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… .
Ming Dynasty, Tao Cheng, Toad Palace Jade Rabbit scroll. Tao Cheng (date of birth and death unknown), whose courtesy name was Mengxue, whose first name was Maoxue, and whose name was Yunhushanren, was from Baoying, Jiangsu. He was wild by nature and versatile. The landscapes he painted mostly used green colors, which were bright and lustrous. The bamboos, rabbits and cranes and deer he painted were interesting and had the realistic style of the Song Dynasty. Toad Palace refers to the Moon Palace and is synonymous with the moon. From the poem written by Tao Cheng in the picture, we can see that he is depicting a rabbit looking up at the bright moon in the sky and missing the comfortable life in Toad Palace. For this reason, he specially painted the rabbit raising its front legs as if it were flying to the moon. This detailed depiction not only makes the painting lively and interesting, but also reveals the Jade Rabbit’s eagerness to return to the Toad Palace.
From the Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty, the talc Guanghan Qingjing Seal was used. Talc is a silicate mineral that is soft and smooth. The material is not expensive and is rarely used in seals. Although the toad has a bad image, it symbolizes longevity, so it is also quite popular among people. The seal “Guanghan Qingjing” echoes the toad seal, but it is in the secret palace of the deep palace. Using this as a metaphor will inevitably give people a sense of resentment.
On the 8th September 2023 The autumn wind is getting colder, and the dew condenses in the cold. The pomegranates are full and ripe. Today 白鹿
During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, the red sea-water bathing moon plate was carved. This lacquer plate was made during the Qianlong period. It is engraved with water ripples and the center of the plate is illuminated to represent the full moon. In the middle of the moon, the ocher-colored Jade Rabbit with fine hair scratched out on the yellow paint ground is concentrating on pounding the elixir of eternity under the laurel tree. This is the story of the Jade Rabbit in the Moon Palace in myths and legends. This plate is a masterpiece that combines red and gold lacquer techniques. The bottom of the plate is engraved with the model “Made in the Qianlong Year of the Qing Dynasty” and the name of the “Haiyue Incense Plate”. It is a royal vessel.
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong imperial inscription Chengni set inkstone imitates Song Dynasty Yuantu Dynasty Yuan inkstone. This inkstone is one of the antique clear clay inkstones. It is round in shape, has no inkstone pool on the surface, and is embossed with a jade rabbit and a full moon. A poem inscribed by the emperor is engraved with gold around the edge: “The small round and big round are like the moon, and the jade shape is more pregnant in it. The study room should be in charge of the city, and the promulgated hair can be ruthless in everything?” There are also four words “Qianlong Imperial Inscription” , “Knowing hearts are not far away” seal. On one side of the inkstone is engraved the product name “Imitation Song Dynasty Jade Rabbit Chaoyuan Inkstone”, and on the other side are the words “Chen Zheng Rui Gongjin”. The inkstone comes with a red sandalwood engraved brocade ground cover box, and the name of the product and the name of the tribute are also engraved on the side. According to the “Xiqing Inkstone Book”, the pattern on the “Jade Rabbit Chaoyuan Inkstone” in the Qing Palace imitated the natural texture on the She inkstone in the Song Dynasty. Its shape can be said to be either a rabbit or a rhinoceros, reflecting the antique style of that time. characteristics of the times. During the Qianlong period, various kinds of antique inkstones were made from Duanshi, Sheshi, Chengni, etc. Among them, the complete sets of antique Chengni inkstones are the most praised.
From September 2 to November 30th 2023 , “Tea·World—Tea Culture Special Exhibition” will be on display at the Meridian Gate and East and West Yanchi Tower exhibition halls of the Forbidden City Beijing Palace Museum, China, people’s Republic of China . This exhibition is hosted by the Palace Museum and brings together representative collections from 30 archaeological and cultural institutions at home and abroad, with a total of 555 exhibits (groups). The exhibition is divided into four sections: Tea came from China, the tea ceremony is peaceful, the tea road is thousands of miles long, and the tea charm is long. With a distinctive theme and a grand scale, it three-dimensionally displays the Chinese tea civilization that transcends history, connects regions, and integrates nations. During the exhibition, a tea cultural and creative experience space was also opened in the Northeast Chonglou of Meridian Gate, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the charm of tea culture. China Construction Bank serves as the joint promoter of the exhibition, and Longfor Group serves as the public welfare supporter of the exhibition to jointly support the exhibition activities. This exhibition is free to visit with Palace Museum tickets. Visitors must make a real-name reservation in advance through the “Forbidden City Museum” WeChat applet…
“The World of Tea: Special Exhibition on Tea Culture” opened at the Wu men (the Meridian Gate) Exhibition Hall of the Palace Museum on Friday in Beijing. From September 2 to November 30, 2023, the exhibition welcomes the public to explore a curated collection of tea-related artifacts. Presented by the Palace Museum, an array of tea-related treasures sourced from 30 esteemed cultural institutions and museums, both domestically and internationally, are on display at the exhibition. With an impressive assemblage of 555 cultural relics, encompassing individual pieces and intricate sets, this exhibition illuminates the fascinating journey of Chinese tea civilization. Furthermore, it provides insights into this cultural phenomenon’s origins, evolution, and remarkable achievements while emphasizing how tea has acted as a unifying thread connecting diverse regions and fostering the integration of various ethnic groups.
The exhibition’s opening ceremony was held on Friday at the Baoyun Lou (Hall for Accumulated Treasures) of the Palace Museum. Distinguished guests included Wang Xudong, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and director of the Palace Museum; Rao Quan, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and vice minister of culture and tourism; Guan Qiang, a member of the Party Leadership Group and deputy administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration; Shan Jixiang, president of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and former director of the Palace Museum; Liu Yuzhu, chairman of the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation; Liu Zhonghua, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Hunan Agricultural University; Fung Ming Chu, former director of the Taipei Palace Museum; Lin Zhongyue, chairman of the Cross-Straits Tea Exchanges Association; and Cheng Pei-kai, former chairman of the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee. Representatives from participating exhibitors, officials from cultural and museum departments in Beijing, representatives from societies, associations and foundations, experts and scholars, and leaders of the Palace Museum also attend the opening ceremony. Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum; Sergei Nilov, head of the Department of Russian Culture and History of the Russian State Hermitage Museum; Li Yun, executive vice president of China Construction Bank; and Song Yao, vice president of the Longfor Group and vice chairman of Longfor Foundation, all delivered speeches. Kang Hui, a well-known Chinese TV host, presided over the opening ceremony.
In November 2022, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) acknowledged Chinese traditional tea processing techniques and their associated social practices in its intangible cultural heritage list. This noteworthy recognition marks a significant stride in promoting Chinese tea culture and facilitating deeper cross-cultural exchanges and mutual learning.
To further these objectives, the Palace Museum has organized “The World of Tea: Special Exhibition on Tea Culture.” This exhibition seeks to advance the systematic protection of intangible cultural heritage, stimulate innovative developments in China’s rich traditional culture, and fortify the bonds within the Chinese nation while showcasing the allure of Chinese culture on a global scale. Through the medium of this exhibition, the Palace Museum delves into the depths of tea history, explores the intricacies of the tea ceremony, and celebrates the diversity of tea-related activities. Using tea as a conduit, it elucidates the essence of Chinese tea culture, which greatly emphasizes the values of harmony and unity.
Tea originated in China and is popular worldwide. Legend has it that the Chinese were already aware of and making use of tea during the era of Shennong (who is considered the first Yan Emperor and an ancestor of the Chinese people). In Zhejiang Province, roots of artificially cultivated tea trees dating back about 6,000 years have been discovered. In Shandong Province, remains of boiled tea leaves dating back about 2,400 years were discovered in ancient tombs from the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), making it the oldest known evidence of tea drinking. Since the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), the tea preparation and drinking methods were diversified, including eating, frying, whisking, boiling, and steeping. Drinking tea has evolved into a cultural activity that sates an aesthetic thirst. The Chinese have combined their thoughts on life, the nation, nature, and the universe with daily practices, forming the essence of tea culture. The widespread embrace of tea within China has acted as a catalyst, promoting interactions among people from diverse regions and ethnic backgrounds who all share a deep affection for this cherished beverage. Furthermore, the global dissemination of tea has acted as a conduit for cultural fusion across the vast expanse of the Eurasian continent.
The exhibition delves into tea culture and fully presents the development of Chinese civilization and its interactions with other civilizations, all through the lens of tea as a medium. The exhibition comprises four sections, each illuminating a distinct facet of tea’s rich history and cultural significance.The first section explores the origins of tea in China, tracing its development over thousands of years and its pivotal role in politics, economics, and cultural exchanges. On display are cultural relics from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), including preserved tea leaves, export paintings, and combinations of various objects. The second section delves into the essence of the tea ceremony, featuring a collection of notable paintings and calligraphy from the Palace Museum, as well as ancient texts and excavated tea sets. In the third section, the exhibition traces the global spread of tea from China to various parts of the world, highlighting how different cultures adopted and adapted tea culture. Exhibits include exquisite tea sets from the UK, Japan, and Russia, unique tea sets used in the Qing Dynasty court, and foreign-style tea sets produced by the Imperial Workshop of the Qing Dynasty. The fourth and final section discusses the enduring appeal of tea culture, emphasizing its diverse and integral role in people’s daily lives across the globe. Rooted in tradition, it showcases tea culture’s ongoing development and prospects.
The exhibition spans from the Neolithic Age to the present day. It highlights the development and adoption of tea culture over thousands of years, as well as its embodiment of Chinese philosophical ideals such as unity of nature and man and universal harmony. The exhibits include ancient green-tea tree roots unearthed from the Tianluoshan site of the Hemudu culture (about 5000 BC to 4000 BC) in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province, pushing back the timeline of tea planting in China to about 6,000 years ago. Tea bowls and remains of boiled tea leaves were unearthed from a tomb of the Warring States Period in Zoucheng of Shandong Province, making it the oldest known evidence of tea drinking. The exhibition also features unearthed tea leaves from the Han and Song (960-1279) dynasties, along with over 40 pieces or sets of tribute tea (Gong Cha in Chinese) from the Qing Dynasty collected by the Palace Museum. Together, these cultural relics document China’s over 6,000-year history of tea cultivation and utilization. On display for the first time, a complete set of tea wares unearthed from a Tang Dynasty (618-907) tomb in Qujiangzhuang of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, in 2022 is one of the most recent archaeological discoveries reflecting Tang Dynasty tea culture. The painting Spring Banquet illustrates a gathering of literati around a rectangular banquet table, with tea-related tools such as tea spoons and tea cups on it, offering a snapshot of how Song Dynasty literati enjoyed tea. A painted clay sculpture of the “Tea Sage” Lu Yu, originally displayed in the Emperor Qianlong’s tea room in Chengde Mountain Resort, is also featured. Accompanying this sculpture are tea sets and a statue from the Tang Dynasty unearthed in Gongyi, Henan Province. The statue is believed to be a representation of Lu Yu. From the Tang to the Qing Dynasty, the once-in-a-millennium meeting of two statues of Lu Yu is unprecedented in the history of tea culture.
