Pictures of the century-old Imperial Palace in Beijing and of Macao's transformation went on exhibit Dec 16 at the China Red Sandalwood Museum Hengqin Branch to mark the 21st anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

Historic photographs of the Forbidden City show the structures, furniture, individuals, and changes inside the complex. They include portraits of Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908), China's last Emperor Puyi (1906-67), and his Empress Consort Wanrong (1906-46).

This is the second China Red Sandalwood Museum Hengqin Branch exhibition in collaboration with the Palace Museum. The first was Allure of Forbidden City – Palace Museum Imperial Furniture show last December. It is also the first Rosewood Culture Lecture series at the Hengqin museum to advance the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese culture in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Zheng Xinmiao delivers lecture [Photo by Zhong Fan / Guanhai App]

Zheng Xinmiao, former director of the Palace Museum, spoke about the cultural inheritance of the China Red Sandalwood Museum and shared his visions on cultural construction.

In addition, tremendous changes in Macao's cityscape and scenes of civic life over the centuries are showcased in photos at the Hengqin museum. A window on Macao culture, the event further promotes cultural exchanges and cooperation between Zhuhai and Macao, said exhibition planner Chen Weilu, chief editor of cphoto.net.

The Macao Historical Photo Exhibition is organized by Zhuhai Media Group, cphoto.net, and the Macau Image Gallery of Macau University of Science & Technology under the auspices of Fuwah International Group. China Red Sandalwood Museum Hengqin Branch and Zhuhai Periodical Office handle it locally.

A 1-million-yuan ($153,100) public welfare fund was established by the Beijing Red Sandalwood Culture Foundation the same day to foster traditional culture with Macao youths.