#北京 #中國 #China #Beijing | #紫禁城 #ForbiddenCity #January 2024 | #ForbiddenCityDairies -The Palace Museum #ForbiddenCity Collections of Chinese intangible cultural heritage. 24th December 2023- 4th January 2024….

On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.

 The multilingual website of the Palace Museum is committed to establishing an international website that is concise, clear, easy to use for overseas audiences, and fits the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, including tour guides, information, panoramic tours, online exhibitions, collection appreciation, cultural topics, etc. Rich immersive content describing of the most detail collection that housed within the Forbidden City collection…. 

Qing, anonymous, baby play picture album page. The “Baby Play Pictures” album was created by a court painter. This page is one of the pages, depicting a scene of five children picking lotus flowers and playing in the water by a lotus pond, with the sun burning like fire in June. The author uses meticulous and rigorous brushwork and rich and gorgeous colors to humorously portray the naive, cute, lively and interesting image of the child. In particular, the staggering and unsteady steps of the child wearing crotchless pants when walking ashore are vividly depicted, showing the author’s keen observation. The expressive power of describing God through form.

The “embroidery patch” in the picture is also called “embroidery patch”, which refers to sewing a single piece of embroidered fabric onto the surface of the garment. The official costumes of the Qing Dynasty followed the embroidery ceremony system of official uniforms of the Ming Dynasty, and were standardized and expanded. According to the “Qing Dynasty Huidian”, civil servants should wear bird patterns, military officers should use animal patterns, and what kind of animal patterns should be used for each of the first to ninth ranks is also clearly stipulated.

Clothing habits in real life also affect the world of opera. Among the costumes and official clothes collected in the Forbidden City (Figures 7-9), there are many kinds of ornaments with exquisite patterns….

During the reign of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty, Shen Quan, Shen Shijie and Shen Shiru posted pictures of infant play. This painting contains auspicious meanings and was jointly painted by court painter Shen Quan and others. It depicts a scene of children paddling and playing in a pond with blooming lotus flowers. The lotus in the painting is not only a real scene, but also contains symbolic meaning. Through the plot of a boy playing with lotus, the homophonic pronunciation of “lotus” and “lian” is used to express the good wishes of having children in succession and having many children and grandchildren. This picture was originally a hanging painting on the wall of a palace. It not only decorated the interior space, but also conveyed the wish for many children and good fortune.

The moon flower of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar is the camellia blooming in the winter scenery of southern China. Camellia is a traditional famous flower in my country. It was first recorded in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Because of its large and plump flowers, rich and bright colors, and its frost and snow resistance, it has been praised by literati in the past dynasties. Su Che even compared camellia with plum and chrysanthemum, two famous flowers, “the fragrance is gentle and fragrant, and the chrysanthemum is light on the cliff, and the plum blossoms are as beautiful as the mountains.

25th December 2023 At this moment,

During the reign of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty, Shen Zhenlin, a hundred sons presented an auspicious picture. According to the records of the Construction Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Qing Palace, on September 12, the 11th year of Tongzhi (1872), Emperor Tongzhi held a grand wedding ceremony in the Forbidden City. Previously, Emperor Tongzhi ordered the court painters Shen Zhenlin, Liang Derun, Zhang Kai and others of the Ruyi Pavilion to paint the “Picture of a Hundred Sons Presenting Auspiciousness” respectively on April 10th of that year, and hung it on the “﹁” on the entrance and exit of the Dongnuan Pavilion in the Kunning Palace Cave. “The curved ruler not only enhances the festive atmosphere of the wedding room, but also expresses the hope for the prosperity of the children through the pictures of a hundred children playing. This picture was carefully drawn by Shen Zhenlin, the leader of the Ruyi Pavilion. The main pattern of the painting is the Chinese character “囍” written in double hook lines. The two sides of the character “囍” are also painted with graceful floating silk ribbons, making the composition of the picture fuller and more varied. ; The outer surface of the character “囍” is painted with red cinnabar, which symbolizes joy and auspiciousness; the hollow space of the character “囍” is filled with the image of a hundred sons, and the ink calligraphy “a hundred sons are auspicious” is used to highlight the meaning of the painting.

Qing Tongzhi, red Baizi pattern damask quilt fabric. Not only did the emperors of the Qing Dynasty post the “Hundred Sons Picture” in the wedding room of the Forbidden City or in important palaces when they got married, they also often ordered the “Hundred Sons Picture” to be used as a decorative pattern on many handicrafts or daily necessities. , expressing the beautiful hope for the continuation of life. This is the damask fabric used by the royal family in the Qing Dynasty to keep warm and keep out the cold. In terms of pattern design, weavers cleverly express the auspicious and festive creative theme through the child’s lively and active posture, joyful demeanor and healthy and cute appearance: for example, the image of a child wearing a crown on his head holding a high crown in his hand means ” “Add official (crown) on top of official (crown)”; it looks like a boy playing with a lotus in his hand, which means “the lotus will give birth to a noble son”, etc. In addition, the fabric is also interspersed with auspicious patterns such as cranes, deer, chrysanthemums, pine and cypress, and Ganoderma lucidum that symbolize longevity, further expressing the pursuit and expectation of a happy life.

There are not only square embroidery patches used by civil and military officials, but also round and oval shapes, such as the dragon and python patches used by emperors, clan members, and others, as well as the “flower patches” on the clothes of concubines and official family members. . In addition to making a single piece of patchwork and sewing it separately, the special patterns of patchwork can also be directly embroidered on the clothes, called “back chest” or “chest back”.

Auspicious creatures, auspicious words, and flowers of the four seasons are wrapped in circular patterns, adding beauty to clothes and joy to life.

Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty, yellow satin embroidered gourd and hundred son picture pillow. The emperor used exquisite materials, and the patterns on this royal pillow all have auspicious meanings: for example, the gourd pattern is embroidered on the edge, which is homophonic to “Fu Lu”; the front of the pillow is embroidered with a boy pushing a wooden three-legged golden toad, which represents the Taoist “bang play” The allusion of “Golden Toad” means prosperity of wealth; the embroidered boy carries a long halberd with a chime on his shoulder, which uses the homophonic pronunciation of “halberd” and “chime” to express abundant auspiciousness and good things. Although “a hundred sons” is only an imaginary number, the emperor’s wish to sleep on it and realize many children, happiness and peace is sincere…

Guangxu, Qing Dynasty, red Nasha Baizi chart account. Nasha, also known as Naxiu, commonly known as stamped yarn, has a history of more than 2,000 years. It was very popular among the Qing royal family due to its strong decorative effect. Many royal garments, such as court robes, cloaks, dragon gowns, etc., are made of this kind of craftsmanship. The gauze tent shown in the picture is mainly in festive red color, with “囍” characters and traditional baby play patterns embroidered on it. The purpose of hoping for happy events and pursuing many children and blessings is obvious. It should be to celebrate the wedding. Made to order. The gauze tent was originally hung in the east room of Chuxiu Palace, one of the six west palaces in the Forbidden City. Empress Dowager Cixi once lived here after entering the palace in the second year of Xianfeng (1852). Four years later, Emperor Tongzhi Zaichun was born in the back hall of Chuxiu Palace.

The yellow-bellied tit is a unique bird species in China and a first-level protected bird in Beijing. Although it is small in size, the bright yellow color on its belly is very eye-catching, and its swollen little body looks soft and cute. They like to jump between branches or fly between the canopy. Except for the breeding period when they move in pairs or alone, in other periods they mostly move in groups on tall broad-leaved trees or coniferous trees, sometimes in mixed groups with other birds such as great tits. In the Forbidden City, it is easier to see groups of yellow-bellied tits in areas with trees in autumn and winter. When the weather gets warmer in the following spring, most of them leave and fly to the mountains to breed. Before winter comes, they fly to the hospital again to overwinter.

