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August 8, 2009

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Forbidden City now offers food

A CATERING service is available at Beijing's Forbidden City, also called the Palace Museum, after a public consumer service zone opened on the complex.

The 1,400-square-meter Dongchangfang Customer Service Zone includes a souvenir shop and cafe, Beijing Times reported yesterday.

"Dongchangfang features the architecture of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and accommodated guards in the past," Li Wenru, deputy curator of the Palace Museum, told the newspaper. "It should be used as a kitchen because its roof beams were all smoke-stained."

Since fire is not allowed in the palace, the kitchen will use electricity. A bowl of noodles is priced at 30 yuan (US$4.40), the report said.

The cafe is located next to the north exit of the Hall of Treasures.

A souvenir shop sells hundreds of items like silk and porcelain.

More than 60 percent of souvenirs are sold with the "Forbidden City" or "Imperial Palace" trademark, the report said.

Prices vary wildly. A key chain averages 20 yuan, T-shirts can fetch 158 yuan and rare dark-red enameled pottery up to 20,000 yuan.

An online shopping platform will be set up and a post office will be opened for visitors to mail souvenirs.

The Imperial Palace will also cooperate with the Palace Museum in Taipei for the communication of cultural products, Li told the newspaper.




 

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