Eager for access

The UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest surviving complex of palatial architecture covering 720,000 square meters has not been fully accessible following the reopening.

Only some outdoor areas, mainly along the central axis and some gardens and courtyards on both the eastern and western sides are temporarily accessible. All indoor galleries, the city walls, and most souvenir shops, remain closed.

Only 5,000 visitors whose entry tickets have all been booked in advance online will be allowed entry each day－3,000 before 1 pm and a further 2,000 afterward. Of course, QR codes which indicate heath condition, the measurement of body temperature, and 1-meter social distancing are also required.

Zhuang was lucky. The first 5,000 tickets sold out within 90 minutes after the news was released, and all 25,000 tickets throughout the 5-day May Day Holiday were snapped up within 12 hours.

On the morning of May 1, Zhuang was one of the earliest in line, waiting in front of the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City. For her, the special moment felt like a ritual.

After she takes off her white coat and puts on her hanfu－traditional Chinese clothing of the Han people－Zhuang instantly changes from a medical engineer into an enthusiast who worships the brilliance of cultural heritage.

She says it is her regular clothing every time she visits the palace, as it echoes the surroundings.