This exhibition features a total of 555 pieces or sets of exhibits, including 227 from representative collections of 30 cultural institutions and museums both domestically and internationally. These collections are sourced from esteemed institutions such as the National Library of China, the National Museum of China, the China National Tea Museum, the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Museum of Ethnic Cultures of Minzu University of China, the Management Center of Ming Tombs in Beijing’s Changping District, the Shanghai Museum, the Tianjin Library, the Museum of Heilongjiang Province, the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, the Shaanxi Academy of Archeology, the Famen Temple Museum, the Hanyangling Museum, the Gongyi Museum, the Shandong University Museum, the Changzhi City Cultural Relics Protection Research Center (Changzhi City Archaeological Research Institute), the Xiyang County Cultural Relics Institute (Xiyang County Museum), the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology, the Hunan Museum, the Nanjing Museum, the Guizhou Provincial Museum, the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology, the Guangdong Provincial Museum, the Shaowu Museum, the Opium War Museum, the Russian State Hermitage Museum, the British Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Tokyo National Museum and the Idemitsu Museum of Arts in Japan.
“The World of Tea: Special Exhibition on Tea Culture” comes with an exhibition catalog. Simultaneously, the Palace Museum’s official website will initiate online exhibition tours. Moreover, multiple channels and formats will be adopted to promote the exhibition, including the museum’s official accounts on Weibo, WeChat, and online video platforms. The Palace Museum will sequentially present a series of public academic lectures to facilitate visitors to understand the exhibition. Please stay tuned for lecture announcements on the “The Palace Museum Publicity and Education” official WeChat account.
During the exhibition, a tea-related cultural and creative products experience space is open to visitors at the Chonglou (the Lofty Pavilion) in the northeast of Wu men (the Meridian Gate). This unique space is a dedicated area for cultural and creative exploration, highlighting the essence of tea culture within the Forbidden City, with a theme centered around “thousands of feet of snow.” By seamlessly integrating elements such as white jade carving, meticulous mortise and tenon craftsmanship, and the iconic red wall color, visitors are invited to fully immerse themselves in the captivating allure of traditional Chinese culture while indulging in a profound tea culture experience.
China Construction Bank, as the joint promoter of the exhibition, and Longfor Group, as the public welfare supporter, have collaborated to support the exhibition activities. During the exhibition, the Palace Museum and China Construction Bank will launch the fifth round of new precious metal cultural and creative products – the “Divine Animals of the Forbidden City.”
Admission to this exhibition is free with a Palace Museum ticket, and visitors can make real-name reservations through the “Palace Museum” WeChat mini-program.
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… .
Let’s read the calendar together…. Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, red silk embroidered colourful clouds, bats, gold dragon and phoenix pattern hijab. When the emperor of the Qing Dynasty got married, the queen also covered her face with a hijab just like in folk weddings. This hijab has a square shape and is made of red river silk. The word “囍” is embroidered with gold thread in the center, and patterns of bats and “卍” are embroidered on the word “囍”, which means long blessings. Golden dragon and phoenix patterns are embroidered around the word “囍”, and the word “longevity” is embroidered in gold around it. , golden “囍” character, clouds, bats, gourds, etc. Four groups of tassels in red, green, and yellow colours hang from the four corners.
去我们一起来读计划 In the Qing Dynasty, gold-plated copper with silk dots and emeralds inlaid with pearls and stones and phoenix tin. When the queens of the Qing Dynasty wore auspicious clothes, they could wear phoenix tin on their heads. Tianzi is a unique headdress for Manchu women. Its shape is high at the front and low at the back, with a dome at the top and a wide bottom. According to the number and style of decorated tin flowers, tin can be divided into half tin, full tin and phoenix tin, each of which has different usage occasions. This tin is lined with red velvet, emerald emerald dragon, phoenix, “囍”, etc., in line with the theme of the wedding…
七夕 is a festival for girls, and the ancients would hold a wealth of “begging for cleverness” activities. In addition to the well-known “threading a needle and begging for cleverness”, the custom of “worshiping the Milky Way” (also known as “worshiping double stars”) was also popular in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. A group of young women and girls make an appointment in advance at which house to worship on Qixi Festival. Most of them choose a house with a beautiful courtyard or a garden to be the host, and everyone shares the purchase of sacrifices. Everyone fasts and bathes the day before to get ready. At that time, everyone will dress up and go to the organizer’s home to take turns burning incense and worshiping. Seasonal fruits such as “flower melons” carved from watermelons and peaches are displayed on the altar. Some even put cosmetics such as rouge and fragrant powder on the altar for the Weaver Girl to enjoy. What they pray for is nothing more than to be beautiful and marry a good man; or to have a happy family and harmonious husband and wife. After the worship is over, the incense powder dedicated to Zhinu will be divided into two halves, and half will be thrown on the house for Zhinu to enjoy, and the other half will be kept for herself. They believe that they can maintain their youthful beauty by using the cosmetics shared with Zhinu.
