Qing Dynasty Gold Cabinets at the First Historical Archives of China

The First Historical Archives of China is a national archive that preserves the central government and royal family archives of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Currently, the fourth floor is hosting a special exhibition of Ming and Qing dynasty archives and storage equipment. The exhibition room displays more than 100 gold cabinets, which are ancient cabinets used to store precious books and archives. Standing in front of the gold cabinets, they appear heavy, with metal surfaces engraved with dragon and cloud patterns. The cabinets are approximately 1.3–1.4 meters long and high, and less than 1 meter wide. According to the exhibition board, archive storage equipment from before the Ming dynasty has been lost, and only the royal archive storage equipment from the Ming and Qing dynasties has survived to this day. The gold cabinets are made of nanmu wood and covered with gilded copper. They were used to store royal records, including the emperor's words and deeds, decrees, national affairs, and the emperor's edicts, instructions, and teachings. In ancient times, the gold cabinets were placed in ancestral temples as a reference for future generations. Standing in front of the rows of gold cabinets in glass cases, one can feel the mystery and majesty of these symbols of ancient royal authority, which have been baptized by the vicissitudes of time and are incredibly precious. The First Historical Archives of China also houses Ming and Qing dynasty royal dragon cabinets, which were used to store important documents related to the royal bloodline, such as royal family trees, births, deaths, marriages, and promotions. The dragon cabinets are not currently on display. The First Historical Archives of China is a magnificent building with a simple and solemn design. Climbing the high steps, one can feel the deep sense of history. The main functions of the First Historical Archives of China are archive preservation, utilization, and display, as well as academic research and international exchange. In addition to the gold cabinet exhibition, there is also an exhibition of Ming and Qing dynasty historical archives. The gold cabinet exhibition will be open until March 31 next year. Admission to the First Historical Archives of China is free, but reservations are required. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm.