The Palace Museum starts official renovation¹ on Yangxin Dian, or the Hall of Mental Cultivation², in the Forbidden City last Monday, a building where emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) resided and handled state affairs.

上周一，故宫博物院正式启动对紫禁城内养心殿的修缮工作。养心殿是清朝皇帝居住和处理政务的场所。

Yangxin Dian, or the Hall of Mental Cultivation, is one of the most intriguing³ palaces in the Forbidden City. Starting in the Yongzheng period, Yangxin Dian was a political decision-making center in the Qing Dynasty and the residence of eight Qing emperors.

养心殿是紫禁城中最引人入胜的宫殿之一。从雍正时期开始，养心殿就是清代的政治决策中心和八位清代皇帝的居所。

The palace had been closed two years and eight months before the official renovation started.

在正式启动修缮工作前，养心殿已“闭门谢客”两年零八个月了。

故宫养心殿正式启动修缮工作

According to museum curator Shan Jixiang, during this period the museum had conducted systematic⁴ training with 275 craftsmen⁵, covering detailed⁶ skills for ancient architecture construction and traditional repair techniques.

据故宫博物院院长单霁翔介绍，在此期间，故宫博物院对275名工匠进行了系统培训，包括古代建筑施工的精细技术和传统修复技术等。

116 craftsmen passed the selection test, and serve as the main force for the renovation of Yangxin Dian.

通过选拔考试的116名工匠是养心殿修复工作的主力军。

The renovation of Yangxin Dian is part of an overall renovation project of the Palace Museum, the largest scale since 1911.

养心殿的修缮工程是故宫博物院整体修缮工程的一部分，这是自1911年以来规模最大的修缮工程。

It is scheduled to finish in 2020 when the Forbidden City welcomes its 600th birthday.

按计划，养心殿的修缮工作将于2020年完工，届时紫禁城也将迎来其600岁生日。