去我们一起来读计划 Qing, Qingkuan, etc., the big wedding picture of the Queen Fengyu entering the palace. The seventh volume of Emperor Guangxu’s “Wedding Pictures”, “The Picture of Empress Fengyu Entering the Palace,” depicts the process of the wedding procession starting from the Queen’s residence to the Qianqing Palace. It includes seventeen pages of images and nine pages of illustrations. The following set of pictures are taken from this volume. . Emperors of the Qing Dynasty all married at night. During the wedding of Emperor Guangxu, Queen Fengyu “started from the eaves of the main hall of the Di Di at the third quarter of the first lunar month, arrived at East Chang’an Street at the first quarter of the first lunar month, and arrived at the East Chang’an archway at the second quarter of the first lunar month. In the second quarter of Yinchu, five minutes to Qianqing Gate, and in Yinzheng three quarters, five minutes to the eaves of Qianqing Palace.” In this picture, the Yuzhan, Longqi, Huanggai, Honglu Temple Preface, Mingzan Officer, Chief and Deputy Envoys, Ceting, and Baoting in front of the team have all passed through Duanmen and walked outside the Meridian Gate. The horses are separated Stop in front of the East and West Yanchi Towers.
Qing Dynasty, Qing Kuan, etc., the Empress Fengyu entering the palace of the big wedding picture. When Emperor Guangxu got married, the welcoming team went from the middle gates of Meridian Gate and Taihe Gate to the middle left gate, rear left gate and Qianqing gate. North Korean officials and others stopped here. According to the auspicious time predicted by Qin Tianjian, Empress Fengyu will arrive at Qianqing Gate at the second quarter of Yinchu (around 3:35 a.m.), and the eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will pick her up and carry Fengyu into Qianqing Gate. Empress Yu Yinzheng could only get out of the sedan chair at three quarters and five minutes (about 4:50 in the morning). With the help of four respectful maids, she stepped over the brazier in the Qianqing Palace, walked out from the back fan, and returned to the palace where she will live in the future to rest. , In the evening, go to Kunning Palace to perform the wedding ceremony. From the moment the queen gets off the sedan chair, these inner court etiquette cannot be understood by outsiders. Empress Dowager Cixi specially issued a decree asking painters not to paint.
Qing Dynasty, gold inlaid wooden handle and gold mention furnace. In the procession of marrying the queen, the queen Fengyu used the stove as a guide. The gold furnace held by the captain is like this. The furnace body is cylindrical, with chiseled dragon patterns on the outside, and an umbrella-shaped cover. The cover is hollowed out with gossip patterns, and a phoenix button is placed on the top. There are three animal ears with rings on the abdomen, and three elephant feet below. There are three chains on the three ears, and the chains are assembled on an eight-petal fancy board. Each petal is in the shape of a wishful cloud head, with a “囍” character inside, and a phoenix button on the top. The phoenix button is looped to connect with the hook on the handle. The handle is made of red sandalwood, with finely carved “囍” character flowers and plants, inlaid with gold chiseled phoenix head and ruyi-shaped tail.
Qing, Jin Baoping. After the queen was welcomed into the palace, she waited for the auspicious time to lay down her phoenix in front of the Qianqing Palace. The queen changed the gold Ruyi and apples she held into a gold vase, which contained two pearls, two gems, two coins, two silver coins, and gold. Two handles of Ruyi, two handles of silver, two gold ingots, two silver ingots, two sets of eight gold treasures, two sets of eight silver treasures, and a handful of gold and silver rice, symbolizing possession of all gold and silver treasures in the world. The queen embraces the golden vase and steps into the Qianqing Palace.
During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor and the queen wore auspicious clothes in bright yellow silk embroidered with the characters “囍”, colorful clouds, bats, golden dragon patterns and female cotton dragon robes during the wedding ceremony. Jifu is a garment worn on occasions such as royal celebrations and festivals, including Jifu robes and Jifu gowns. Jifu robes are often referred to as dragon robes. The shape of the queen’s robe is a straight robe with a round collar, a large right lapel, horse hoof sleeves (with middle sleeves), and left and right hems. This robe is bright yellow in color and decorated with nine dragons all over the body, one on the chest, one on the back and one on each shoulder, two on the front and two on the hem, and one on the front. The entire robe is decorated with coral beads the size of rice grains, and the red word “囍” is embroidered with the rice bead technique to set off the festive atmosphere of the wedding….
Qing Guangxu, stone blue satin embroidered with eight groups of happy birthday word colorful cloud dragon dragon jacket clip. This is the dragon gown worn by the Empress of the Hebei ceremony, with a round neck, double breasts, flat sleeves, and a hem that opens at the back. This gown uses two to four-color halo method to embroider the word “卍” with eight groups of colorful clouds and white dragons, sea water, river cliffs and miscellaneous treasures, etc. patterns. The gown is lined with a moon-white auspicious cloud and tuanlong woven gold satin lining with the character “Shou”, and the cuffs are inlaid with a stone blue “Swastika” woven gold satin edge. The collar is decorated with a gilt-bronze chiseled buckle, and the rest is decorated with four stone-blue gold-woven satin loops.