On December 28, 2023, the “Long March of National Treasures – Commemorative Exhibition of the Southward Relocation of the Forbidden City Cultural Relics” jointly launched by the Palace Museum and People’s Daily’s “National Humanities and History” magazine opened at the Shanghai History Museum. The exhibition mainly focuses on the historical materials and research results of the relocation of the Forbidden City cultural relics to the south. It returns to Shanghai, the first stop city for the relocation of the Forbidden City cultural relics to the south. Through “the national treasure’s journey southward in the beacon smoke”, “the reappearance of ancient relics in Shanghai for four years” and “the cultural context continues to flourish”. The three units “Endless” reproduce the historical memory of the relocation of cultural relics from the Forbidden City to the south, leading the audience into a time and space dialogue spanning 90 years. This exhibition will last until March 29, 2024.

29th December 2023 It’s the last Friday of 2023! The blank space in the future is waiting for you to fill it with your wishes for 2024….

Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, red satin embroidered door curtain with a picture of a hundred sons. The Qing royal family’s most fervent wish was to “integrate the family and the country” and have many children and grandchildren to protect the country forever. Therefore, the royal family often uses auspicious paintings to express their pursuit of prosperity, health and longevity for their children. This phenomenon can be seen everywhere in the decoration of royal objects. This door curtain was originally hung in the Chuxiu Palace, and represents various game activities of children in rockeries, lakes, pavilions, pavilions, and waterside gardens, playing chess, and traveling in cars. The embroidery workers used exquisite craftsmanship to freeze the children’s joy and the royal family’s hope for descendants on this door curtain, which is both a practical product and a work of art.

Purple Forbidden Yaji- January wallpapers are now online. As the New Year is approaching, appreciate the tranquility of the snow-capped mountains, the lifelike bamboo sparrows in the painting, and the vigorous dragon pattern on the bottle. Go to the official website to download high-definition wallpapers in various formats and sizes,

“Little cat head” and “pointy cat ears”, this is not a cute kitten, but a “ding” that means everything!

“Ding” is a typical pictographic character, with the bottom being the tripod’s feet, the middle being the tripod’s belly, and the top “cat ears” being the two ears of the tripod. Originally, the tripod was used as a food vessel, and people used it to cook or hold food. Later, the tripod gradually became one of the most important ritual vessels for noble banquets, sacrifices and other ritual activities. Together with the bronze bell, it formed the “bell ringing tripod food”. It is said that Yu cast the Jiuding, which symbolizes the Kyushu, so the Jiuding has become an important weapon of the country, symbolizing the supreme power.

31st December 2023 Bid farewell to the last sunset of the year and head towards the grandeur of the new year. Goodbye, 2023…

1st January 2024 Hello January! Hello, the first ray of sunshine in 2024!

2024 has arrived as promised, and the Palace Museum welcomed the first batch of visitors in the new year. The leaders of the hospital arrived in front of the Meridian Gate early, presented the brand new 2024 “Forbidden City Calendar” to the first visitors to the hospital, and sent New Year blessings to everyone. In the new year, the Palace Museum will continue to accompany you. I wish you happiness and good health in the new year and all seasons!

2nd January 2024 good morning! Welcome the first working day of 2024 with full energy..

Spring and Autumn Period, bronze dragon-eared gui. Bronze Gui is not only a container for holding food, but also a ritual vessel for feasts and sacrifices. It appeared in the Shang Dynasty, became popular from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period, and gradually disappeared during the Warring States Period. Gui can be either round or square. In the early stage, it had no ears. In the later stage, it appeared with two, three or even four ears. They often appear in even numbers and are used in conjunction with odd-numbered tripods. Usually the emperor has nine tripods and eight guis, the princes have seven tripods and six guis, and the ministers have five tripods…

Warring States Period, jade carved dragon-shaped pendant. The jade pendant is in the shape of a sheet, in the shape of a dragon, with the same pattern on both sides. The dragon bends down and looks back. There is a large bird on its tail, and a small bird is carved on the inside and outside of its neck and tail. The dragon’s body is fully decorated with grain patterns and has a round hole in the middle. This vessel was unearthed from a Chu tomb during the Warring States Period in Yanggong Township, Changfeng County, Anhui Province. A total of two jade pendants were unearthed at the same time. They were similar in shape and were placed on the left and right sides of the human pelvis. They should be part of a group of jade pendants. Its size reaches more than 20 centimeters, and its body is large and finely crafted, showing the noble status of the owner of the tomb. This conjoined dragon and phoenix pendant is a unique shape among the jade wares of the Warring States Period. It has exquisite curves and exaggerated techniques, reflecting the rich imagination of the maker…

Han Dynasty, jade carvings with three dragon patterns. The shape of the jade is slightly circular, flat body, with the same decoration on both sides. The carving is three intertwined dragons, and is partially decorated with low relief and incised fine lines. The seemingly complicated interspersed changes without losing the neat geometric rhythm reflect the beauty of smart curves. This type of jade ornament is more common in jade wares of the Han Dynasty and is a kind of ornament. This jade is of bright white quality and meticulously carved. It is a piece of high craftsmanship…

Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, scholars who passed the tribute examination in their hometowns were sent to Beijing by their prefectures and counties to participate in the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites, which was called “Fa Jie” or “Jie” for short. Therefore, experts believe that this is an institution that handles examination procedures for candidates. People dressed as Confucian scholars gathered around an old man. With his focused expression, he might have just handed over the materials and were inquiring about the exam information! In addition, some scholars believe that this place was a pawn shop, bookstore, fortune-telling stall, etc.

Images and visuals are from – Forbidden City –Palace Museum Beijing- China –People’s Republic of China…..

#北京 #中國 #China #Beijing | #紫禁城 #ForbiddenCity #December2023 | #ForbiddenCityDairies -The Palace Museum #ForbiddenCity Collections of Chinese intangible cultural heritage.  – 13th- 21st  December 2023 winters snow …..

On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.

 The multilingual website of the Palace Museum is committed to establishing an international website that is concise, clear, easy to use for overseas audiences, and fits the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, including tour guides, information, panoramic tours, online exhibitions, collection appreciation, cultural topics, etc. Rich immersive content describing of the most detail collection that housed within the Forbidden City collection…. 

Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty, anonymous, portrait of Empress Xiaoqinxian in auspicious clothes. Empress Xiao Qinxian (1835-1908), the Empress Dowager Cixi, commonly known as the Queen Mother of the West, entered the palace in the second year of Xianfeng (1852) and was given the title Lan Guiren. In the eleventh year of Xianfeng (1861), his son Zaichun became the successor emperor, namely Emperor Mu Zong Tongzhi. Mother is more precious than child, and she is revered as the Holy Mother Queen Mother. In the nearly fifty years of Tongzhi and Guangxu dynasties, she listened to politics behind the curtain several times. This picture depicts Empress Xiao Qinxian relaxing outdoors alone

13th December 2023 The flying snow is silent, and the sky and earth are vast.

14th December 2023 – A group of red walls and white snow send everyone a limited-time winter good morning. The snowfall in Beijing is still continuing today. Everyone must slide carefully when traveling and pay attention to safety!

The image axis of Xuanwei Riyong, the queen of Xiaozhenxian, who was anonymous in Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty. Empress Xiaozhenxian (1837-1881), the Empress Dowager Ci’an, commonly known as the Empress Dowager of the East, was deeply loved by Emperor Xianfeng for her gentle personality. She entered the palace in February of the second year of Xianfeng (1852) and was granted the title of concubine. In May, she was promoted to Concubine Zhen, and in October she was enshrined as Queen. In the picture, she looks dignified, sitting calmly and calmly in a courtyard with blooming peonies. The four characters “Xuanwei Riyong” were inscribed by Emperor Tongzhi. The brushwork throughout the painting is neat and precise, the portraits are vivid and expressive, and the clothes are realistically depicted, leaving important image data for understanding the appearance of Empress Xiao Zhenxian when she was young.

I don’t know if the raindrops in the courtyard have fallen this morning, but I suspect that the forest flowers bloomed last night.

On the 14th December 2023 It snowed for two full days, meeting all our expectations for a snowy day. What winter wishes do you have yet to come true? willing____________.

There are flowers dancing outside the eaves, and the feeling of winter is deep in front of the window.

15th December 2023 Good morning on a Snowy Forbidden City Morning ..

Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, unknown, scroll of Emperor Qianlong enjoying himself during his reign. The Qing Dynasty continued the tradition of the Han nation’s isomorphism of the country and the country. As the ruler, the Qing royal family often ordered painters or craftsmen to express lively scenes of baby play or to show them and their children together through painting, weaving, embroidery, sculpture and other artistic means in order to express their good wishes of having children and grandchildren around their knees. warm time. This picture depicts the scene of Qianlong Emperor Hongli holding his young son in his arms and watching the royal children lighting firecrackers in the palace garden to celebrate New Year’s Day. Emperor Qianlong’s gentle demeanor showed his paternal side besides being an emperor, making the picture full of infinite love and tenderness.

Qing Qianlong, Jia Quan, etc., the character pictures are posted. This hanging painting was painted by Jia Quan, a court painter of the Qianlong Dynasty, and others. It was used as an interior decoration painting and was posted in the Yucuixuan in the Ningshou Palace Garden (commonly known as the Qianlong Garden) in the Forbidden City. Yucuixuan was built in the thirty-seventh year of Qianlong’s reign (1772). The pavilion is divided into three rooms with 槅 fans. This picture is posted on the back eaves wall of the main room. This picture shows the indoor leisure life of concubines and royal family members enjoying themselves in early spring. The cheerful atmosphere dispels the chill and expresses the royal family’s good wishes for the happiness and peace of the people in the world. As the couplet on the picture says: “Hundreds of millions of people live longer, and a peaceful year brings a peaceful spring.

Qianlong, Fugui, and Sui Dynasty axis of the Qing Dynasty. New Year’s Day is New Year’s Day. At the beginning of the new year, people celebrate in various ways. From the inscription “Chen Fu Gui Gong Painting” on this picture, we can know that this picture was a work dedicated to Emperor Qianlong by the court painter Fu Gui. He cleverly used the theme of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new year as the theme. By depicting children wearing colorful beaded shoes, colorful crane cloaks, playing musical instruments, skating, setting off firecrackers and other lively scenes, he expressed his hope for the prosperity of the royal descendants and the prosperity of the hundred sons. Sincere blessings…

Have you ever wondered why the electric ironing tools we use in our daily lives are called “irons”? Because its initial form is “fighting”! Our country has been using irons for more than 2,000 years. A copper bucket-shaped container has a built-in charcoal fire, and the iron can be pressed from above to smooth the fabric. As time goes by, the style of irons continues to change. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, an iron with its own “storage” base appeared. When not in use, the handle can be inserted back into the base, which is another exquisite decoration in the house; in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there were also A “portable” iron with a long handle that can be folded appeared; in addition, heating the soldering iron tip directly in the fire is also a way to use the iron. Although the shape is constantly changing, the name “iron” is still used today, fulfilling the mission of “mediating the yang and harmony in the sky, flattening the beauty and fragrance of the world”, and “ironing” our beautiful life.

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, there was a case of a colorful treasure. The top of the carved treasure case is in the shape of a rectangular plate, with a girdle underneath and double Kui patterns decorated with flowers between the tooth bars and horizontal beams. It has four curved legs and a square foot with mud support. The paint colors are red, yellow and green, and the surface is carved with a garden corridor. In the middle is a giant gourd with the word “大吉” and eight treasure patterns on it. There are many children around the gourd, holding flags, carrying lanterns, holding halberds and chimes, beating gongs and drums, watching calligraphy, or riding elephants. Most of them are scenes with auspicious meanings such as dramatic plots or treasure maps. interpretation. The bottom of the case is painted with black lacquer and is engraved with the name “Da Ji Bao Case” and the inscription “Made in the Qianlong Year” in gold.

In the mid-Qing Dynasty, ivory carvings flourished. The work is carved from ivory into a simulated pomegranate shape. The outer wall is divided into five petals. There is a mechanism on the top and a living axis on the bottom, which can be opened and closed freely. When closed, it looks like a complete pomegranate, with the skin dyed and lightly engraved with flowers and butterflies. When opened, it looks like a blooming flower. The inner wall is embossed with bat-flowing cloud patterns, and the bats are dyed red, which is homophonic to “Hongfu”. In the center is a round platform with carved railings on the edge. There is a two-story pavilion inside, which is exquisite and clear. Many characters are divided into several groups: some hold umbrellas and flags, as if they are traveling as ceremonial guards; some climb poles, perform horse tricks, and play lions, performing a variety of acrobatics; some pay homage, offer incense, and chat with each other… it is lively. street market scene. The craftsmanship is extremely exquisite and has a considerable degree of micro-carving. The pomegranate has many seeds, which means the pomegranate will bloom with hundreds of seeds. It is a common theme in the crafts of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the Work Documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Qing Dynasty, there are related records of the “ivory ashes-colored durian box with a hundred seeds” in the Yongzheng period; in the forty-fifth year of Qianlong’s reign (1780), the toothsmith Huang Zhao painted a paper pattern of “a hundred pomegranates opened in ivory” by another The toothsmith Yang Youqing made it; in the 15th year of Jiaqing (1810), the toothsmith Mo Chengji also drew and carved “Liu Kai Bai Zi”. This is the only known example of a similar work that has been handed down from generation to generation, or it may be one of the above records.

On December 20, “Cultural Confidence of Contemporary Museum People—Exhibition of Works by Staff of the Palace Museum and Anhui Museum” will be officially opened to the audience in the Zhai Palace Exhibition Hall of the Palace Museum. Through many types of art works such as calligraphy and painting, seal cutting, sculpture, lacquerware, etc., this exhibition fully demonstrates the vigorous and enterprising attitude of contemporary cultural experts, their broad and profound business skills, their sincere heart of dedication and dedication, and their determination to make new achievements. The ambition of boxing. This exhibition will be on display until January 21, 2024…

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, a red sandalwood inlaid with jade picture of a hundred children was inserted into the screen. The screen is carved from rosewood, and inside the glass cover are double-sided openwork carvings of palaces, pavilions, mountains, rocks, trees, boats, lotuses, courtyards and other scenes. Among them are hundreds of white jade carved boys, some climbing high, some riding boats, some riding geese, and some holding lotuses. They are lively and lively, implying auspiciousness and the prosperity of a hundred children. The frame is inlaid with a silver piece and the words “engraved jade Baizi screen” indicate its product name. The base of the screen is engraved with many poems from the “Inscribed Jade Baizi Screen” made by Emperor Qianlong, including Wang Jihua, Liang Shizheng, Liu Tongxun and other ministers.

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, there was a strong pot with a pink color baby play picture on a rouge red ground and a white ground. The jar has a straight mouth, short neck, cylindrical belly and ring feet. Attached is an umbrella-shaped cover with a raised folded edge and a bead-shaped button on the top. The inner wall of the jar is glazed with turquoise green. The cover, the shoulders of the outer wall of the jar, and near the bottom are made of purple rolling tracks, on which are painted in pastel colors a pattern of upturned clouds, and the interior is decorated with folded branches. The belly is painted with the fire scene of the Infant Play Club. In the picture, some babies are holding lanterns, some are playing drums, cymbals, and trumpets, some are holding lions and playing with balls, some are riding horses, and some are setting off firecrackers. They are surrounded by rocks, houses, plantains, and travertine. Wait, it’s a joyous and lively scene. The neck and shins are painted with blue material for a week. The outer sole is glazed with turquoise green, and the six-character and three-line inscription “Made in the Qianlong Year of the Qing Dynasty” written in alum red color is left blank.

Images and visuals are from – Forbidden City –Palace Museum Beijing- China –People’s Republic of China…..

#北京 #中國 #China #Beijing | #紫禁城 #ForbiddenCity #November2023 | #ForbiddenCityDairies -The Palace Museum #ForbiddenCity Collections of Chinese intangible cultural heritage.    17th- 25th November 2023…..

On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.

 The multilingual website of the Palace Museum is committed to establishing an international website that is concise, clear, easy to use for overseas audiences, and fits the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, including tour guides, information, panoramic tours, online exhibitions, collection appreciation, cultural topics, etc. Rich immersive content describing of the most detail collection that housed within the Forbidden City collection…. 

