Abstract:Fengxiandian (Hall of Ancestral Worship) is a worship place in the Forbidden City, where the emperor offered sacrifices to his ancestors. It was rebuilt in the Shunzhi reign period. The eleven shrines of the north hall, dedicated to eleven emperors and empresses, were disassembled and put into storage in the 1960s; they were replaced by modern reconstructions. The original shrines were built in different periods, with a high degree of similarity in shape and size. Scientific analysis shows that the surface of each shrine was decorated with lacquer and gilded, except for some invisible parts which were just lacquered. In general, the lacquering technique followed a set of standard procedures. On a base of wood, several decorative layers were applied: leveling plaster—fabric— course plaster—ground lacquer—red lacquer; then gold leaf was pasted onto the red lacquer; a varnish layer made by transparent lacquer and Tung oil was applied last. This is highly consistent with historical literature, such as the Xiushilu (Book of lacquer) and the Qing-dynasty regulations and precedents (zeli). However, scientific analysis and historical documents confirmed that the surface decoration of the Fengxiandian shrines was restored twice during the Qing period: firstly, the lacquered decoration of the shrine of empress Xiaoshurui was retouched in 1821; and secondly, the timber structure and lacquered surface of the first seven shrines were repaired in 1822, and the decoration of the forth shrine was restored. The last four shrines were made in the Daoguang period and have never been touched after completion. Furthermore, the purity of gold leaf varies from period to period, resulting in a different tint of gilded surface for each shrine.