In the Qing Dynasty, gold-plated copper with silk dots and emeralds inlaid with pearls and stones and phoenix tin. Manchu women can wear tanzi, a kind of hat ornament, when wearing auspicious clothes. This mother-of-pearl is made of rattan pieces as a frame, and is wrapped and braided with cyan silk threads to form a mesh. The upper part is circled with dotted jade and hollowed out with an ancient money pattern on the head and face, and the lower part is lined with red velvet. The front and sides of the necklace are decorated with six golden phoenixes, the tail is decorated with five golden phoenixes, and the bottom is decorated with seven golden birds. Each of them holds various strings of jewels and stone necklaces in its mouth.
Qing, silver inlaid coral collar. The collar, also known as the collar, is used to restrain the collar around the neck, and it was a dress item for empresses and concubines in the Qing Dynasty. This collar is approximately ring-shaped and has a live opening and closing type. There are three rings in total, two of which are made of silver and gold, carved with cloud and bat patterns and the characters “囍” and “寿”. Inlaid with rubies and tourmalines. Two ribbons are tied at the living mouth, and each belt is worn with red coral….
Qing Dynasty, Dongzhu Chaozhu. Emperors and empresses of the Qing Dynasty wore court beads when they wore court clothes or auspicious clothes. Each plate of Chao beads is made of 108 round beads, and every 27 beads are added with a large round bead of different materials, called “Buddha head”. One of the Buddha’s heads is connected to a gourd-shaped “Buddha” with a “back cloud” hanging down behind it. There are three strings of 10 small beads on both sides of the chao bead, which are called “memory”. The materials of Chao Zhu are East beads, coral, beeswax, jade, agate, crystal, amber, tourmaline, lapis lazuli, turquoise, etc. They are used according to different status, grade and occasion. Dongzhu is produced from the Songhua River in Northeast China, the birthplace of the Manchu people. Dongzhu Chaozhu can only be worn by the emperor, empress dowager and empress…
It is said that old tea is rich and mellow, and the longer it gets, the more fragrant it becomes. Have you ever seen “old tea” that is thousands of years old?
Many ancient teas are on display in the Meridian Gate Exhibition Hall of the “Tea World – Tea Culture Special Exhibition” that will be introduced to you soon. From the tea remains from the tombs of the Warring States Period in Shandong more than 2,400 years ago, to the physical tea leaves of the Han and Song dynasties, to the tribute teas of the Qing Dynasty with different origins and varieties, we have witnessed the development and evolution of the theory and practice of Chinese tea culture.
The tea ceremony has lasted for thousands of years, and the Buddhist tradition has always been the Buddhist tradition. For this exhibition, we specially invited Mr. Geng Baochang, deputy chairman of the Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, a famous expert and a centenarian, to inscribe the exhibition “Tea Ceremony Shanghe”. Chinese people combine their thinking about life, family, country, nature, and the universe with their daily life practices to form the spiritual core of tea culture. Just like old tea, it is timeless and new.
Eastern Han Dynasty, lintel stone portrait. Chinese people have romantic feelings and unlimited imagination about the moon. There are countless poems, songs, myths and legends about the moon. Toads appeared in images about the moon in the Han Dynasty. Toads live longer, so the Jade Rabbit made the pills into the shape of a toad, and used the toad’s light to reach the middle of the moon. Portrait stone is a stone building material carved with images. The images mainly include real life, historical stories, myths and legends, decorative patterns, etc. This stone portrait was unearthed in Suide County, Shaanxi Province. The jade rabbit on the right side of the lower layer stands upright, holding a pestle in one hand and a mortar in the other, struggling to pound medicine.
From September 2 to November 30, “Tea·World—Tea Culture Special Exhibition” will be on display at the Meridian Gate and East and West Yanchi Tower exhibition halls of the Palace Museum. This exhibition is hosted by the Palace Museum and brings together representative collections from 30 archaeological and cultural institutions at home and abroad, with a total of 555 exhibits (groups). The exhibition is divided into four units: Tea Out of China, Tea Ceremony, Tea Road Thousands of Miles, and Tea Rhythm. With a distinctive theme and a grand scale, it three-dimensionally displays the Chinese tea civilization that crosses history, connects regions, and integrates nations. During the exhibition, a tea cultural and creative experience space was also opened in the Northeast Chonglou of Meridian Gate, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the charm of tea culture. China Construction Bank, as the joint promoter of the exhibition, and Longfor Group, as the public welfare supporter of the exhibition, jointly assisted the exhibition activities. This exhibition is free to visit with Palace Museum tickets. Visitors must make a real-name reservation in advance through the “Forbidden City Museum” WeChat applet
Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wang Xianzhi, Mid-Autumn Festival posts. The “Mid-Autumn Tie”, which was regarded as one of the treasures of Sanxitang by Emperor Qianlong, has 22 characters in existence: “Mid-Autumn Festival will no longer be lost, and it will be returned. It is even a matter of how to win He Qing and other troops.” It is a copy of Wang Xianzhi’s chido “December Cut to Tie”, which cannot be read in sentences. Because of the word “Mid-Autumn” in the first book, it is the name of the post, and it has become a famous post related to the Mid-Autumn Festival. Some scholars believe that this post has the meaning of Mi Fu’s brushwork in Song Dynasty, and it was not written by Wang Xianzhi himself. Regardless of whether the author is Mi Fu or Wang Xianzhi, this post retains the charm of Wang Xianzhi’s original work, and the “one-stroke calligraphy” cursive technique is brought to the extreme.
Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wang Xianzhi, Ding Guanpeng of the Mid-Autumn Festival post, the autumn color equally divides the Wushao month on the picture. After Emperor Qianlong got the “Mid-Autumn Tie”, he couldn’t put it down. He not only inscribed three postscripts successively from February to August in Qianlong Bingyin (1746), but also ordered the court painter Ding Guanpeng to paint at the end of the scroll. In the picture above the moon, Wang Xianzhi is under the sycamore tree, looking up at the full moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival, as if he wants to write a book. To a certain extent, this picture reproduces the scene of Wang Xianzhi’s “Mid-Autumn Post” in the form of painting. It can be seen that Emperor Qianlong hoped to express his admiration for Wang Xianzhi and his love for “Mid-Autumn Post” by means of accompanying pictures.
Tang, a bronze moon palace pattern mirror. Chang’e Flying to the Moon is a beautiful and sad fairy tale. It is beautiful because the osmanthus trees are whirling, the moon is bright, and the fairy Chang’e is dancing gracefully, forming a romantic picture; it is sad because the Guanghan Palace is cold and lonely, which always arouses people’s laments and sentiments, “Chang’e should regret stealing.” The elixir, Bihaiqingtian, heart every night.” This moon palace pattern mirror is centered on the osmanthus tree, under the tree is a toad,
Song, bronze Changchun mirror. The outer edge of the bronze mirror is octagonal. From the outside to the inside, there are eight trigrams, seven stars, mirror inscriptions and the scene of a jade rabbit pounding medicine in front of Guanghan Palace. The Bagua is the innate Fuxi direction, and the Qian Gua is in the southeast. The seven stars and the eight trigrams are scattered and separated, and the inscription on the mirror reads: “Seven stars shine brightly through the three worlds, and a spiritual light shines for thousands of years. Changchun mirror.” Judging from the inscription and pattern on the mirror, this is a bronze mirror related to Taoism related….
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… .
During the Months of late July towards early August 2023 it has been serve Rainstorms in Beijing in which the 603 year old Forbidden city Drainage has been designed very well in countering those intense weather conditions….
Qing, the treasure of Queen Jinlong. The gold books and gold treasures presented to the queen have become the symbol of the queen’s status. This is the “Queen’s Treasure”, made of gold, with a dragon button, attached to a yellow ribbon, and the seal is in Manchu and Chinese jade chopsticks, and the script is the same as the emperor’s imperial treasure.
The floating haze is warm and emerald, the branches and leaves support the Su, and the ribbon bird can be seen inhabiting the branches among the shadows of the trees, just like “the fairy in the forest”. Ribbon birds are colorful, with a dark blue glow on the head, neck and crest. When the ribbon bird is engraved on the cultural relics, it meets thousands of flowers, carrying people’s hopes and blessings. The ribbon is an ornament that marks the official rank. The name “ribbon” means to increase the rank and rank, and because “ribbon” and “shou” have the same pronunciation, it also means longevity. Therefore, the ribbon bird has the meaning of good fortune and longevity, which was deeply loved by the ancients.
Modern times, the queen’s gold book. After Puyi abdicated, according to the “Preferential Treatment Conditions of the Qing Dynasty”, he still lived a life of “little court” in the inner court of the Forbidden City, and married Wanrong as the queen according to the wedding ceremony of the Qing emperor. This is the golden book that canonized Wanrong, with a total of ten pages. It reads: “Xuantong’s fourteenth year…the daughter of Rongyuan…I hereby take Baolier as the queen…” The “little imperial court” still uses the Xuantong year name, “Xuantong fourteen years” is the eleventh year of the Republic of China (1922). This gold book is the only queen gold book in existence in the Palace Museum…
千位百瓶 Garlic bottle, named after the mouth of the bottle is shaped like a head of garlic. Pictured is a bright red Panchi garlic bottle with white glaze and plastic paste from the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. The mouth of the bottle is in the shape of eight cloves of garlic. Copper red glaze, the glaze color is eye-catching and unusual. The red panchi protrudes on the white glaze, which has a three-dimensional effect and is quite artistic.
去我们一起来读计划 Qing, Qingkuan, etc., set up a welcome picture in the album of big wedding pictures. This picture depicts the wedding procession arriving at the residence of the queen-to-be, and the stepfather leading the children kneeling outside the gate to greet her. In the lead of the imperial battle, Huang Gai accompanied, followed by officials in charge of ceremonies, Honglu Temple Xuban officials and Mingzan officials, then envoys and deputy envoys, followed by Ceting, Baoting and Fengyu carried by 16 people. They entered the courtyard one by one, followed by the queen-to-be’s father and clan members. After the emperor’s golden festival and the queen’s ceremony are arranged in the mansion, the canonization ceremony is waiting to be held.
去我们一起来读计划 Qing Dynasty Qianlong, Lengjian, Huangmen, etc., the Fengyu page of the Atlas of Imperial Ritual Vessels. In the Qing Dynasty, the emperor used a phoenix to marry the queen’s wedding sedan chair. The body of the Fengyu sedan chair is made of wood, painted with bright yellow lacquer. The dome is double-layered, and each octagon is decorated with a golden phoenix. The hanging eaves are bright yellow satin, painted with golden phoenix. The four curtains are painted with blue stones and golden phoenixes. The interior is painted with red lacquer, the sedan chair is bright yellow satin with golden phoenix painted on it, and the sedan chair cushion is bright yellow satin with colorful phoenix embroidered on it. The shoulder poles are topped with bronze brass and golden phoenix heads and tails. The style of the phoenix was determined in the book “Illustration of Ritual Vessels of the Dynasty” during the Qianlong period. It was used by the empress when she participated in the silkworm ceremony of offering sacrifices to the god of silkworms.
