Baoxia, literally treasure box, are special boxes decorated with various auspicious symbols within which were placed various precious items. They were placed on the roof to suppress evil.
The treasure box in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, made of tin and oblate in a square shape, was the first painted treasure box discovered in the Forbidden City.
It was taken out on September 3 when the renovation project of the hall started.
The treasure box contained scriptures, coins, shoe-shaped ingots of gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin, gems in five colors, satins in five colors, silk threads in five colors, five spices, five medicines and five cereals.
About 30 treasure boxes have been found in various halls and palaces such as the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian), Palace of Gathered Elegance (Chuxiu Gong) and Palace of Earthly Honor (Yikun Gong).
In ancient times, placement of the treasure box featured a grand ceremony and a prayer for safety.
