The time of emperors

New life

This is the second time the timepieces from the Chengde Mountain Resort have left in sets. As the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) was approaching, key cultural relics were moved out of the former imperial resort and sent to eastern and western China to avoid being seized by the enemy.

In 1956, after leaving Nanjing, Jiangsu province, the items returned to Chengde. Though the aging timepieces were in need of a comprehensive restoration by then, the lack of restorers postponed the project until recently.

Since 2018, Qi Haonan, a restorer at the museum, and his tutor Wang Jin have led a comprehensive restoration of timepieces at the mountain resort.

"We have solved the same problems in the Forbidden City that we found in Chengde," Qi recalls. "But structures of some mechanical pieces are very complicated. You cannot run against the clock when fixing a clock."

Patience is all they needed. A joint laboratory for antique timepiece restoration was officially set up by the two institutions in 2020, with seven restorers in the team.

"But we can only repair a few large pieces a year to ensure quality," Qi says.

More than 20 timepieces at the mountain resort have been fixed, and the ongoing exhibition is also a demonstration of the team's achievements in recent years. Qi says their goal is to finish checking dozens of other timepieces in Chengde.

The technique used in the restoration of the antique timepieces at the Palace Museum was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2014, but Qi and Wang used to be the only regular restorers at the museum.

An online documentary on the restoration of cultural relics in 2016 changed everything. The praise for Masters in the Forbidden City made Wang a celebrity overnight, and since then, numerous young people have applied for the once lesser-known position.

The seven restorers at the Palace Museum are lending a helping hand to institutions nationwide in keeping the former royal timepieces running, and more local restorers are being trained for the future.

"Accidentally or not, we have a growing team and I also have my own apprentices now," Qi says. "More items are displayed after being 'cured', and their charm can be continuously admired."