Editing Forbidden City (section)

== Collections ==
{{Main|Palace Museum}}
[[File:China qing two blue ceramics.JPG|thumb|Two blue porcelain wares ([[Qing dynasty]])]]
[[File:孝洁肃皇后陈氏.jpg|thumb|Portrait of [[Empress Chen (Jiajing)|Empress Xiaojiesu]] (1508–1528), first wife of the [[Jiajing Emperor]]]]
The collections of the Palace Museum are based on the Qing imperial collection, including paintings, ceramics, seals, steles, sculptures, inscribed wares, bronze wares and enamel objects. According to the latest audit, it has 1,862,690 pieces of art. In addition, the imperial libraries housed a large collection of rare books and historical documents, including government documents of the [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] and [[Qing dynasty|Qing]] dynasties, which has since been transferred to the [[First Historical Archives of China|First Historical Archives]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The forbidden city: the biography of a palace |author=Dorn, Frank |place=[[New York City|New York]] |publisher=[[Charles Scribner's Sons]] |year=1970 |oclc=101030 |page=176}}</ref>

From 1933, the threat of Japanese invasion forced the evacuation of the most important parts of the Museum's collection. After the end of World War II, this collection was returned to Nanjing. However, with the [[Chinese Communist Party|Communists]]' victory imminent in the Chinese Civil War, the Nationalist government decided to ship the pick of this collection to Taiwan. Of the 13,491 boxes of evacuated artefacts, 2,972 boxes are now housed in the [[National Palace Museum]] in Taipei. More than 8,000 boxes were returned to Beijing, but 2,221 boxes remain today in storage under the charge of the [[Nanjing Museum]].<ref name="Three" />

The Palace Museum holds 340,000 pieces of [[ceramic]]s and [[porcelain]]. These include imperial collections from the [[Tang dynasty]] and the [[Song dynasty]]. It has close to 50,000 paintings, within which more than 400 date from before the [[Yuan dynasty]] (1271–1368), which is the largest in China.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |title=Collection highlights – Paintings |access-date=2007-07-05 |author=The Palace Museum |language=zh |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701213540/https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> Its [[bronze]] collection dates from the early [[Shang dynasty]]. Of the almost 10,000 pieces held, about 1,600 are inscribed items from the pre-[[Qin dynasty|Qin]] period (to 221 BC). A significant part of the collection is ceremonial bronzeware from the imperial court.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |title=Collection highlights – Bronzeware |access-date=2007-07-05 |author=The Palace Museum |language=zh |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701213540/https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> The Palace Museum has one of the largest collections of mechanical timepieces of the 18th and 19th centuries in the world, with more than 1,000 pieces. The collection contains both Chinese- and foreign-made pieces. Chinese pieces came from the palace's own workshops. Foreign pieces came from countries including [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]], France, Switzerland, the United States, and Japan. Of these, the largest portion come from Britain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |title=Collection highlights – Timepieces |access-date=2007-07-05 |author=The Palace Museum |language=zh |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701213540/https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> [[Jade]] has a unique place in [[Chinese culture]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Laufer |first=Berthold |author-link=Berthold Laufer |title=Jade: A Study in Chinese Archeology & Religion |year=1912 |publisher=Reprint (1989): Peter Smith Pub Inc |location=Gloucestor MA |isbn=978-0-8446-5214-6}}</ref> The Museum's collection includes some 30,000 pieces. The pre-Yuan dynasty part of the collection includes several pieces famed throughout history. The earliest pieces date from the [[Neolithic]] period.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |title=Collection highlights – Jade |access-date=2007-07-05 |author=The Palace Museum |language=zh |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701213540/https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> In addition to works of art, a large proportion of the Museum's collection consists of the artifacts of the imperial court. This includes items used by the imperial family and the palace in daily life. This comprehensive collection preserves the daily life and ceremonial protocols of the imperial era.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |title=Collection highlights – Palace artefacts |access-date=2007-07-05 |author=The Palace Museum |language=zh |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701213540/https://www.dpm.org.cn/ |archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="145">
File:China ming blue dragons.JPG|A blue and white [[porcelain]] vase with cloud and dragon designs, marked with the word "[[Shou (character)|longevity]]" ({{Zh|c=寿|p=shòu|labels=no}}) ([[Jiajing Emperor|Jiajing period]] of the [[Ming dynasty]]
File:北京故宫12.JPG|Exhibits on display in the corridor connecting the Hall of Literary Glory and the Hall of Main Respect
File:Exhibition of architecture of the Forbidden City 2015 December.jpg|Inside the East Glorious Gate
File:Meridian Gate (Forbidden City) West wing interior 2015 December.jpg|Inside the West Wing of the Meridian Gate
</gallery>