A surgically executed mission to restore old glory

Closed-off section of Palace Museum will reopen its doors just in time for a huge anniversary celebration

Let's clear our minds now and get this straight: on Thursday the Hall of Mental Cultivation had been closed to the public for exactly 1,000 days - the official reason being that it was being repaired - and we're still counting.

But a couple of weeks ago, anyone thinking the hall, part of the Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City, must surely reopen its doors again soon, received an ice-cold shower. That came grace of Shan Jixiang, the museum director, who jauntily informed assembled media on Sept 3 that the repair work was in fact just about to begin.