Reported by Pulsestacks on May 18th. With a rich historical context, bridging the past with the present. Recently, the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund and the Palace Museum jointly held the launch ceremony for the third phase of public welfare cooperation and the start of the research-based conservation and restoration of the Jingfu Palace. Since 2018, the two parties have been carrying out two phases of strategic public welfare cooperation, achieving significant results in the fields of ancient building restoration and cultural relic protection, archaeology and academic research, traditional cultural education for young people, and international exchanges.
The Mercedes-Benz Star Fund and the Palace Museum announce the launch of the third phase of their public welfare cooperation, marking the start of the research-based conservation and restoration of the Jingfu Palace.
In 2024, the new phase of public welfare cooperation will continue to support the protection of ancient architecture and archaeological research, uncovering the historical and cultural value embedded in cultural relics and buildings, and sharing project achievements with the public. Mercedes-Benz will strengthen its role as a guardian of cultural heritage and a successor of cultural heritage by participating in, witnessing, and promoting the sustainable development of outstanding traditional culture through the "Way of Humanities." The event also showcased the interim results of the six-year "Jingfu Palace Research-based Conservation" project, released a trailer for the "Jingfu Palace Research-based Conservation" documentary series, and officially launched the restoration phase of the project.
Director Wang Xudong's Address at the Palace Museum
Director Wang Xudong of the Palace Museum stated: "The Palace Museum is a precious treasure and historical resource for all humanity. It is imperative for us to work together with the world to protect and inherit cultural heritage, advance academic research, and cultivate talents. In recent years, the Palace Museum has adhered to the concept of open management, sharing cultural resources and academic achievements, collaborating with various sectors of society at home and abroad, engaging in cultural exchanges, and promoting a comprehensive open new pattern. The 'Mercedes-Benz Star Fund' is an important public welfare partner on the path of open cooperation for the Palace Museum. From 2018 to 2023, two phases of public welfare cooperation have been carried out, providing significant support for the development of our museum. In the future, let us fully leverage our respective strengths to jointly promote the promotion and dissemination of excellent traditional Chinese culture, and look forward to more public welfare forces joining us in the cause of cultural heritage conservation!"
Wan Xuejun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice Chairman, and Secretary-General of the China Youth Development Foundation, remarked: "Culture is related to the foundation and prosperity of a nation. Protecting historical and cultural heritage and carrying forward the Chinese cultural heritage is our common responsibility. Over the past six years, benefiting from the professional expertise of the Palace Museum in the conservation and restoration of cultural relics, as well as the ingenuity of experts and scholars, the China Youth Development Foundation's Mercedes-Benz Star Fund has yielded fruitful results through its public welfare cooperation with the Palace Museum, contributing to the sustainable development of China's cultural public welfare undertakings. Going forward, the Star Fund is willing to deepen cooperation with the Palace Museum, allowing the fruits of public welfare to benefit more people and contribute to the construction of a culturally strong nation and the flourishing development of culture."
President and CEO Duan Jianjun of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co., Ltd. delivered a speech:
"The 'intimate relationship' between the Forbidden City and Mercedes-Benz is a blend of traditional Chinese civilization and the world's industrial civilization, a testament to the coexistence of heritage and innovation. Over the past six years, we have worked with the Palace Museum, using culture as a bridge and turning responsibility into action, to support the construction of the 'Academic Palace' and the 'Dynamic Palace.' In the third phase of our public welfare cooperation, we will continue to promote the public welfare and sense of responsibility in promoting traditional culture. By focusing on the 'Research-based Conservation of Jingfu Palace' and the 'Archaeological Research of Zhaobanchu Building Site,' we aim to expand the public's access to historical and cultural heritage, contributing our strength to safeguarding historical treasures and inheriting cultural essence."
Duan Jianjun, President and CEO of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co., Ltd., stated: "As a part of the deeply rooted Chinese soil, Mercedes-Benz has always adhered to the sustainable development concept of 'combining business responsibility,' using technological craftsmanship to explore cultural stories, interpret inheritance stories for the future, and tell Chinese stories from an international brand perspective."
Jingfu Palace is located in the northeast corner of the Ning Shou Palace area of the Forbidden City. Originally designed as the residence for Emperor Qianlong after his retirement, Jingfu Palace is an architectural heritage that integrates garden landscaping, artistic creation, and traditional official building techniques ("Eight Great Works"). It embodies rich historical, artistic, scientific, social, and cultural values. Since 2018, the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund has initiated a strategic cooperation with the Palace Museum to support the "Research-based Conservation of Jingfu Palace" project. This marks the first large-scale and systematic restoration of Jingfu Palace in a century. The project will advance the research-based conservation practice of ancient buildings in the Forbidden City and provide a typical example for the future protection of ancient Chinese architecture.
Changdeokgung Palace, as a blend of garden landscaping and traditional official architecture within the palace complex, is an architectural heritage that integrates the construction techniques ("Eight Great Works").
