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 Journey of the Great Way: Special Exhibition on Confucian Culture Exhibition location: Meridian Gate and East and West Wings Exhibition Hall…. In which the Exhibition runs from time: 2024/ November 1st- 2025 January 5th..
The Journey of the Great Road… The first unit of the exhibition is “Tracing the Past and Searching for Confucianism”. It uses archaeological evidence to show China’s ritual and music civilization before the birth of Confucius and Confucianism, and to explore the historical formation of Confucian culture. Representative exhibits include the earliest image of Confucius found in archaeological unearthed cultural relics – Confucius’s Clothing Mirror (replica) from the Tomb of Marquis Haihun of the Western Han Dynasty; pottery fragments from the Wannian Xianren Cave in Jiangxi, which are 20,000 years old, and the Jiahu bone flute that pioneered the ritual and music civilization; there are also bronze bans with animal faces from Shigushan, Baoji, which reflect the Zhou people’s prohibition system, and the renamed Fang, which reflects the “same writing system” after the Qin Dynasty unified the world. With Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty choosing Confucianism as the official orthodox thought, it laid the tone for traditional culture for more than two thousand years..
The Journey of the Great Way The second unit of the exhibition, “Transformation into the World”, extracts the development trajectory of Confucian culture from the perspectives of Confucian inheritance, the continuation of classics, and ideological tolerance, and displays the core civilization concepts of Confucian culture from the personal, social, and national levels.
The core of Confucian culture concerns the world and is sought in the heart. Confucianism advocates the family and country feelings of self-cultivation, family harmony, governance of the country, and peace in the world, with the ideal of establishing a “Great Harmony” society where the world is for the public, the virtuous and the capable are selected, and trust and harmony are emphasized. The Confucian pursuit of a better social order and moral customs is constantly endowed with the connotation of the times, reflecting the Chinese nation’s unique understanding and mission of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
午門 #MeridianGate- Wumen is the southern and largest gate of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, People’s Republic of China….. Unlike the other gates of the Forbidden City, the Meridian Gate has two protruding arms on either side, derived from ancient que towers traditionally used to decorate the main entrances of palaces, temples and tombs. The gate has five arches. The three central arches are close together in the main, central section; the two flanking arches are farther apart from the three central arches, and are located between the central section and the protruding arms. The centre arch was formerly reserved for the Emperor alone; the exceptions were the Empress, who could enter it once on the day of her wedding, and the top three scholars of the triennial civil service examinations, who left the exams through the central arch. All other officials and servants had to use the four side arches.
A series of buildings form the superstructure of the gate. The central one is a pavilion of nine bays wide, with double eaves. On each of the protruding side, a 13 bays-long building with a single eave, connects the two pyramidal-roofed pavilions that represented the que towers.
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.
On August 30th 2024 at the Wenhua Hall, Forbidden City Beijing , China, People’s Republic of China, the 千秋佳人 ——Special Exhibition of Figure Paintings from Past Dynasties in the Collection of the Palace Museum (Fourth Phase)” opened in the Wenhua Hall of the Palace Museum which 30the August to 31st October 2024. Paintings of ladies are a classic genre in traditional Chinese painting with a long history and important influence, including the graceful and elegant figures of the Six Dynasties, the gorgeous and plump figures of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, the dignified and beautiful figures of the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the slender and delicate figures of the Ming and Qing Dynasties… The faces of the people in the paintings have significant characteristics of the times, reflecting the changes in the social status and living conditions of women in different eras as politics, customs, and fashions changed. Through the 83 precious paintings in the museum collection exhibited in this exhibition, one can not only appreciate the peerless grace of women painted by painters of all ages, but also understand the spiritual strength and daily life interest of ancient women from the moving stories that have been passed down through the ages and are related to the country .
文华殿 Wenhua Hall The Hall of Literary Brilliance , or the Hall of Literary Glory or Wenhua Hall, is a hall in the outer court of the Forbidden City, located far east of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. In the early Ming Dynasty, the hall was originally used as the residence of the heir apparent. However, starting in 1536, Ming emperors began to use the building as a secondary hall. During both the Ming and Qing Dynasty, the hall hosted grand imperial lectures on Confucian classics and served as a place for the emperor to meet his scholars and officials. The hall was also where palace examinations papers would be reviewed and marked by nine readers who would be sequestered in the hall for two days. The hall gave its name to one of the seven different titles of grand secretary in late-imperial China. Becoming Grand Secretary of Wenhua Hall was considered to be an especially prestigious honour for high-ranking Officials ….
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.