千件百锅# The Weibo text introduced last time This white-glazed plastic paste bright red panchi garlic bottle from the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty was handed down to the Qing Dynasty. It may be very popular with Emperor Yongzheng. It is painted by Qing people in the Palace Museum. The depiction of this bottle can be seen in “Yinzhen’s Pleasure Picture” and “Yinzhen Concubine’s Pleasure Picture”.
去我们一起来读计划 Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, Jin Xi character Ruyi, Yubi dragon character axis. In the Qing Dynasty, the phoenix of the emperor’s wedding to please the queen had a built-in “dragon” character axis, gold ruyi, and apples. In folk weddings, the groom goes to the bride’s house to meet the bride in person, but the emperor is supreme, and when he marries the queen, he sends envoys to greet him, so the word “dragon” is used as the groom’s incarnation. In many ceremonies of the emperor’s wedding, Ruyi and apples were used, implying auspiciousness and peace. This gold ruyi is in a three-inlaid style, with a raised “囍” character on the first, middle and tail parts, with a red “囍” knot and silk tassels underneath. Jin Ruyi and the “Dragon” scroll are placed together in a yellow brocade box, and the scroll is engraved with “The Treasure of Empress Dowager Cixi’s Royal Brush”, which was used for the wedding of Emperor Guangxu.
The heat is in full swing, and everything is transpiring. It’s the season when gardenias are in full bloom. If you can meet a gardenia that is “suspected to be leaves in frost, and covered with branches like snow”, the flower color like snow and ice is accompanied by bursts of intoxicating fragrance. It is extremely cool!
Gardenia, also known as scorpion, has a soft and elegant floral fragrance. “Snowflakes and ice flowers are cool and clear, and the deep part of the song bar is bright and spiritual.” Gardenia is white in color, and its six petals are like snowflakes. Therefore , the ancients often associated gardenia with snowflakes….
In the Qing Dynasty, Qingkuan et al., the album of the big wedding picture set up a welcome picture. This is the last page of the sixth volume “Collected Figures of Ingratiation”. After the Guangxu Emperor’s wedding party arrived at the quasi-empress’s mansion, the empress’s phoenix and ceremonial car were placed in the courtyard, and the emperor’s golden festival was respectfully placed on the central festival table in the outer hall. The queen father kneels in front of the face, and the official envoy reads the document for the establishment of the queen. The kneeling in the upper right corner of the screen is the father of the queen-to-be. After that, the envoy will hand over the emperor’s gold festival to the eunuch, and place it on the festival case in the middle of the inner hall. The eunuch and female officials will present the ceremony to the queen in the inner hall, and award the gold book and the queen’s treasure. As for the inner hall ceremony attended by the Empress, Empress Dowager Cixi issued a special decree that painters do not need to paint, so it is not shown in the picture. After the registration ceremony, the queen went to Fengyu at an auspicious time, ready to enter the palace..
去我们一起来读计划 Qing Guangxu, red silk embroidered dragon and phoenix with the pattern gown. During the wedding ceremony, the empress had several different attires. When she was preparing to accept the ceremony at her natal home, she wore a red silk gown embroidered with dragon and phoenix patterns, and an outer cover of azurite silk embroidered with patterns of dragon and phoenix. This gown was worn by the empress of Emperor Guangxu’s wedding. It has a round neck, a large front and right gusset, horseshoe sleeves, and left and right skirts. The whole body is embroidered with gold thread and multicolored silk thread to embroider various patterns, and the front chest, back, shoulders and front and rear hem are embroidered with eight groups of golden dragon and phoenix “囍” patterns, arranged in twelve chapters. The whole body is also decorated with the characters of “Fu”, “Lu”, “Shou” and “Xi”, and auspicious patterns such as bats, cranes and miscellaneous treasures. The embroidery is complicated and exquisite, the patterns are rich and beautiful, and it has a very festive and auspicious decorative effect.
去我们一起来读计划 Qing Dynasty Guangxu, stone blue silk embroidered dragon and phoenix with the pattern gown. This gown is worn over a dragon and phoenix Tonghe pattern robe. It has a round neck, double breasts, flat sleeves, and a skirt that opens at the back. The collar is adorned with a gilt copper button with chiseled patterns and four fastening loops. It is lined with bright yellow plain spun silk lining, with thin silk cotton in the middle. This gown is embroidered with patterns such as eight dragons and phoenixes “囍” and other patterns on the ground of stone-blue river silk, using flat stitches, flat gold, closing stitches, trocars, and nail threads. The joy and enthusiasm of a big wedding.
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… .
When the red sun is scorching and the heat is unbearable, the refrigerator in which is an invention of China Chinese… is a necessity for modern people 消暑生冷. So, how did the ancients chill melons, fruits and drinks? This cypress refrigerator in the Palace Museum tells us the answer.
