Master craftsmanship in the Forbidden City

"Masters in the Forbidden City", a documentary series that profiled the work of the museum conservationists, became a surprise online hit. It has racked up over six million views and scored an impressive rating of 9.5/10 on a major video-streaming website in China.[Photo/IC]

Spirits of craftsmanship

According to Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, the documentary's popularity resulted in a surge of applications for jobs with the restoration team.

This year the museum received 15,000 job applications for 20 vacancies.

However, becoming a qualified conservation worker takes time.

Wang Hongmei specializes in restoring tarnished paintings that are often disfigured by stains, mold and holes.

First coming to the museum to build on her knowledge of the essence of Chinese culture, Wang, who draws exquisite classical Chinese paintings, has worked in the museum for 16 years.

"I found conservation of paintings extremely challenging at the beginning when I often had to stand for hours all day long due to the nature of the work," Wang recalled. "Commitment and time gradually calmed down my heart."

It takes a seasoned conservationist like Wang a whole year to restore just three to four paintings. Sometimes the work could take even longer.

A scenic painting over 170 square meters in size, depicting purple wisteria, cranes and pines, was posted to the wall and ceiling of the Studio of Exhaustion from Diligent Service, commissioned by Emperor Qianlong for his retirement.

Fashioned under the guidance of Jesuit missionary and artist Giuseppe Castiglione, it is an exceptional painting.

From 2003 to 2008, Wang and her colleagues spent five years restoring the tattered painting to its previous brilliance.