Forbidden City Ginkgo is about to turn yellow, looking forward to a #Forbidden City dyed with golden color ! Fall in love with the Forbidden City

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, there was a special chime made of jasper depicting golden clouds and dragon patterns. After Emperor Qianlong cast the bell, in order to complete the ritual and music system, he also added a set of twelve special chimes in the same year, one for each, and they were used in the same way as the bell. The special chime is made of a whole piece of Xinjiang Hotan jasper and is crafted by Suzhou jade craftsmen. The body of the chime is obtuse-angled rectangular, with both sides decorated with golden clouds and dragon patterns. The gold and green contrast with each other, and the decoration is gorgeous. On the left and right sides of the upper part of the stand are phoenix heads. The page board is decorated with phoenixes pierced by peony patterns, and the lower part supports a reclining duck.

There are twelve special chimes in a set, corresponding to the twelve rhythms made in the Qing Dynasty. The pitch is adjusted by the size of the chime body. The larger the chime, the lower the pronunciation. Each chime is hung separately, so it is called special chime. When used, different special chimes are chosen according to the rules for each month, such as “Taicu” corresponding to the first month, and so on. The use of special chimes reflects the political concept of Emperor Qianlong advocating Confucian ritual and music education.

Daju, who was covered in autumn fat, couldn’t resist the howling autumn wind and started playing “hide and seek” under the stone fence. This weekend, have you decided where to go to “cat”?

Yellow satin embroidered cloud and dragon pattern (replica). Hui was the commanding tool of Heshao music in court performances in the Qing Dynasty. When the music was under his command, the music was composed, and when it was under his command, the music stopped. The main body of the robe is made of bright yellow cloud satin, embroidered with colorful rising dragons, clouds and fire beads. The upper part is made of blue satin, embroidered with nebulae. In the middle is the sun wheel, with the word “中和” embroidered on it. The lower end is embroidered with seawater and river cliffs. The upper and lower parts of the muzzle are pierced with gold-painted crossbars, with double dragons carved on the upper part and landscapes carved on the lower part. The harem is hung on a red pole, the end of the pole is decorated with a copper-plated dragon head, and the lower part is inserted into a gold-lacquered wooden base. The chariot shown in the picture is a replica, and the red pole and stand are left over from the Qing palace.

The drum is built with gold lacquer and colorful paintings of clouds and dragons. Jiangu originated very early and was relatively mature in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty at the latest. It is a “leather” musical instrument in the ancient eight-tone classification. The drum used in Zhonghe Shao music in the Qing Dynasty has a long and round drum body, a large drum body, and the whole body is painted with gold paint. Both sides are decorated with two gold-plated copper dragons holding copper rings.

Both ends are covered with leather and painted with cloud and dragon patterns. There is a vertical pillar running through the middle of the drum body, with a hood on it, curved beams hanging down on all sides, and a golden dragon carved on the top. The cover is also covered with yellow satin embroidered with clouds and dragon patterns. There is a golden Luan bird on the top of the cover. The drum is supported by a cross-shaped bracket and is engraved with cloud patterns. There are four pedestals under the pillar, and lions are carved on the four legs. The four-cornered dragon’s mouth, golden luan, and copper ring all hang with colorful silk tassels. When playing, beat the drum as the starting and ending rhythm of the phrase. At the end of each sentence, beat the drum and all the music will stop; hit the drum again and all the music will resume.

introduced the ancients’ love for roasted pears . In addition to fire roasting, there are frozen pears in cold northern areas, which are frozen pears. “Jilin Tongzhi” Volume 33 “Shi Huo Zhi 6” records, “It is as hard as a stone. Soak it with water. The cold air will melt inside and ice chips will form on the outside. Shake it with your hands and it will crack like a shell. Remove the shell. And when you make it complex and suck it, it is extremely sweet.” For the royal family of the Qing Dynasty, which originated between the white mountains and black waters, frozen pears were an unforgettable taste of hometown, and they were often listed as tributes in the Qing palace archives.

Qing Dynasty, wooden color painting Xiaozhu (zhù). It is made of wood, shaped like a square bucket, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The inner wall is painted black, the outer wall is painted with patterns, and the frame and Xumi base are painted in gold. There is a round hole in the middle of one side of the pail, and a corresponding drum-shaped bulge of the same size in the middle of the inner wall, which is the part where the sound is produced when struck. The striking tool of the 柷 is called “Zhi”, which is an octagonal mallet with a long handle. The 混 is one of the musical instruments played in the palace during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. When the “band conductor” is raised, the performer taps the inner wall of the instrument three times with a mallet, and the music begins

This green gauze gown with clouds, bats, and golden dragon patterns was introduced in Let’s Read the Calendar Together on November 10th. The audience in the comment area was very interested in the details of the clothing. Let’s follow the high-definition picture. , appreciate the beauty of the details of this court gown!

This gown was worn by the concubines of the Qing Dynasty when celebrating grand ceremonies. It is slightly shorter than the court robe and is worn over the court robe. The gown has a round collar, double lapel, sleeves, and left and right trains. The whole body is decorated with colorful silk and gold embroidery patterns, with two flat gold embroidered dragons on the chest and back. The embroidered seawater cliff is densely covered with colorful clouds and the word “囍” pattern, which is suitable for the wedding..

Qing Dynasty, wooden color painting (yǔ). It is made of wood and looks like a crouching tiger. The surface is decorated with tiger stripes and the bottom is decorated with a golden lacquered footrest. There is a groove in the middle of the tiger’s back, and twenty-seven rectangular pieces of painted wood are planted in a group. Two ears protrude from one side of the seat, which are used to place Ao’s shooting tool (zhēn). It is made from a bamboo tube, which is split and separated into twenty-four thin bamboo strips. When playing, the performer uses the laini to scrape the discord and make sounds. The 攔 is one of the musical instruments played in Zhonghe Shao music in the Ming and Qing dynasties. When the music is about to end, the sound of “waiting” is used as the ending sound, and then the bow is put down and the performance is finished

The air is cold and it is snowing, but the autumn scenery is still there. A cloud of “light snow” has already fallen on the red wall. Will the First Snow in the Forbidden City be far behind this winter? Today 小雪 爱Forbidden city…..

Gold lacquer painted cloud and dragon pattern bo (bó) suo (fǔ). The drum is as small as a drum, with a leather-covered drum surface and painted double dragons. The whole body is painted with gold paint, and there are two gold-plated copper dragons on it, each holding a copper ring to tie the bright yellow velvet. The drum is usually placed on a wooden golden lacquered footrest. During the performance, the player hangs the drum around his neck with a velvet (xún) and beats the drum head with both hands. The Bohuo was also a special instrument used in the Qing Dynasty’s court performances and Shao music. It was used in conjunction with the Jiangu. The Jiangu struck once and the Bohuo played twice to match the festival.

Qing Dynasty, black paint painted clouds and dragon patterns. The harp is a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument, shaped like a harp, also made of paulownia wood, with twenty-five strings. Each string is equipped with a movable post to adjust the pitch. The longer the vibrating section of the string, the lower the pronunciation. The harp is often compared with the harp, collectively known as “harp”. In comparison, the zither is larger in size and louder in volume; with more strings, the timbre changes more. The musical instruments used in the Qing court and Shao music also included the harp and the harp. The zi shown in the picture, whether it is the decoration or the wooden and gold-lacquered bracket, maintains the same style as Jiangu, Bohu,

Gourd is homophonic to “Fu Lu” and is a symbol of wealth, longevity, good luck and peace. The body of this pair of golden Daji gourd hanging screens has a silk pattern of ancient money as the base. The circular consecrated center is inlaid with the regular script “Daji” in regular script with lapis lazuli, and is surrounded by jade, turquoise, tourmaline and other gems. They are currently on display in the exhibition 西伊华堂 at the Prince Gong’s Mansion Museum . The exhibition will be on display until November 25th, so go and have a look!

