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.
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.
The Forbidden City Palace Museum Beijing, China, People’s Republic of China holds a large-scale exhibition reflecting the history of ethnic relations in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, “Xiangkai Vientiane–The Forbidden City and Tibetan Cultural Relics Joint Exhibition” will be on display at the Meridian Gate on April 29th 2023 towards 30th of September 2023.
On April 28, 2023, the opening ceremony of “Auspicious Opening of Vientiane—Joint Exhibition of the Forbidden City and Tibetan Cultural Relics” was held at the Palace Museum. Wang Xudong, member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and director of the Palace Museum, Zhong Tingxiong, deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Zhang Xuxia, deputy director of the General Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Lian Xiangmin, deputy director-general of the China Tibetology Research Center, protection of historical sites in China Song Xinchao, chairman of the association and former deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, Qu Zhen, deputy secretary of the party group and director of the Tibet Autonomous Region Cultural Relics Bureau, Yang Fan, secretary of the Party Committee of the National Museum of China, Fayan, deputy director of the National Cultural Palace, Zha Xia, director of the Tibetan Culture Museum, Chinese Buddhist Master Yanjue, the president of the association, relevant departments and bureaus of the Central Propaganda Department and the Central United Front Work Department, relevant comrades in charge of cultural museums in Beijing, relevant associations, team members of the Palace Museum, and leaders of retirement homes attended the opening ceremony. Du Haijiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of the Palace Museum, Deji Zhuoga, Deputy Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Department of Culture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and Yang Xun, the representative of the Xuri Charity Foundation and the vice chairman and general manager of Xuri Group Co., Ltd. Speech at the ceremony. Ren Wanping, vice president of the Palace Museum, presided over the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
“Xiangkai Vientiane-The Forbidden City and Tibetan Cultural Relics Joint Exhibition” is jointly organized by the Palace Museum and the Cultural Relics Bureau of the Tibet Autonomous Region, with special support from the Rising Sun Charity Foundation. The exhibition hall of Yanchi Building is open to the audience. Guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s thought that “cultural identity is the deepest level of identity, the root of national unity and the soul of national harmony”, combined with the construction of the “Four Forbidden City” system of the Palace Museum, it is a cultural and The display of the results of the Ministry of Tourism’s Tibet-aid project “Research on the Chinese Nation Community Based on the Forbidden City and Tibetan Cultural Relics” is also a large-scale comprehensive exhibition reflecting the history of ethnic relations in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The exhibition reflects the latest relevant scientific research achievements of the Palace Museum in the past five years, explores the cultural connotations behind the cultural relics, shows the exchanges, exchanges and integration between Tibet and the mainland and the court embodied in the cultural relics, and composes a splendid chapter of national unity and progress.
Du Haijiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of the Palace Museum, said in his speech that the exhibition takes forging the consciousness of the Chinese nation’s community as its starting point and foothold. The emotional bond and spiritual belonging of the nation prove the necessity and forward-lookingness of forging a sense of community of the Chinese nation. For thousands of years, people of various ethnic groups in Tibet and inland have been in frequent contact with each other, helping each other, and being brothers and sisters. The Forbidden City, where the Palace Museum is located, is a witness to the exchanges, exchanges, and integration between Tibet and the mainland of the motherland, and a historical witness to the continuous formation of the consciousness of the Chinese nation community. Based on the close historical relationship between cultural relics and the interaction between cultural relics and the design of the exhibition hall, the exhibition reproduces the historical facts of exchanges, exchanges and integration between Tibet and the mainland, and restores the great process of the Chinese nation’s community consciousness from formation to consolidation in history.
Deji Zhuoga, director of the Cultural Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region, said in his speech that this exhibition is an in-depth implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition on cultural relics work by the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Palace Museum. It is an important exhibition held to firmly grasp the consciousness of the community of the Chinese nation and build a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation. The exhibition showcases the long history and splendid culture of the Forbidden City and Tibet, demonstrates the extensive exchanges and in-depth integration between Tibet and other parts of the motherland, and witnesses the diverse and colorful Chinese culture. As a large area of cultural relics resources, Tibet has made all-round progress and historic achievements in promoting the protection and utilization of cultural relics in recent years. Cultural relics have played an important role in forging the consciousness of the Chinese nation community and promoting Tibet’s long-term stability and high-quality development.
Yang Xun, the representative of the Xuri Charity Foundation and the vice chairman and general manager of Xuri Group Co., Ltd., who specially supported the exhibition, said that Chinese culture is a synthesis of the cultures of all ethnic groups and a common spiritual home for people of all ethnic groups. “Prosperity in Vientiane—Joint Exhibition of Cultural Relics from the Forbidden City and Tibet” tells the moving story of exchanges, exchanges, and integration between Tibet and various ethnic groups in the mainland through cultural relics research. Glorious Sun Group has strengthened its cultural self-confidence for many years and helped the inheritance and protection of Chinese culture. This support for the exhibition is what Glorious Sun Group should and must do for the inheritance and protection of Chinese culture.
