The Baohe Palace, as one of the landmark buildings of the late Qing Dynasty in mainland China, witnessed the historical waves of social changes at that time. This building has undergone countless ups and downs in the alternation of time and the baptism of time.
In 1898, the Bohol Hall witnessed the Wuxu Reform led by Tan Si and others aimed at overthrowing the autocratic rule of the Empress Dowager Cixi. However, they did not get their way. The Empress Dowager Cixi was extremely disgusted with Tan Sitong's surname, and excluded him from the opportunity to take the big test, so that this change finally failed. When the imperial court announced the abolition of the imperial examination system the following year, the Baohedian held the last examination of the imperial examination system of the Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately, with the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the Baohe Temple no longer controlled its former influence, and it gradually declined since then.
In the Qing Dynasty, the main purpose of the Bohol Hall was to hold state ceremonies, hold banquets, and entertain foreign envoys. It was an important royal palace that played a key role in the political, cultural, and diplomatic activities of the Qing Dynasty. In addition, the Bohol Hall also served as a place for the emperor to study and Xi, showing the importance that the Qing emperor attached to culture and knowledge.
In 1912, the Qing Dynasty withdrew from the stage of history, and the Baohe Hall at this time lost its core position. Despite this, it was still an important occasion for the entire Qing Dynasty royal family to hold social activities, such as banquets for foreign guests, afternoon tea parties, etc., and also served as an office for related institutions such as the Tai Hospital, which played an important role in supporting the royal health care. But it cannot be denied that with the rapid development of the times, this century-old palace building still cannot resist the erosion of the years, and gradually ages and is abandoned.
It was not until the 80s of the last century that the Chinese government implemented a policy of reform and opening up, which allowed historical buildings to be preserved and restored. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage and Cultural Relics, in collaboration with the Palace Museum, carried out a comprehensive renovation of the Baohe Palace, which lasted several years and finally gave this ancient building a new vitality and restored its former glory.
Today, the Bohol Hall has once again become one of the important tourist attractions of the Palace Museum, attracting many tourists every year. Here, visitors can appreciate its unique classical architectural art style and its profound history and culture, learn about the history of China's imperial examination system, and respond to the failure of the Wuxu Reform System. This well-preserved palace building is not only a commemoration of the past, but also our reflection on history, respect and admiration for the country.