Tales of memory held in a gaze

On the walls, scenes from the Prince Kung's Palace Museum's intangible cultural heritage performances, poetry gatherings under flowering crabapple trees, and traditional New Year picture workshops unfold alongside the Forbidden City's stunning imagery during the 24 solar terms.

Photographer Zhu Kai from the Palace Museum says it was "a refreshing experience" photographing Prince Kung's Palace for the first time.

"While the two sites share certain visual principles, Prince Kung's Palace, with its green-toned palette and vibrant natural scenery, offered me new creative inspirations," Zhu says.

He says he tried to interpret the palace's beauty in a visual language that resonates with the public, connecting them emotionally to both the palace and its past.

Zheng Wenyue, also a photographer with the Palace Museum, speaks of bringing her Forbidden City practice to take photos of Prince Kung's Palace.

"We often frame architecture in conversation with nature — ancient trees and flowering plants alongside halls and gates. Millennia-old trees stand witness to the passage of time, and this interaction between architecture and ecology became a theme we also explored at Prince Kung's Palace," she explains.

She appreciates the innovative approach of presenting images on brick and wood.

The coarse, tactile texture of these materials adds a dimension of "carved time", evoking a conversation between the photograph and the substance of cultural heritage.

"In this way, the old is revitalized. We are thrilled with how the exhibition has come together, exceeding our expectations," Zheng says.