The exterior of the refrigerator is cypress wood. There is a layer of grid drawers inside the box, ice cubes are placed under the grid drawers, and food is placed on the drawer boards to play the role of freezing and keeping fresh. At the same time, the four walls inside the box are inlaid with lead skin, which can not only insulate heat, but also maintain low temperature. Two copper lifting rings are installed on both sides of the outside of the refrigerator for easy lifting. Keeping cold and portable, this “can walk at any time” cypress refrigerator is ingeniously designed and quite practical, from which it is not difficult to glimpse the wisdom of the ancients! 古人也太会吧
去我们一起来读历史 The buildings, streamers, Jing, etc. (replicas) in the emperor’s brine book. According to the records, there are Changshou Building, Zi Building, Ni Building, Yu Bao Building, Xin Ban, Jiang Yin Ban, Leopard Tail Banner, Longtou Gan Ban, Jiaoxiao Biao Festival Banner, Ming Xingbi Jiao Banner, Banners, streamers, Jing, etc. of different shapes and colors, such as Shihui Jing for Celebration, Huaiyuan Jing for Praising Merit, Zhenwu Jing, Fuwen Jing, Nayan Jing, Jinshan Jing, Jinjie, Yiqi, Huanghui, etc. Shown here are reproductions of Huanghui, Jinjie, Longtou Ganfan, Nizhu, Yizheng and Jing.
On the eighth of August 2023 Looking from afar, autumn is condensing in the depths of the clouds. Today 立秋Liqiu Tue, 8 Aug 2023 – Wed, 23 Aug 2023 The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. Lìqiū, Risshū, Ipchu, or Lập thu is the 13th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 135° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 150°.
Let us read the calendar together The flag (replica) in the emperor’s brine book. There are more than 120 flags in the halogen book, including the sun, moon, cloud, thunder, wind, rain, twenty-eight mansions, five stars, five mountains, four directions, four dunes, phoenix, luan, wandering Lin, and lion taming, which is the largest number in the halogen book. A class of items.
禁禁欣芳 In the sixth month of the lunar calendar, lotus flowers are used as the order of the month. The ancients endowed the lotus with a clean and elegant character, praised its noble character of “the root is jade in the mud, and the heart bears the bead”. In addition, the lotus flower can be used as a vegetable for meat and meat, porridge for soup, nourishing and health-preserving, and making tea and medicine. It can be described as a good product for refreshing summer heat.
Let us read the calendar together#The weapons (replicas) in the emperor’s brine book. The weapons in the Lubo ceremonial guards all had practical functions at first, and then gradually evolved into symbols of the emperor’s majesty. Shown in the picture include leopard tail spear, halberd, shu, star, standing melon, lying melon and axe.
去我们一起来读计划 Qing, Qingkuan, etc., set up a welcome picture in the album of big wedding pictures. From this picture, the Guangxu Emperor’s wedding welcome team exits the middle gate of the Taihe Gate from the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and then leaves the palace from the middle gate of the Daqing Gate to the Queen’s Mansion. After the ceremony of appointing envoys, the cabinet and the officials of the Ministry of Rites carried out the books and treasures together with the case from the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and then the deputy envoys placed the books and treasures in the Dragon Pavilion of His Majesty Dan respectively. In the picture, the chief envoy Chijie has stepped down from Dan Bi, and the deputy envoy is holding the hand of the king .
Qing, the treasure of Queen Jinlong. The gold books and gold treasures presented to the queen have become the symbol of the queen’s status. This is the “Queen’s Treasure”, made of gold, with a dragon button, attached to a yellow ribbon, and the seal is in Manchu and Chinese jade chopsticks, and the script is the same as the emperor’s imperial treasure.
Modern and modern times, the queen’s gold book. After Puyi forcefully abdicated, according to the “Preferential Treatment Conditions of the Qing Dynasty”, he still lived a life of “little court” in the inner court of the Forbidden City, and married Wanrong as the queen according to the wedding ceremony of the Qing emperor. This is the golden book that canonized Wanrong, with a total of ten pages. It reads: “Xuantong’s fourteenth year…the daughter of Rongyuan…I hereby take Baolier as the queen…” The “little imperial court” still uses the Xuantong year name, “Xuantong fourteen years” is the eleventh year of the Republic of China (1922). This gold book is the only queen gold book in existence in the Palace Museum..
Qing, Qingkuan, etc., set up a welcome picture in the album of big wedding pictures. This picture depicts the wedding procession arriving at the residence of the queen-to-be, and the stepfather leading the children kneeling outside the gate to greet her. In the lead of the imperial battle, Huang Gai accompanied, followed by officials in charge of ceremonies, Honglu Temple Xuban officials and Mingzan officials, then envoys and deputy envoys, followed by Ceting, Baoting and Fengyu carried by 16 people. They entered the courtyard one by one, followed by the queen-to-be’s father and clan members. In the government…
Qing Dynasty Qianlong, Lengjian, Huangmen, etc., the Fengyu page of the Atlas of Imperial Ritual Vessels. In the Qing Dynasty, the emperor used a phoenix to marry the queen’s wedding sedan chair. The body of the Fengyu sedan chair is made of wood, painted with bright yellow lacquer. The dome is double-layered, and each octagon is decorated with a golden phoenix. The hanging eaves are bright yellow satin, painted with golden phoenix. The four curtains are painted with blue stones and golden phoenixes. The interior is painted with red lacquer, the sedan chair is bright yellow satin with golden phoenix painted on it, and the sedan chair cushion is bright yellow satin with colorful phoenix embroidered on it. The shoulder poles are topped with bronze brass and golden phoenix heads and tails. The style of the phoenix was determined in the book “Illustration of Ritual Vessels of the Dynasty” during the Qianlong period. It was used by the empress when she participated in the silkworm ceremony of offering sacrifices to the god of silkworms.