Qing Dynasty, celebrations, etc., wedding celebrations, imperial edicts, banquet etiquette pictures. After the emperor’s wedding celebrations, he would issue an imperial edict to inform the world of the happy event. This picture is from the album “Pictures of Ceremonies for Celebrations, Edicts and Banquets”. The officials of the Ministry of Rites took out the edict from the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The staff of the Ministry of Rites placed the cloud disk containing the edict in the Dragon Pavilion. They were escorted by Lieutenant Luan Yiwei and led by the honor guard band. They carried it to the yellow table on the Tiananmen Gate Tower and announced the edict. The official read out the contents of the edict in both Manchu and Chinese languages. After that, the edict officer placed the edict in a cloud disk, tied the cloud disk with a colorful rope, and hung it in the mouth of the golden phoenix in the middle of the Tiananmen Gate Tower. The colorful rope was relaxed to make the cloud disk slowly fall down, which means that the edict fell from the sky. , is the will of God. The edict was then placed in the Dragon Pavilion, carried to the Ministry of Rites, engraved and printed, and issued to the world. This is a picture of the issuance of an imperial edict, showing officials from the Ministry of Rites kneeling to receive the edict.

Finally waited for the golden color of ginkgo! In the cold wind of early winter, recycle a curtain of bright autumn colours that are “returning for a limited time…

Qing Dynasty, celebrations, etc., wedding celebrations, imperial edicts, banquet etiquette pictures. After the emperor’s wedding, the emperor held a state banquet in the Hall of Supreme Harmony to thank the queen’s father, brothers, family members, princes, ministers, and foreign envoys. This was the most lively and festive occasion in the entire wedding. This picture is the banquet scene in the eighth volume of Emperor Guangxu’s “Wedding Pictures” “Celebrations, Edicts, and Banquet Etiquette Pictures.” At noon on the fifth day of February in the fifteenth year of Guangxu’s reign (1889), the emperor came to the Hall of Supreme Harmony and rewarded the queen’s father and his family members. The emperor’s banquet table is set in front of the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony; the banquet tables for his stepfather and princes are set up on the east and west sides of the throne; the banquet tables for first- and second-rank civil and military ministers, Mongolian princes and other officials are set up in the Hall of Taihe; There are banquet tables for the nobles and guards of the second rank and above; on the left and right of His Majesty Dan, there are banquet tables for the civil and military officials below the third rank and the family members of his father-in-law….

Images and visuals are from – Forbidden City –Palace Museum Beijing- China –People’s Republic of China…..

#北京 #中國 #China #Beijing | #紫禁城 #ForbiddenCity #November2023 | #ForbiddenCityDairies -The Palace Museum #ForbiddenCity Collections of Chinese intangible cultural heritage.  –   3rd -17th November 2023…..

On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.

 The multilingual website of the Palace Museum is committed to establishing an international website that is concise, clear, easy to use for overseas audiences, and fits the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, including tour guides, information, panoramic tours, online exhibitions, collection appreciation, cultural topics, etc. Rich immersive content describing of the most detail collection that housed within the Forbidden City collection…. 

Qing Dynasty, the emperor’s winter crown. The imperial crown is the crown and hat worn when wearing imperial robes. In the imperial attire system of the Qing Dynasty, imperial garb and imperial robes were the garments worn during major ceremonies, and were the highest-grade among the garments of the Qing Dynasty. The “Great Qing Hui Dian” of the Kangxi Dynasty records: “The emperor’s crown and attire were decided in the first year of Chongde, and the crown was inlaid with Dongzhu stones… It was decided in the 22nd year of Kangxi that in all grand ceremonies and altars and temples, the crown was inlaid with large Dongzhu stones. For the crown, the dress should be yellow, autumn fragrant, or blue… The queen’s crown dress: for any celebration ceremony, the crown should be set with east beads on the top, and the dress should be yellow, autumn fragrant, or blue.” By the time of the Qianlong Dynasty, the “Dynasty Ritual Utensils Illustration” described the costumes Made a more detailed classification. The ceremonial dress worn by the emperor during major celebrations consists of a court crown, court clothes, end cap, court beads, court belt, etc. When the emperor comes to the Taihe Hall to receive congratulations from princes and officials when he wears court robes for his wedding, he must also wear a court crown. This crown is the emperor’s winter crown.

Qing Dynasty, bright yellow kesi silk clouds and gold dragon pattern, leather edge men’s court robe. The court robe was the most important form of dress in the Qing Dynasty. It was the attire worn by emperors and empresses during court ceremonies. In addition to court crowns, formal attire also includes court robes, hoods, gowns, court beads, etc. The emperor must wear court robes when he holds a wedding ceremony to celebrate the Empress Dowager, and when he comes to the Taihe Palace to receive celebration gifts from princes, officials, and concubines. The court robe is in the style of a top and lower skirt, with a collar, arrow sleeves and a large placket on the right side. A sarong can also be worn over the court robe. This robe has a tapestry pattern of colorful clouds and golden dragons on a bright yellow ground and is trimmed with leather. It was probably worn by Emperor Guangxu when he held major ceremonies in winter.

“The sunset gradually sets in the west, and the sunset glow turns the sky red, as well as the locust forest and bamboo forest. There are fewer and fewer birds in the sky, but the gray starlings in the whole forest still don’t want to sleep prematurely. Look, these few days Just as they landed on the branches, those few flew up again… Inside and outside the woods, hundreds of birds were singing, calling for friends and chirping, like a waterfall falling into a deep stream, or like a stormy wave crashing on the beach. , the entire black locust forest and bamboo forest became a natural club.” The author of the essay “Gray Starling” is China’s first crane taming girl, Xu Xiujuan. She died in 1987 while rescuing an injured white swan from drowning. She was later Posthumously considered a martyr.

Today, we will get to know the gray starlings written by Xu Xiujuan. Gray starlings have a strong sense of community. In addition to moving in pairs during the breeding season, they often move in groups during the non-breeding period. In the Forbidden City, pay more attention to the grass or tall trees, you may be able to see them….

Qing Dynasty, Queen Xia Chaoguan inlaid with jewels and green velvet. The imperial crown is the most important among all kinds of crowns and hats. The various ornaments on the crown are symbols of the status and rank of the wearer. The more pearls inlaid on the top of the crown, the higher the status of the owner. The queen wears a crown of sable in winter and green velvet in summer. This queen’s crown is made of green velvet. There are three layers of phoenixes on the top of the crown. Seven birch-bark phoenixes and one Zhai are hung on silk threads on the top of the crown. The hanging beads are in the “five elements and two” style. It is one of the highest-ranking symbols in the crown of a concubine. First, it is the Xia Dynasty crown worn by empresses and empress dowagers of the Qing Dynasty when they wore formal clothes…

“Puzzle Figure” is a traditional toy in the Qing palace. It was designed by Tong Yegeng in the first year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1862) based on the “Tangram”. It is composed of 15 different wooden boards, which are arranged and combined according to the principle of Bagua. The graphics that can be assembled are more abundant than the “tangram”. On the base of this “wooden puzzle picture”, an unknown prince or princess also drew a pony, which is very childlike and very cute. The cultural relics in the picture are on display in the exhibition

Qing Dynasty, coral carvings with 囍 characters and patterns on the beads. Chaozhu is a kind of pendant in the Qing Dynasty, hung around the neck and hanging on the chest. When the concubines of the Qing Dynasty wear court clothes, they must wear three strings of court beads, one hanging in the middle and two hanging crosswise. Depending on the rank, the beads worn are also different, so it is also a symbol of identity and status. The Queen’s Chaozhu belongs to the highest level. The queen wears a court robe and must wear a string of East beads on the front of her chest and two strings of coral beads on her armpits. This piece of court beads is made of red coral beads engraved with the character “囍”. The Buddha’s head and the pagoda are made of lapis lazuli. Yellow sash, used for the queen’s wedding

If you want to learn a foreign language, where should you start? This “Mongolian” study book by Emperor Qianlong can be used for our reference. In 1743, when Emperor Qianlong was on an eastward tour, he began to systematically learn Mongolian in order to communicate with the Mongolian princes and nobles he met along the way. In this book “Mongolian”, the translated Mongolian words are transcribed from Manchu letters to facilitate understanding and learning; in terms of content, it is mainly suitable for scenes such as meeting lamas in the Mongolian and Tibetan areas. It is highly targeted and focuses on phrases and sentences. , mostly contain spoken language components. “How’s the journey? When did you arrive?” “Is there snow on the road?” “How is the year?” It seems that regardless of ancient and modern times, to master a foreign language, most of them start with “300 Practical Conversational Sentences”!

