Text | Mr. L
Edit|Laughing Shi Yunyan
Preface
In 1949, a major event occurred in Beijing that shook China and the rest of the world - the cleaning of the Forbidden City.
After 70,000 people and nine months, 250,000 cubic meters of garbage were finally cleaned up.
Clean up the Forbidden City
In 1949, the Forbidden City was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Chinese People's Government and the Beijing Municipal Government, and about 70,000 people participated.
The government called on ordinary people, experts, scholars, and cleaning personnel to mobilize together to carry out a cleaning that lasted for nine months, and finally restored the original appearance of the Forbidden City.
During the sweeping process, 2,938 precious artifacts that had been lost for many years were found.
At that time, the ordinary people involved were not only the local residents of Beijing, but also brothers and sisters who had come from all over the country to support, and although life was still difficult, they were still enthusiastic and volunteered to join this sacred cause.
Young people with brooms and dustpans are responsible for cleaning the ground, workers carry ladders, wipe beams and roofs, and cultural relics experts carefully inspect and excavate every possible treasure...
Everyone did their part to contribute to the restoration of the Forbidden City.
The cleaning process was difficult, and there were 96,000 houses in the inner palace alone, and the construction area of the outer court and the two palaces was even larger.
Years of dust and filth were difficult to remove, and participants had to be careful not to damage the fragile artifacts with a single big move.
No effort is in vain, and with the efforts of the people, the Forbidden City has been transformed little by little.
Nine months later, the Forbidden City was restored to its former grandeur, with 250,000 cubic meters of garbage cleaned up and precious porcelain, jade, calligraphy and paintings rediscovered.
After the vicissitudes of life, the palace finally regained its due solemnity and glory.
Where does the garbage in the Forbidden City come from?
Once upon a time, the land of the Imperial Palace witnessed the pinnacle of imperial power and glory, but now it is only a devastated ruin.
A vast space of 2 million square meters, but full of desolation, more than 9,000 houses, but no one cares, this land, just like its name "Forbidden City", only the loneliness and desolation of the old days.
It wasn't until 1949 that a large-scale clean-up was carried out, and the garbage swept out included not only the garbage of daily life, but also the broken cultural relics that represented the imprint of history.
The fragments of vases, the fragments of frescoes, and the mottled peeling under the corners of the walls all record the vicissitudes of the land.
This makes one wonder, where does so much garbage come from?
600 years ago, the Forbidden City was at the peak of the Ming Dynasty, when famous artists from all over the world gathered here just to leave their exquisite works in the palace.
The vivid murals they depicted and the poems they wrote were the most outstanding artistic treasures of their time.
At the same time, foreign envoys also visited frequently, offering local rare treasures in order to curry favor with the emperor.
In this way, the entire palace is like a huge museum of art and treasures, bringing together the best of the world.
However, the good times did not last long, and after the change of dynasties, the place gradually declined, and the former glory was gone, replaced by dust and desertion.
It wasn't until the sweep in 1925 that people discovered that there were still many untold stories hidden under this seemingly dilapidated land.
The clean-up workers found many bizarre objects that more or less reflected the vicissitudes of the land.
For example, the broken fresco in the corner of the wall, which was once intact, may be beautiful, or the fragments of a vase may have come from the collection of a prince or nobleman.
In addition to this, some even more terrifying things were found during the cleanup - the remains of severed limbs.
These inhumane scenes are unimaginable, but they also confirm the unknown dark side of the palace, the power struggle, the palace intrigue.
The historical significance of the Forbidden City Sweep
The Forbidden City was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties on the mainland, where a large number of cultural relics and historical relics were stored, but during the war years, the Forbidden City suffered serious damage, the buildings were dilapidated, and there was garbage and dirt everywhere.
In order to restore the glory of the Forbidden City, a large-scale cleanup was needed.
The greatest significance of this cleaning is to create favorable conditions for the protection of the cultural relics of the Forbidden City, and the workers involved in the cleaning voluntarily participate and work together to overcome many difficulties.
Not only did a large amount of garbage be cleaned up, but many precious cultural relics were excavated, which were restored and maintained, so that the Forbidden City could be restored to life.
This sweep also promoted the development of the protection of cultural relics in New China, and the workers' spirit of active participation and self-sacrifice became a model for the protection of cultural relics in New China.
The sweep laid the foundation for the protection of cultural relics, marked the beginning of the protection of cultural relics in New China, and had a far-reaching impact on future generations.
It can be said that the cleaning of the Forbidden City demonstrated the creative spirit and selfless dedication of the workers of New China, witnessed the changes of the old and new societies, carried the memory of the nation, and left a valuable historical legacy for future generations, and its historical significance is immeasurable.
It can be seen that this sweep has fully mobilized the enthusiasm of the people of all strata, especially a large number of ordinary workers who have spontaneously participated in this major project.
They did not feel disgusted because the Forbidden City was the former residence of feudal rulers, on the contrary, they felt the profound historical and cultural connotations contained in the Forbidden City, and thus developed a sense of responsibility for the protection of national cultural relics.
It is precisely by virtue of this sense of responsibility that they are able to work selflessly, overcome many difficulties, and comprehensively clean, organize, protect and restore the cultural relics of the Forbidden City.
At the same time, this sweep also made the older generation of workers deeply realize that the protection of cultural relics is the common cause of the people of the whole country, and that if New China wants to carry forward the national spirit, it must not forget history and abandon traditional cultural heritage.
Only by truly promoting the people's culture and allowing the broad masses of the people to participate in it and enjoy its fruits can the cause of protecting cultural relics be successful.
After the opening, the Forbidden City has regained its glory and become a window and cultural attraction for the opening of New China, and the Forbidden City has attracted many tourists to visit, so that the long history and splendid culture of the Chinese nation can be displayed in front of the world.
This has played an important role in establishing the image of New China and enhancing its international status.
The author thinks
It can be said that the cleaning of the Forbidden City is a major historical project, which not only protects the cultural relics of the Forbidden City, but also demonstrates the brand-new concept of cultural relics protection in New China, and fully demonstrates the creativity and spirit of unity and cooperation of the people.
The Forbidden City silently tells the historical rise and fall of the Chinese nation, and it carries the glory of ancient civilization.