence of the human emperor. To elevate the emperor's supreme status, they employed a variety of architectural techniques, highlighting the special position of the ruler of the land. The Forbidden City is a magnificent masterpiece in the history of Chinese architecture and civilization.
Construction of the Beijing Forbidden City began in 1407 (the fifth year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty) and was completed in 1420, involving over 100,000 renowned craftsmen and one million laborers. The Qing Dynasty also carried out large-scale renovations during the reigns of emperors Qianlong and Kangxi. After the Xinhai Revolution, on December 25, 1912 (February 12, 1913), the last Qing emperor Puyi abdicated and the court withdrew from the front palace, leaving the rear palace. The Republic of China government and the Qing court signed nineteen preferential terms, one of which stipulated that the abdicated Puyi would continue to reside in the rear palace. During this period, the Forbidden City suffered not only from the neglect of its halls but also from the large-scale loss of cultural artifacts.