Autumn leaves are still red, rustling and cold wind blows. Today is the beginning of winter , under the clear sky and setting sun, it is the early winter of  Falling in Love with the Forbidden City .

Qing Dynasty, silver and gold-plated beaded stone collar. The collar, also known as a collar, was an accessory worn on the necks of concubines in the Qing Dynasty to distinguish their status. It was very valuable in the royal dowry of the Qing Dynasty. “The Qing Hui Dian Diagram·Crown Clothes·Contract” stipulates: “The Queen’s contract is engraved with gold and decorated with eleven east beads, with coral in between. There are two yellow sash hanging at both ends, with coral in each middle, and turquoise at the end. Two of each.” The higher the user’s status, the more Eastern beads will be inlaid. The same is used for concubines, concubines and concubines. This necklace is made of gold-plated silver, carved with hollow curly grass patterns, inlaid with two sections of rubies, two sections of ink jade, inlaid with red stones and pearls at intervals, tied with a golden ribbon, and four red and green stones at the corners.

During the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, women’s court robes were made of bright yellow silk embroidered with colorful clouds, bats and 囍 characters and gold dragon patterns. The queen’s dress consists of court crown, court robe, court gown, court beads, gold covenant and collar covenant, etc. It is made like the emperor’s dress. When the emperor receives congratulations from the court on his wedding day, the queen must also wear court robes, crowns, collars, court beads, colorful silk ribbons, etc. This queen’s court robe has a large placket with right flap, round collar, horse hoof sleeves, attached collar, and straight body style. The court robe is bright yellow, with silk embroidered with the word “囍”, colorful clouds and golden dragon patterns. It should be worn by the empress at the wedding of Emperor Tongzhi.

During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, he wears a green gown with clouds, bats and emblems, and a golden dragon pattern. This gown was worn by the concubines of the Qing Dynasty when celebrating grand ceremonies. It is slightly shorter than the court robe and is worn over the court robe. The gown has a round collar, double lapel, sleeves, and left and right trains. The whole body is decorated with colorful silk and gold embroidery patterns, with two flat gold embroidered dragons on the chest and back. The embroidered seawater cliff is densely covered with colorful clouds and the word “囍” pattern, which is suitable for the wedding.

Qing Dynasty, gold hoop inlaid with rubies and red satin color. Caixi is a kind of scarf used by the imperial concubines in the Qing Dynasty. It is mostly made of silk and satin and is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. When in use, it is hung on the second button of the court gown and hangs down on the chest. This colorful silk ribbon is made of red silk with embroidered patterns on the front such as bats, Ganoderma lucidum, peach fruits, the Eight Immortals, and seawater cliffs. The upper end is a green and white jade ring, with eight groups of sixteen pendants, and various gemstones at the bottom. A red coral flat bead with a dragon pattern is dropped from the top of the yellow ribbon, and a tourmaline drop is placed on each corner of the gold lace support. The colors and embroidered decorations of different colored silk ribbons can be used to distinguish the rank of concubines.

What did the ancient “coach” look like…  In, we reviewed the scene of the autumn sentry deer in the Qing Dynasty palace. In addition to setting up ambushes for hunting, horseback shooting is also a national skill developed by the Manchus in their long-term hunting life. It was designated as a “national policy” in the Qing Dynasty and an important assessment subject for members of the Eight Banners. The Xi Yi Huating exhibition at Prince Gong’s Mansion Museum displays several Qing court riding and archery equipment, including bows and arrows, quivers and saddles. The photo materials in the exhibition hall also show an important prop for learning equestrian-a wooden saddle, which can be called an ancient version of a “coach” and provides a window for us to understand the riding and shooting culture of the Qing Dynasty..

In the 1920s, Wanrong dressed up in old photos for her wedding. Guo Bulo Wanrong (1906-1946), courtesy name Muhong and nickname Zhilian, was a native of Zhengbai Banner in Manchuria and the wife of Emperor Puyi of the Qing Dynasty. Wanrong and Puyi got married in 1922, and the wedding was held in the Forbidden City, imitating the emperor’s wedding ceremony. During the wedding, Wanrong wore court clothes, a court crown on her head, a collar and court beads around her neck. She was dressed according to the Qing Dynasty queen’s dress. This is an old photo from that time….

Emperor Kangxi was very interested in natural science subjects such as mathematics, astronomy, geography, pharmacology, anatomy, etc. Among them, the best results were in mathematics and astronomical calendar. Mathematics subjects such as geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and logarithms laid a good mathematical foundation for his future decisions such as advocating science and regulating the Yellow River. He also personally taught the princes how to use telescopes and observed solar eclipses together. The XiYiHuating exhibition at Prince Gong’s Mansion Museum displays Qing Dynasty drawing tools, logarithmic tables, telescopes and other cultural relics..

Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, gilded copper chimes with cloud and dragon patterns; Qingkuan et al. of the Qing Dynasty, pictures of wedding celebrations, edicts and banquets (details). The emperor’s wedding is one of the most important ceremonies in the palace. During major ceremonies, there is a Zhonghe Shao music band under the east and west eaves of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Zhonghe Shao music belongs to ancient court music and has the highest standard among the music systems of the Qing Dynasty. Zhonghe Shao music was used in the wedding ceremonies of emperors in the Qing Dynasty, which was a symbol of the supreme status of the emperor and empress. During the emperor’s wedding ceremony, Zhonghe Shao music was played when the emperor ascended and descended.

Chime bells are an important instrument in Zhonghe Shao music. They are the “gold” musical instruments in the “eight tones”. There are a set of sixteen pieces, including twelve regular temperaments and four double temperaments (bass). The bell is gold-plated, with double dragon buttons, chiseled with cloud and dragon patterns, and is oval and hollow, with respective names cast on the back. When Zhonghe Shao music is played, the bells and chimes ring in harmony, and the golden sound vibrates.

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, jasper chimes were made with golden clouds and dragon patterns. Chimes and bells are both important instruments in Zhonghe Shao music. The musical instruments used in Zhonghe Shao music are made of eight materials: gold, stone, silk, bamboo, gourd, soil, leather and wood. They are called eight tones, with a total of sixteen types. When the grand ceremony is held, Zhonghe Shao music is set up under the eaves of Taihe Hall. The “stone” in the “eight tones” of the chime is a musical instrument, with a set of sixteen pieces, and the name of the chime is the same as that of the chime. The thickness of the chime body adjusts the sound. This chime is made of Hetian jasper in Xinjiang and decorated with golden cloud and dragon patterns on both sides. It was made in the 29th year of Qianlong’s reign (1764)…

The beautiful elf yellow-rumped warbler, commonly known as “Tree Chuan’er”, is a small bird in the Forbidden City and difficult to identify. This little bird is not only beautiful to look at, but also has a nice chirping sound, which is loud, melodious and changeable. Commonly found in the middle and upper crowns of trees and some shrubs, it flies and jumps short distances between tree branches. In warm and sunny weather, it is relatively active in singing and foraging. The yellow-rumped warbler is a migratory bird in urban Beijing, mainly during its migration in spring and autumn. The chance of encountering it is relatively high from April to May and October to November every year…

The Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, the gold-plated copper bell at the entrance of Yongniu Bridge was Zhonglu. Bells and special chimes are important ritual instruments used exclusively in the Qing palace and Shao music. In the twenty-sixth year of Qianlong’s reign (1761), Emperor Qianlong imitated the shape of ancient bells and made a set of twelve bells with gold-plated copper. Each bell was hung separately. The pitch was adjusted by the size of the bell body, and the sound of the bell became louder. The lower. Before the band plays, the bells are struck once, and at the end of the music, the chimes are struck once to create a golden sound.

