《——【·Preface·】——》
When it comes to the Forbidden City, one thing puzzles us: why does it close its gates ahead of schedule at 5 pm every day? Behind this habit lies a little-known story.
Many visitors might think that the early closure of the ancient palace is merely for maintenance and management, but in fact, this decision stems from a painful lesson learned in 1959. What kind of experience led the world's largest museum of ancient art and culture to impose strict restrictions on its opening hours? On August 16, 1959, what should have been a quiet day at the Forbidden City turned out to be anything but. As the sun set and visitors left, staff began their routine inspections. When they entered the Yangxingdian Hall, the sight that met their eyes left everyone stunned.
The glass of the display case was smashed, and the five jade-carved gold-sheathed ceremonial swords and eight pages of the imperial gold books, which were treasured inside, had all vanished. The empty display seemed to silently accuse the cultural catastrophe.
These stolen artifacts were not ordinary exhibits. The five swords were the personal belongings of Emperor Shunzhi and Emperor Qianlong, with precious jade inlaid in the hilts and gold-wrapped scabbards, each invaluable.
As for the eight pages of gold books, they are nothing less than rare treasures. Cast from pure gold, each page weighs 166 taels, and they are inscribed with both Manchu and Han scripts, recording significant historical events of the royal family. These artifacts are not only works of art but also carry the essence of Chinese civilization and the weight of history.
The theft immediately caused a sensation. Shocked, the Forbidden City's management immediately sealed all exits and launched a thorough search. However, the artifacts remained missing.
The case soon alarmed the entire nation, and the police launched a large-scale investigation. The whole of Beijing seemed shrouded in a cloud of unease, with everyone fearful of being implicated in this major case. For the next three months, the Forbidden City was plunged into gloom. The police investigated day and night but could not find a breakthrough.
Cultural relics experts lamented the situation, fearing that these precious national treasures would disappear into the black market. With each passing day, a shadow of fear loomed, worried that the artifacts had been smuggled overseas and would never be recovered.
Just when everyone was about to give up hope, an unexpected breakthrough emerged. During a routine ticket check at a train station, a police officer noticed the suspicious behavior of a young man.
The young man looked agitated and was holding some strange pieces of gold. The officer's professional instincts led him to stop the young man. This seemingly casual act turned out to be a pivotal turning point in solving the case.
Upon close inspection, the police were astonished to find that there were still traces of text on these pieces of gold. These traces were strikingly similar to the text on the stolen gold books from the Forbidden City.
In this way, the case finally took a significant turn. This discovery was like a ray of dawn in the darkness, bringing hope to everyone. Unexpectedly, the high-profile case that shocked the nation was committed by an obscure 20-year-old youth. This young man, named Wu Qinghui, was originally just one of the many visitors to the Forbidden City.
It was such an ordinary person who committed a case that shocked China and the world. His actions not only defiled the cultural relics but also profaned history.
It turned out that Wu Qinghui was deeply attracted by the shining treasures in the Yangxingdian Hall when he visited the Forbidden City. A bold idea began to sprout in his heart: if only he could possess them! Thus, he began to meticulously plan the theft. That night, Wu Qinghui hid in a restroom in the Forbidden City. When it was late at night, he quietly slipped into the Yangxingdian Hall, smashed the glass, and stole those invaluable cultural relics.
This seemingly perfect plan ultimately failed due to his greed and shortsightedness. His actions served as a huge alarm bell, reminding people of the importance of cultural relic protection. Wu Qinghui, after his crime, did not escape the law like in the movies. On the contrary, he quickly fell into a predicament. Although these precious artifacts were invaluable, cashing them in was not easy.
With no other choice, he made a heart-wrenching decision. His actions not only destroyed the cultural relics but also devastated history and erased cultural heritage.
After discussing with his sister, they decided to cut and sell part of the gold books. In this way, these treasures that carried hundreds of years of history were cruelly cut into pieces. They sold these pieces of gold one after another, exchanging them for more than a thousand yuan.
At that time, this was indeed a substantial sum, enough to change the life of an ordinary family. This ill-gotten money also became the key to their eventual exposure.
During this process, Wu Qinghui's psychological changes are thought-provoking, from initial excitement to later fear, illustrating the complexity of human nature. Wu Qinghui's arrest put an end to the shocking case that stunned the nation. However, the damage caused is irreparable. Although most of the cultural relics were recovered, the gold books that were cut into pieces have forever lost their historical value.
This is not only a desecration of cultural relics but also a tremendous loss to Chinese civilization. This case sounded the alarm for the Forbidden City. The management realized that opening at night posed significant security risks.
To prevent similar incidents from happening again, the Forbidden City made a significant decision: from then on, the museum would close promptly at 5 pm every day, and all visitors must leave. While this decision might affect some visitors' experience, in the long run, it is a necessary action to protect the cultural relics.
This decision is not only for theft prevention but also for better preservation of the artifacts. Many precious relics are extremely sensitive to light, and prolonged exposure to strong light accelerates their aging.
Closing early and reducing lighting time is also a form of protection for the relics. Moreover, the Forbidden City covers a vast area with complex architectural structures, and night visits pose safety risks.
For the safety of visitors, daytime opening has become the inevitable choice. Behind this decision lies the deep consideration and sense of responsibility for cultural relic protection of the Forbidden City's managers.
《——【·Conclusion·】——》
The 5 pm closure of the Forbidden City stems from a thrilling case of cultural relic theft, condensing a painful historical lesson. This seemingly simple rule is a solemn protection of cultural heritage.
It is not only a precautionary safety measure but also a well-thought-out consideration for the long-term preservation of cultural relics. From that turmoil, we have learned the importance of cultural relic protection and recognized that everyone bears the responsibility of passing on civilization.
Today, as we walk among the vermillion walls of the Forbidden City, we should be filled with awe and cherish this treasure that carries a thousand years of history, writing a new chapter in the transmission of culture together.
