Dagaoxuan Palace, veiled to the public for 60 years, will be finally open while repair work is done. It is scheduled to be in 2016. After the renovation, the palace will become a cultural center where exhibitions and cultural activities will be held.
Dagaoxuan Palace, between Jingshan Mountain and Beihai, was founded in 1542 during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Occupying an area of 13,000-square-meters, it is an important part of the Forbidden City. The Jiajing Emperor usually came to the palace to pray for longevity. Emperor Qianlong and Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty also had come here to pray for rain in dry seasons.