Quantitative analysis methods for evaluating colour on architectural heritage: survey of colour restoration and perception of the Wen Yuan Ge in the Forbidden City

Abstract Three methods can be used to evaluate the colour used on architectural heritage: manual evaluation, instrumental measurement, and process restoration. Optical instruments that can obtain relatively accurate chromaticity data are ideal. As architectural heritage sites age, their colour fluctuates. Researchers must screen colour data and analyse the features based on experience with colour perception. This study combines quantitative colour analysis and a scaled perception survey to analyse the Wen Yuan Ge in the Forbidden City and provide a new reference for researching and designing colour in architectural heritage.