On February 12, 1912, with the promulgation of the "Edict of Abdication" by Empress Longyu, the Qing Dynasty, which had enjoyed 276 years of the country, came to an end and withdrew from the stage of history forever.
However, although the Qing Dynasty collapsed, Puyi and his gang continued to live in the Forbidden City in accordance with the "Preferential Conditions for the Qing Dynasty", in which Puyi called himself a lonely widow and a feudal official, like a "small imperial court". What's more, in 1917, Zhang Xun organized 3,000 braided troops to enter the capital and support Puyi to restore the throne. Although the farce lasted only 12 days and ended, it sounded a wake-up call in people's hearts.
In the winter of 1924, Feng Yuxiang launched the "Beijing Coup". During this period, Feng Yuxiang revised the "Preferential Conditions for the Qing Room" and ordered Puyi and others to leave the Forbidden City immediately. Puyi and others, escorted by military police, moved out of the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City was returned to the hands of the Nationalist government.
Subsequently, the National Government set up the QingMu Aftermath Committee to handle the identification of public and private property in the Forbidden City and all aftermath matters, and together with the personnel of the Qing Dynasty' nearby branches, coordinate with the clean-up of public property and private property, and show the Grand Duke. On November 24, the Qingmu Aftermath Committee officially entered the Forbidden City to take stock of all the cultural relics inside. After preliminary inventory, there are more than 1.17 million cultural relics of various types in the Forbidden City.
What will happen next to the Forbidden City and these 117 artifacts? Based on the usual international practice of dealing with the royal palace, the Qingmu Aftermath Committee made a proposal to establish the Palace Museum, which is open to the general public. After the establishment of the Palace Museum, Puyi's thoughts will be completely broken. The National Government approved the proposal.
So, who will write the inscription for the Palace Museum?
Although the Clearance Committee is only a temporary body, it is full of talents. Such as Cai Yuanpei, Xiong Xiling, Yu Youren and other 21 celebrities, are all important figures in China's cultural and educational circles. Cai Yuanpei is too familiar with everyone to say; just to say this Yu Youren, he is a famous calligrapher in modern times, one of the four major calligraphers of the Republic of China, and is known as "contemporary grass saint" and "modern calligraphy saint". However, they unanimously recommended Li Shi, chairman of the Qing Room Rehabilitation Committee, to write the first plaque of the "Palace Museum".
Many people have not heard of Li Shizeng's name, so I will introduce a few more words here. Li Shizeng's origins were not small, his father was Li Hongzao, a heavy minister of the late Qing Dynasty, and an official to a military minister and a university scholar. After his death, he was given the title of "Wenzheng". "Wenzheng" is the top title of Wenchen. In the nearly 300 years of the Qing Dynasty, there were only 8 ministers with the title of "Wenzheng", including Li Hongzao. Li Shi once read poetry and books since he was a child, laying a deep foundation in Sinology. When he grew up, he studied in France. In 1911, when the Xinhai Revolution broke out, Li Shi returned to China to participate in the Xinhai Revolution, and actively organized and launched the work-study movement to France, cultivating a large number of talents.
Li Shi was not famous for his calligraphy, but his calligraphy skills were not bad. According to cultural relics expert Shan Shiyuan, when writing, Li Shi once spread the yellow woolen paper that was glued together and was about a long stretch on the ground, and grabbed a large brush in a half-kneeling posture and struggled to write. Each word was the size of an ordinary round table.
Anyone who studies calligraphy knows that large characters are a great test of the writer's skills. Even Mr. Qi Gong, a recognized calligrapher, does not easily write in large letters. Instead, write a small print and then zoom in. Li Shi once wrote directly in a row of large letters, which shows his amazing mastery and calligraphy skills.
On October 10, 1925, the Palace Museum was officially opened. The big characters of "Palace Museum" that Li Shi once wrote in Yan style appeared in the eyes of the world and caused a shock. These few words are majestic and atmospheric, thick and calm, and resemble the authentic calligraphy of Yan Zhenqing, and many people think that they are not written by real people, but from yan Zhenqing's book posts.
In 1971, the Palace Museum reopened. According to the opinions of the relevant leaders, Guo Moruo rewrote the plaque of the Palace Museum. Today, the plaque inscribed by Guo Moruo hangs on the Shenwu Gate of the North Gate of the Palace Museum for Chinese and foreign tourists to enjoy.
[References: The Palace Museum, etc.]