在呼和浩特看第十届博博会
On the week 26th August 2024.. The 10th China Museum and Related Products and Technology Expo is being held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China.. In addition to the Expo, there are also these museums in Hohhot, which are worth visiting …… Introduction: From August 23 to 26, the 10th “China Museum and Related Products and Technology Expo” (referred to as “Expo”) will be held at the Chilechuan International Convention and Exhibition Center in Hohhot. Let’s come to Hohhot to experience the excitement of “checking in 300 museums in one day and spanning five thousand years in one day”!
This year’s “Museum Expo” lasts for 4 days. 394 domestic museums including the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, and the Shanghai Museum make a collective appearance. The total exhibition area exceeds 50,000 square meters, showcasing the fruitful achievements of China’s museum industry. The series of academic activities and more than 40 public activities held in conjunction with it also open a window for the public to understand cultural heritage and get in touch with historical civilization.
At the “Museum Expo”, intelligent and digital technologies have become a highlight of the exhibition. Cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are gradually being integrated into the exhibition and management of museums, opening up a new dimension of cultural display.
During the four days, the exhibition hall was packed with people, the interactive exhibition area formed long queues, and various academic lectures, forums and cultural activities were packed with people. The discussion about the “Museum Expo” on social media also continued to rise, and various short videos, graphic reports emerged, stimulating more people’s interest in museums and cultural heritage.
“You can’t see the real thing in such detail.” In the exhibition hall of the Palace Museum, visitors can not only see the real scene of the Palace Museum through the big screen, but also “play” with exquisite cultural relics at their fingertips. The 360-degree rotating cultural relics are clearly visible on the high-resolution screen, and the text explanation of their origins and development easily brings people into the story of the cultural relics. “Currently, more than 100,000 of the 1.86 million pieces (sets) of cultural relics have been digitized, and this number increases by at least 20,000 every year.” Li Yingchong, section chief of the public education group of the Palace Museum, told reporters that the transformation of physical collections into digital collections will not reduce the value of cultural heritage, but will be more conducive to the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage.
The 10th “Museum Expo” held in Hohhot came to a close today On the 26th August 2024…! During the four-day exhibition, the exhibition area of the Palace Museum provided visitors with professional and meticulous viewing, experience and explanation services. The exhibition area was crowded with people. Various digital cultural content, educational activities and cultural and creative products attracted visitors to stop and experience and check in. It also attracted many museum colleagues to visit and exchange ideas, and conduct in-depth discussions in the fields of digital applications, social education activities, and cultural and creative publishing. The exhibition area of the Palace Museum won three awards in this “Museum Expo”: “Best Display Gold Award”, “Best Education Activity Display Case”, and “Best Digital Display Case Award in Digital Exhibition Area”. We will continue to focus on promoting the social sharing services and effective revitalization of high-quality digital cultural resources!
On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of China was 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 symphony of gold and jade, the auspicious dragon shows its elegance,
the golden dream is woven, and the prosperity is reflected on the neck
Listen to the drums and recount the old dreams of the Forbidden City.
Travel through time and encounter the splendor and grandeur.
The symphony of golden drums and the rhythm of leaping
fashion and classics complement each other
to extol the glorious chapter of a thousand years
This month of August 2024 launches a new collection in Collaboration with the Forbidden City- Palace Museum- Beijing with one of Asia Largest Jewellery companies周大福珠寶Chow Tai Fook Jewellery with international Iconic Chinese Designed elements A Living Legacy. Introducing our brand-new Palace Museum Collection. Featuring a reverberating display of Chinese drums and spirited twirls of cultural dance, our House collaborates with the iconic Palace Museum to showcase the contemporary allure of Chinese heritage through modern forms.
The butterfly wings dance lightly, blooming with lively and colorful
soft patterns, flowing in various and interesting ways
Reimagining Traditions.
Inspired by the Palace Museum’s exhibition piece of Qing Dynasty imperial drums and treasures, this intricate creation is a modern interpretation of Chinese prowess. Blending a multitude of ancient Chinese gold crafting techniques and colourful gemstones, the pendant symbolises good fortune and is the ultimate expression of grandeur.
A Living Legacy.
Introducing our brand-new Palace Museum Collection. Featuring a reverberating display of Chinese drums and spirited twirls of cultural dance, our House collaborates with the iconic Palace Museum to showcase the contemporary allure of Chinese heritage through modern forms.
The Cultural Era Awaits.
Prepare to venture into the wonderous world of The Palace Museum. Home to countless Chinese treasures and untold stories, our House pays homage to this iconic wonder with the Palace Museum Collection — a series of masterpieces that brings art to life.
周大福珠寶 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery – Chow Tai Fook group is a Chow Tai Fook group is a Hong Kong–based, privately-owned conglomerate with holdings in the jewellery, property development, hotel, department store, transportation, energy, telecommunications, port, casino, and other businesses
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.