“Auspicious Blossoms – The Forbidden City and Tibetan Cultural Relics Joint Exhibition” is divided into three parts: “Flowers Blooming All Over the Road – Communication between Tibet and the Mainland”, “Flowers and Leafs – Identity and Destination” and “Spring Blossoms and Autumn Fruits – Fruitful Cultural Achievements”. The theme unit uses “flowers” to symbolize the process of integration between Tibet and various ethnic groups in the interior. The exhibition exhibited 108 pieces (sets) of cultural relics, including 13 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from various units under the Tibet Autonomous Region Cultural Relics Bureau and the Sakya Monastery Management Committee, and 95 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from the Palace Museum. In addition to the well-known calligraphy and painting exhibits such as Yan Liben of the Tang Dynasty “Bucharian Picture” and Zhao Mengfu’s “Emperor’s Danba Stele Scroll” of the Yuan Dynasty, there are also a large number of cultural relics that meet the audience for the first time, such as the “Manchu Collection” collected by the Palace Museum. The Sutra, the statue of Emperor Yongle in the Potala Palace, and the thangkas of Kublai Khan first seen in the Sakya Temple, etc., fully demonstrate the diversity of styles and artistic charm of Tibetan-themed cultural relics.
According to the protection requirements of cultural relics and reference practices, the calligraphy and painting works of the Song and Yuan Dynasties and before in the exhibition will be replaced with replicas after one month of exhibition.
Currently on the now it’s the 1st September 2022, for the up-coming event for the Mid-Autumn festival in which set on the Saturday 10th September 2022. The exhibition “Seeing the Heart of Heaven and Earth – Chinese Study’s Intentions and Images” will be on display at the Meridian Gate Exhibition Hall of the Palace Museum from August 30 to October 23, 2022.
The exhibition is divided into three units, “Wai Huai Qin Shu”, “Zheng Yi Ming Dao” and “Deed Frost Snow”. The theme of the exhibition is the connotation and image of the Chinese study room. A problem of imagery with the zeitgeist. This exhibition is free to visit with tickets for the Palace Museum, but you must make an appointment with your real name on the WeChat applet of the Palace Museum…..
You can book tickets and exhibitions of the Forbidden City with real names through the “Forbidden City Museum” WeChat applet. According to the needs of epidemic prevention and control, in accordance with the principles of limited quantity, appointment, and staggered peak, the exhibition hall is limited to 3,000 people per day until the appointment is full. Admission to the hospital requires a nucleic acid test report within 72 hours, and the ID card used for verification of health code, temperature measurement, and ticket purchase.
In this year’s 2022, the second decade from the turn of the century in Beijing the Capital of China also the People’s Republic of China, marking its six hundred and Two years anniversary of the Forbidden city that marks the transitional point of in between the middle of the Ming Dynasty (1368- 1644) transitionally from Nanjing to Beijing towards the Qing Dynasty (1636-1644-1911) …. The Imperial Palace seen so many countless seasonally transitional equinoxes but further its six hundred years is iconic, but it’s five hundred ninety nine years it marks it Autumn Equinox…. In which it only took twelve years to build the same of the Daming Palace of The Tang Dynasty Xian Imperial Capital only it was least twenty times larger..
The Forbidden City Book Store which in the grounds of the Forbidden City Complex Forbidden City Hundred Excellent Books Public welfare reading activities! ” Forbidden City Hundred Excellent Books “The Way of Architecture of the Forbidden City “ Public Reading Activity Why is the Meridian Gate a perfect embodiment of the integration of gates and walls in ancient Chinese architecture? The book “Building the Forbidden City” wrote: The Meridian Gate was built in the eighteenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420), and rebuilt in the eighth year of Shunzhi (1651) and the sixth year of Jiaqing (1801) in the Qing Dynasty. The plane is concave, the pier is 12 meters high, there are 3 doors in the middle, and there is an east-west tuck door on each side, which is in the shape of “light, three, dark and five”.
A gate tower is built in the middle of the pier, with a width of 9 rooms totalling 60.05 meters, and a depth of 5 rooms totalling 25 meters. From the city wall to the ground, it is 37.95 meters high from the face to the right kiss. There are bell and drum pavilions on the left and right sides of the main building, each with 3 pavilions, and 13 corridors on each of the two wings. Quemen forms a square of more than 9,900 square meters to the south, with Jialiang on the left and a sundial on the right on the imperial road in front of the gate. There are horse roads on the inside of each of the four gate piers to the top of the city platform, and there are roads connected to facilitate defense communication. Meridian Gate is not only the highest, largest and most magnificent gate in the Forbidden City, but also a perfect embodiment of the gate-queue form of ancient Chinese architecture.
