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In pictures: Beijing’s Forbidden City opened at night for the first time in almost a century

Paint the palace red.

Image: AP Photo/Andy Wong

Echo Huang

PublishedFebruary 20, 2019

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For the first time since its inauguration as the Palace Museum to the public 94 years ago, Beijing’s Forbidden City opened at night for the first time to the public yesterday (Feb. 19).

The palace walls were illuminated with red lanterns, as well as purple and yellow lights—considered royal colors in China—to recreate the feeling of the Forbidden City as an ancient court for Chinese emperors. The China National Traditional Orchestra and the Peking Opera also performed as part of the light show, while a digital scroll of a painting called One Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains from the Song Dynasty was projected onto the roof (paywall) of the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City re-opened as the Palace Museum in 1925 by the new Nationalist government following the abdication of the last Chinese emperor Puyi, and later his eviction from the complex.

The museum will open for two consecutive nights as part of a celebration of the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Admission tickets for the evenings, which were free, were snapped up within minutes of going on sale online over the weekend, when the website even crashed (link in Chinese). Only 3,000 people are admitted at night. The Palace Museum also invited 2,500 guests including ambassadors from different countries, soldiers, couriers, sanitation workers, and firefighters.

Curator Shan Jixiang said it would consider opening the museum at night (link in Chinese) during other festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Double Ninth Festival.

Here are some photos of the Palace Museum at night.

Visitors watch the Forbidden City is illuminated with colorful lights during the Lantern Festival in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Beijing's Palace Museum was illuminated and opened for night visits to celebrate China's Lantern Festival. For the first time since it was established 94 years ago, the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, extended opening hours till nighttime and lit up part of its cultural relics buildings. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) — The painting scroll beamed into the roof of the Forbidden City.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, photo, a Peking Opera artist performs in the Forbidden City which lit up by lights for the Lantern Festival in Beijing. China lit up the Forbidden City on Tuesday night, marking the end of 15 days of lunar new year celebrations. It was not a Lantern Festival the last emperor, who abdicated in 1912, would have recognized. There were lanterns, but those lucky enough to snag tickets saw a laser light show and historic buildings bathed in colorful lights. Others watched from outside the vast walled compound in Beijing, from where Ming and Qing dynasty emperors ruled for five centuries. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) — A Peking Opera artist performs in the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City or Palace Museum is lit up as part of celebrations for the Lantern Festival, marking the last day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing, China, 19 February 2019. For the first time in 94 years, Beijing's Forbidden City is lit up at night and opened to the public to celebrate the Lantern Festival as part of the lunar new year celebrations. Forbidden City or Palace Museum lights up for Lantern Festival, Beijing, China - 19 Feb 2019 — The Forbidden City lit up.

Visitors take pictures of the Forbidden City or Palace Museum lit up as part of celebrations for the Lantern Festival, marking the last day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing, China, 19 February 2019. For the first time in 94 years, Beijing's Forbidden City is lit up at night and opened to the public to celebrate the Lantern Festival as part of the lunar new year celebrations. Forbidden City or Palace Museum lights up for Lantern Festival, Beijing, China - 19 Feb 2019 — Visitors take pictures of the Forbidden City at night.

Visitors take souvenir photos of the Forbidden City illuminated with lights during the Lantern Festival in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Beijing's Palace Museum was illuminated and opened for night visits to celebrate China's Lantern Festival. For the first time since it was established 94 years ago, the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, extended opening hours till nighttime and lit up part of its cultural relics buildings. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) — The palace illuminated with purple light.

A visitor takes a picture of the Forbidden City decorated with red lanterns that is lit up during an event to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival on the last day of the lunar new year celebrations in Beijing, China February 19, 2019. — Red lanterns lit up the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City decorated with red lanterns and illuminated with lights during the Lantern Festival in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Beijing's Palace Museum was illuminated and opened for night visits to celebrate China's Lantern Festival. For the first time since it was established 94 years ago, the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, extended opening hours till nighttime and lit up part of its cultural relics buildings. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) — The Forbidden City illuminated with red light.

A security officer stand guard in the Forbidden City or Palace Museum lit up as part of celebrations for the Lantern Festival, marking the last day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing, China, 19 February 2019. For the first time in 94 years, Beijing's Forbidden City is lit up at night and opened to the public to celebrate the Lantern Festival as part of the lunar new year celebrations. Forbidden City or Palace Museum lights up for Lantern Festival, Beijing, China - 19 Feb 2019 — A door lit by red light in the Forbidden City.

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