The restoration project adopts a "research-based conservation" approach. During the restoration process, the project team conducted a comprehensive survey of the "immovable cultural relics" - the ancient buildings, delving into the architectural form, characteristics, materials, and craftsmanship. They meticulously and scientifically documented the entire process of surveying, mapping, evaluation, design, and conservation. The project is implemented around two dimensions: "people" and "objects." On one hand, the project provides skill training for young craftsmen to promote the contemporary inheritance of construction techniques. On the other hand, the project produces a documentary film on "Changdeokgung Palace Research-based Conservation," aiming to comprehensively, coherently, and with high quality document the work process, showcasing the technology, craftsmanship, and humanistic elements behind the restoration. This effort ensures the authentic and effective protection and inheritance of the original appearance and historical information of the buildings.
The "Jingfu Palace Research-based Conservation" project will help promote the research-based conservation practice of ancient buildings in the Forbidden City.
The project has been ongoing for six years, conducting comprehensive, multi-angle, high-difficulty, and highly integrated research. It integrates knowledge from various professional fields such as architecture, colored paintings, stone artifacts, ancient trees, and the environment to provide scientific basis and technical support for restoration and conservation work. Through in-depth value assessment and solid historical research, the project has thoroughly reviewed the historical evolution of Jingfu Palace and its restoration and reconstruction processes. For the first time in the restoration of cultural relics and buildings in the Forbidden City, this project has applied the BIM system for data information management, achieving visual records of big data analysis and heritage protection throughout the entire cycle, successfully establishing a digital "twin Jingfu Palace."
"Palace Museum Construction Office Architectural Site Archaeological Research" Project
Under the new phase of collaboration, the restoration project of "Jingfu Palace Research-oriented Conservation" will officially commence within this year. The documentation of historical research and conservation achievements will be published in the future. The implementation of the Jingfu Palace project will authentically preserve the historical appearance and architectural features of the Jingfu Palace area, presenting its historical value and cultural significance in full.
In 2024, the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund and the Palace Museum will embark on the third phase of public welfare cooperation, focusing on ancient building restoration, archaeological research, and public exhibitions, providing strong support for the construction and development of the Palace Museum in the new era.
As a key gift for the Palace Museum's centennial celebration in 2025, the third phase of cooperation will continue to support the "Palace Museum Construction Office Architectural Site Archaeological Research" project. The former site of the Construction Office is the largest area discovered within the Palace, with a diverse range of relics, a complete chronological sequence, and abundant unearthed artifacts. The archaeological findings hold significant value for studying the construction history, functional layout, and production life of the Construction Office. Through activities such as archaeological excavations, exhibition of results, public education, and academic seminars, the Construction Office project aims to promote the sharing of project outcomes with the wider society. Additionally, the former site of the Construction Office is an important empirical evidence of the architectural history changes in the Forbidden City over more than 600 years and a significant achievement in the archaeological study of Beijing's central axis.
Since the start of their public welfare cooperation in 2018, the public welfare projects have covered research-oriented conservation of one architectural heritage, archaeological excavation of one architectural site, organized five international exchange forums, supported over 40 research topics related to the Palace Museum, and actively participated in major projects such as the exploration of the Silk Road and the archaeological study of the Sanxingdui cultural site. They have also led over 2,000 young children, including those from remote areas, to visit the Palace. The Mercedes-Benz Star Fund has long been committed to multidimensional cultural preservation and inheritance, deeply cultivating in the Palace Museum, a "meeting room" for Chinese culture, continuously exploring cultural stories, interpreting inheritance stories, and spreading Chinese stories from an international perspective.
As an international brand rooted in China, Mercedes-Benz adheres to the sustainable development concept of "combining business and responsibility," actively engaging in public welfare across various fields, including environmental and biodiversity protection, cultural inheritance, and social care, continuously contributing to the responsible development story in China.
In the field of environmental protection, Mercedes-Benz has deep cooperation with 14 World Heritage sites, covering public welfare initiatives in four major national parks, establishing a multi-dimensional biodiversity protection paradigm, and expanding projects in carbon neutrality. In terms of cultural inheritance, as the only international brand engaged in public welfare cooperation with both the Palace Museum and the Dunhuang Research Institute, Mercedes-Benz is dedicated to cultural inheritance and innovation, safeguarding the essence of the two major Chinese civilizations. In education, the "Safe Kids Walk" children's safety education project has been ongoing for 12 years, achieving comprehensive coverage of road safety education from 210 project schools nationwide to 450 community public welfare bases; the "Vocational Education Assistance Program" in the field of vocational education continuously promotes the flourishing development of vocational education, helping young people achieve their career ideals. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz collaborates with authorized dealer partners to engage in long-term public welfare activities in the locations of dealer stores, having conducted over 2,600 events with nearly 180,000 participants.
In the future, Mercedes-Benz will continue to delve into the "path of humanity" and the "path of nature," with a sense of awe, adapting to the times, fulfilling corporate social responsibility, telling Chinese stories from an international brand perspective, conveying humanistic spirit, and continuously understanding and interpreting China with the world.