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, a special chime made of jasper depicting golden clouds and dragon patterns was produced. After Emperor Qianlong cast the bell, in order to complete the ritual and music system, he also added a set of twelve special chimes in the same year, one for each, and they were used in the same way as the bell. The special chime is made of a whole piece of Xinjiang Hotan jasper and is crafted by Suzhou jade craftsmen. The body of the chime is obtuse-angled rectangular, with both sides decorated with golden clouds and dragon patterns. The gold and green contrast with each other, and the decoration is gorgeous. On the left and right sides of the upper part of the stand are phoenix heads. The page board is decorated with phoenixes pierced by peony patterns, and the lower part supports a reclining duck.
There are twelve special chimes in a set, corresponding to the twelve rhythms made in the Qing Dynasty. The pitch is adjusted by the size of the chime body. The larger the chime, the lower the pronunciation. Each chime is hung separately, so it is called special chime. When used, different special chimes are chosen according to the rules for each month, such as “Taicu” corresponding to the first month, and so on. The use of special chimes reflects the political concept of Emperor Qianlong advocating Confucian ritual and music education…

Daju, who was covered in autumn fat, couldn’t resist the howling autumn wind and started playing “hide and seek” under the stone fence. This weekend, have you decided where to go to “cat”?

Yellow satin embroidered cloud and dragon pattern (replica). Hui was the commanding tool of Heshao music in court performances in the Qing Dynasty. When the music was under his command, the music was composed, and when it was under his command, the music stopped. The main body of the robe is made of bright yellow cloud satin, embroidered with colorful rising dragons, clouds and fire beads. The upper part is made of blue satin, embroidered with nebulae. In the middle is the sun wheel, with the word “中和” embroidered on it. The lower end is embroidered with seawater and river cliffs. The upper and lower parts of the muzzle are pierced with gold-painted crossbars, with double dragons carved on the upper part and landscapes carved on the lower part. The harem is hung on a red pole, the end of the pole is decorated with a copper-plated dragon head, and the lower part is inserted into a gold-lacquered wooden base. The chariot shown in the picture is a replica, and the red pole and stand are left over from the Qing palace

“Roasted pears” is a popular snack on the streets in autumn and winter today. The middle of the pear is hollowed out, filled with red dates, rock sugar and other ingredients, and then slowly roasted in the oven. The roasted pears are soft in the mouth, sweet and mellow. Chinese people have a long history of eating pears, and they eat them in different ways. Fresh food is the most common, and steaming and boiling are also common practices. There is a poem that goes, “The old man in the Tian family has nothing to do, and the pear steamed in the steamer during the day has a dull fragrance.” In ancient times, The method of roasting pears is similar to today’s roasted pears. The story of “burning pears to give secretion” in the Tang Dynasty is well known. In addition, there is also a poem in the poem, “I still remember the wind and snow in the official Chengcheng, and the fire burned pears together at night.” Burning pears is the joy of gathering around the fire at night.

There are many ways to eat pears, which one do you prefer?

Images and visuals are from – Forbidden City –Palace Museum Beijing- China –People’s Republic of China…..

#北京 #中國 #China #Beijing | #紫禁城 #ForbiddenCity #October2023 | #ForbiddenCityDairies -The Palace Museum #ForbiddenCity Collections of Chinese intangible cultural heritage.  Collection Collection 16th –  26th October  2023…..

On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.

 The multilingual website of the Palace Museum is committed to establishing an international website that is concise, clear, easy to use for overseas audiences, and fits the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, including tour guides, information, panoramic tours, online exhibitions, collection appreciation, cultural topics, etc. Rich immersive content describing of the most detail collection that housed within the Forbidden City collection…. 

On the 26th October 2023  is World Food Day, let’s get to know the word “rice” in Oracle!
The word “rice” in oracle bone inscriptions is made up of rice grains. The small dots above and below represent rice grains. Some people think that the horizontal drawing in the middle is the shape of a sieve.


“Mi” initially referred to millet that had taken off its shell, and later it gradually referred to rice specifically, which is the rice we are familiar with. my country’s early rice domestication played an important role in the origin of world agriculture. As early as more than 10,000 years ago in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (Shangshan Site), our ancestors had begun the domestication of rice, which was basically synchronized with the domestication of major crops in the world such as wheat and corn.


Today, more than half of the world’s population depends on rice, but there are still 200-300 million people facing severe food crises. Let us join together to respond to the ” palacezerowaste  ” initiative, take action on discs, cherish every particle and never throw it away!

Qing Dynasty, clay paint and yellow wine jar. Wedding ceremonies are grand and lively, often with wine added to the fun. This wine jar is made of clay and painted with colorful paint. The body of the jar is painted with auspicious patterns of dragons and phoenixes. There is the word “囍” on the jar body and sealing mud. The jar is filled with rice wine produced in Zhejiang. In ancient China, the best rice wine was brewed in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. This wine may have been specially produced by local officials as a tribute to the emperor’s wedding.

Tongzhi, Qing Dynasty, yellow ground pastel color magpie plum bowl. In preparation for the wedding in the 11th year of Tongzhi (1872), the palace issued a firing list and official instructions to the Jingdezhen Royal Kiln Factory: “The queen needs to use porcelain for fourteen points and nine colors.” Among them, “Fourteen Points” refers to fourteen sets of porcelain with different patterns, each of which is a sea bowl, a large bowl, a medium bowl, a soup bowl, a rice bowl, a pocket bowl, a nine-inch plate, a seven-inch plate, a five-inch plate, and a four-inch plate. One-inch plates, three-inch plates, two-inch five-plates, wine cups, soup spoons, tea cups, large tea cups, tureens, tea jars, urns, powder boxes, rice bowls, rouge boxes, flower pots, narcissus boxes, etc. The inner wall of this bowl is plain, and the outer wall is painted with magpies and plum blossoms on the yellow ground. The main trunk of the plum tree is curved, the branches are strong, and plum blossoms are dotted on the branches. Black magpies are flying or perching, with vivid postures and delicate depictions. The magpie climbing on the plum blossom is a traditional Chinese auspicious pattern. It is pronounced by the words “xi” and “plum”, which means “happy on the eyebrows”. This patterned bowl is one of the “Fourteen Points” porcelain fired at Tongzhi’s wedding ceremony.

From October 12th to 18th, the week-long third “Forbidden City Zero Waste Catering Culture Week” came to an end! During this Catering Culture Week, the Forbidden City has newly upgraded and launched an “immersive zero-waste restaurant” experience. It provides publicity, decoration tips, action guidelines, etc. based on scientific dining procedures to encourage audiences and employees to proactively reduce food waste and develop a “CD-ROM” Actions”, “reduce disposable plastic tableware”, “garbage sorting” and other good green dining habits.

“Grains are the life of all people and the most important treasure of the country.” Palace museum and Vanke philanthropy foundation invite you to participate in palacezerowaste and let the good habit of “zero waste dining” accompany you every day to ensure “food security”

Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty, a gold-engraved tea bowl with patterns of flowers, longevity and longevity. The tea bowl is made of 80% gold. The round mouth is slightly open, and the upper part of the outer wall and the circle foot are engraved with a pattern around it. The middle of the outer wall is engraved with two pairs of characters “囍” and the character “Shou”, and the lower part is decorated with lotus petals. Inscribed on the sole of the foot is “Two liang equal to seven liang, four qian and two cents in the eleventh year of Tongzhi (1872)”. The eleventh year of Tongzhi (1872) was the year of Emperor Tongzhi’s wedding. The word “囍” was engraved on the bowl, which should be used for the wedding.

Dharma stickers are made by imitating the ink marks of famous people from different eras on stones, making rubbings and spreading them widely. Among them, the ancients said that those with fine imitation, engraving, and rubbing are “first class than authentic works.” Dharma stickers can more realistically reproduce the calligraphy of famous artists, making it easier for people to practice calligraphy. The publication of “Chunhua Pavilion Tie” in the Northern Song Dynasty created the trend of engraving and passing on rubbings, and it is known as the “ancestor of Fati”.

The original stone of “Chunhua Pavilion Tie” was destroyed long ago. Song Tuo Charming The second section of the exhibition “Chunhua Pavilion Calligraphy and Song Dynasty Dharma Calligraphy” displays the Maoqin Palace copy collected by the Palace Museum and the Quanzhou copy collected by the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. They are both rare re-engraved copies of the “Chunhua Pavilion Calligraphy” handed down from ancient times.

Qing Dynasty, golden dragon and phoenix double 囍 pattern plate. This gold plate is 4.8 centimeters high and 30.6 centimeters in diameter. It is made of 80% gold and weighs forty taels. It is the largest gold plate existing in the Qing palace. There are four characters on the plate: “dragon”, “phoenix”, “double” and “囍”. This plate may have been used for the weddings of emperors and empresses.

Painted banquet table with golden dragon and phoenix patterns. In the Qing Dynasty, when the emperors and empresses held wedding ceremonies, they had to share a table and eat together. The table was entered by the female official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The emperor sat on the right and the queen sat on the left, eating and drinking opposite each other. This table is the combined banquet table. The table is made of wood, with a yellow lacquered table top and a painted golden dragon and phoenix “囍” pattern. The legs are slightly curved, making it beautiful and practical. Emperor Guangxu’s “Red Banquet of the Wedding Ceremony” records that the emperor and empress’s banquet table was one foot high, three feet five inches long, and two feet five inches wide. It was decorated with the Chinese character “囍” with dragons and phoenixes on a yellow ground. The size and pattern matched this table.

The scroll of “Guiju Mountain Birds” (Fig. 1) was painted by Lu Ji, a court painter of the Ming Dynasty, and is now collected in the Palace Museum. The subjects depicted on the axis of the picture are red-billed blue magpies, starlings, sweet-scented osmanthus, and autumn chrysanthemums, all of which are auspicious and precious things. The objects in the picture not only truly show the natural nature of the creatures, but also vividly express the beautiful meaning. The starlings on the branches are chirping at each other, highlighting their good singing nature; the four red-billed blue magpies are graceful and their dark blue feathers are particularly eye-catching. Among them, the three in the lower left corner are fighting for an insect, which is lifelike. The red-billed blue magpie is a beautiful bird. The male and female have similar feather colors. Its extraordinary temperament can be called the “face value” among birds. However, their calls are in great contrast to their beautiful appearance and graceful flying posture. They make many different noisy calls and whistles, which are rough and noisy….

Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the recipe for the Henu Banquet. According to Emperor Guangxu’s “Red Banquet of the Wedding Ceremony”, on the twenty-seventh day of the first lunar month in the fifteenth year of Guangxu’s reign (1889), the emperor and his empress had a banquet. The meal list was as follows: red gold plate with two items: pig black fork and sheep black fork; red gold bowl The fourth product: bird’s nest with the character “Eight Immortals” duck, the bird’s nest with the character “囍”, shredded duck, thin pork shreds soup; the second product of the red gold plate: the bird’s nest with the character “dragon” mixed with shredded smoked chicken, the bird’s nest with the character “phoenix”, golden and silver elbow flower, the bird’s nest with the character “Cheng”, spiced chicken , bird’s nest with auspicious characters, gold and silver duck silk; red gold snail plate with side dishes, second item; red gold plate with side dishes, second item; red ground with golden flower characters, porcelain bowl, second item: bird’s nest and eight immortals soup, second item; colorful Bai Zi porcelain bowl, second item: old rice meal; second item; The second product of the colorful Baizi porcelain bowl: the second product of Zisun Pastry. The dumplings are dumplings brought by the queen from her natal family and cannot be cooked. When the emperor and empress were eating them, a boy outside the window asked if they were alive, and the emperor and empress had to answer “live”. Eating cakes for descendants should be done before the Henu Banquet, which shows that the royal family attaches great importance to the inheritance of descendants. The tableware for the Hexin Banquet is luxurious, and the dishes contain the beautiful meaning of dragons and phoenixes, and the succession of descendants…

Qing Dynasty, red sandalwood inlaid glass with the word “囍” hanging on the corners. Emperors of the Qing Dynasty mostly married their queens in the afternoon or evening. Emperor Tongzhi married during the Shen hour, that is, between 3 pm and 5 pm, while Emperor Guangxu chose the Zi hour, which was between 11 pm and 1 am. When a wedding is held at night, lights and candles are naturally indispensable. There are poke lamps that can be inserted on the base, hand-held lamps, table lamps placed on the table, and hanging lamps hung on the room. Poke lamps and holding lamps are mostly used outdoors, while table lamps and hanging lamps are mostly used indoors. This hanging lamp consists of two parts: a lamp cap and a lamp body. The red character “囍” is pasted on the lamp body, which means prosperity and joy.

Today is #Double Ninth Festival# , it is advisable to climb high and face the open air, and express your feelings with your eyes wide open. # fall in love with the forbidden city #

Qing, the horny character holds the lamp. The lamp consists of two parts: cover and base. The lampshade is round in shape, with the upper and lower parts slightly tightened, and the word “囍” is written in red on both sides. The handle is connected to the base, and a bracket is installed on the base to fix the lampshade. The cover is made of horn, heated and boiled with cow and sheep horns and solvent until soft, and then different types of lasts are used to gradually expand it. The cover wall is thin and seamless, has good light transmission and is windproof. However, the production of lampshades is difficult, the yield is low, and those with large diameters are particularly rare. This kind of horn lamp is controlled by eunuchs and is not only used to illuminate the queen’s carriage when walking in the palace, but can also be placed in the wedding room to create a festive atmosphere…..

On the 24th October 2023 .. Fall in Love with the Forbidden City…. Turtles and cranes watch the sun and moon from a distance, while divine lins spit out mist and turn into frost. Repost three auspicious beasts and reap Frostfall…… good luck!

The autumn air is crisp and the autumn clouds are light. After mid-autumn, galloping horses and sentrying deer in the forest were seasonal leisure activities for the Qing Dynasty court. The method of sentrying a deer is to “put on the deer’s head and lie down in the forest ravine, and use the whistle to call the deer.” It can be seen that the deer whistle is an important tool for hunting deer. Deer whistles are shaped like horns, about two to three feet long, and can simulate the sound of a deer. According to the habits of deer, deer hunters need to start from the camp before the fifth watch, go to the predetermined location to hide, and wait with bated breath after the deer whistle blows. After the deer appears, because the distance is close and the target is clear, the deer will hit more; if occasionally If you fail to hit, the pursuit will generally not continue. Figure 8 is one of the imperial deer whistles collected by the Palace Museum that is on display in the exhibition….

Qing Dynasty, filigree enamel candlestick with the word “囍”. Before the advent of electric lights, people used oil lamps or candles for lighting. There were many candles and candlesticks in the Qing palace. Candlesticks are mostly made of metal, which is stable and difficult to ignite. Menorah styles vary depending on where they are used. This cloisonné enamel candlestick has a sky blue glaze base and is decorated with lotus patterns. Yuanbao symbolizes wealth and can prevent wax oil from spilling. The word “囍” indicates that this candlestick is specially made for weddings.

Wang Xizhi’s “Lanting Preface” of the Eastern Jin Dynasty is known as “the best running script in the world”. The “Lanting Preface” that has been handed down from generation to generation is divided into two types: later generations’ copy, copy and stone rubbing. During the Song Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, engraving and calligraphy flourished. “Preface to Orchid Pavilion” was carved in stone and passed down, which became a fashion. Collecting rubbings of “Lanting Preface” has gradually become a hobby among literati, ranging from a few to more than ten, or even hundreds or even hundreds.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, Lizong, the Prime Minister of Yousi, collected hundreds of rubbings of Wang Xizhi’s “Lanting Preface”, which were later called “Youxiang Lanting”. According to the heavenly stems, there are ten types of each stem from A and B to Ren and Gui. In the third section of the #松图charm exhibition, “You Xiang Orchid Pavilion”, the Palace Museum and the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong jointly displayed fourteen of them for the audience to compare and appreciate.

日国宫 , tonight’s good night comes from the book “Yuemanqingyoutu”·Chrysanthemum Appreciation on the Double Ninth Festival.

Images and visuals are from – Forbidden City –Palace Museum Beijing- China –People’s Republic of China…..