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
薛芳菲Xue Fangfei is played by International Chinese Actress 吳谨言 Wu Jinyan ….The daughter of Xue Huaiyuan, the magistrate of Huaixiang County. Xue Fangfei was originally the most talented woman in Huaixiang. She assisted her husband in obtaining an official title, was filial to her mother-in-law, treated her sister-in-law well, devoted herself to her family, and loved her husband without reservation. However, she was betrayed by the person she loved one day, and after her family was killed, she was determined to seek revenge. She returned to the capital as Jiang Li, the daughter of her lifesaver, the Minister of the Central Secretariat. With the help of Xiao Heng, the Duke of Su of Yan, and others, she continued to fight against injustice, and finally rescued her father who was accidentally imprisoned and regained a good life.
International Chinese Actress 吳谨言 Wu Jinyan born in Chengdu. She began studying ballet at the age of 3. In 2000, she moved from her hometown to train at the Dance School Affiliated with Beijing Dance Academy, working to become a professional ballerina. After 7 years of boarding school, Wu joined the National Ballet of China, where she suffered repeated fractures in her feet. Wu later reported that these injuries caused her to pursue a different career. In 2009, Wu entered Beijing Film Academy, majoring in acting.
In 2018, Wu starred in the historical drama Story of Yanxi Palace. The drama was incredibly popular in China and throughout Asia, streaming over 15 billion times and becoming the most goggled show in 2018.
墨雨云间- “Ink Rain and Clouds- The Double- Adapted from the web novel “Marriage of the Di Daughter” (嫡嫁千金) by Qian Shan Cha Ke (千山茶客) a forty episode which aired on the Youku Streaming Global Network… also in China, People’s Republic of China. “Ink Rain and Clouds” is a costume love drama produced by Youku, co-produced by Dongyang Xiangyu Culture Media Co., Ltd. and Wuhan Tuoruo Film and Television Culture Media Co., Ltd., directed by Lu Haojiji , Bai Yunmo , and Ma Shishi , written by Ren Yanan, Yang Zhou, and Ma Shishi , and starring Wu Jinyan , Wang Xingyue , Chen Xinhai….
The play is adapted from the novel “The Daughter of the First Wife ”written by Qianshan Chake . It tells the story of Xue Fangfei, the daughter of the magistrate of Huaixiang County, who, after her fate changes drastically, is entrusted by her saviour, the daughter of the prime minister, Jiang Li, to replace Jiang Li and return to the capital. With the help of Xiao Heng, the Duke of Su, and others, she gradually uncovers the truth of the incident, redresses the injustice done to her father, and upholds justice, protects the country and the people….
Synopsis Xue Fangfei ( Wu Jinyan ) , the daughter of a county magistrate who came from a wealthy family and lived a happy life, lost everything after a major change. Entrusted by her savior, Jiang Li ( Yang Chaoyue ) , the daughter of the Zhongshu Ling, she returned to the capital as Jiang Li. With the help of Xiao Heng ( Wang Xingyue ) , the Duke of Su, and others, she overcame numerous difficulties and continued to fight against injustice. She eventually rescued her father who was accidentally imprisoned, helped Xiao Heng to uphold justice, and protected the people, and finally regained a good life.
Design of the inspiration of Chinese Han Traditional Clothing of the wardrobe …..
Pearl makeup is a type of makeup that can be traced back to the Song Dynasty. Noblewomen used glue made from fish maw as an adhesive and pearls as anchors, placing one on the forehead and dimples, and hanging a string from the temple to the bottom. The positions of the pearls are the same as those of the flower ornaments, oblique red and face dimples in the Tang Dynasty. Pearl makeup inherited the legacy of the Tang Dynasty. The Song Dynasty pursued a light and beautiful makeup aesthetic, so elegant pearl makeup became an innovative attempt for women’s makeup at that time. The creative team of the play consulted and referenced a large number of ancient paintings and materials such as the portraits of the empresses of Emperor Huizong of Song and the portraits of the empresses of Emperor Qinzong of Song to reproduce this historical and cultural treasure through film and television. In addition to pearl makeup, the play’s overall use of classical elements in art is quite rich and flexible. According to the personality characteristics of different characters, the play uses a variety of hair crown styles, integrating fine craftsmanship such as copper hammering, jade carving, and bone carving, making many jewelry styles exude elegance and charm in splendor, presenting the beauty of tradition….
Images and visuals are from Weibo also from their respectives.
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.
According to the Palace Museum, the “景福宫 Jingfu Palace” area in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City has officially started a two-year substantial renovation. This is also the first renovation of 景福宫 Jingfu Palace in more than 120 years. The currently determined scope of repairs includes the main hall of景福宫 Jingfu Palace, the East Gate Room, 景福宫 Jingfu Gate, verandah, southwest gate, cross-hall gate, courtyard walls, courtyard floors, etc. The focus is to eliminate potential safety hazards of cultural relic’s buildings. It is reported that Jingfu Palace was a retirement residence carefully built by Emperor Qianlong for himself. It is located in the northeast of the Ningshou Palace area of the Forbidden City. The palace is dotted with ancient trees and rockeries, and has unique porches and courtyards. After the Jiaqing period, it was used as a warehouse for storing antique treasures….
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) built Jingfu Palace in the Forbidden City as his retirement retreat. The Jingfu Palace region has begun a two-year renovation project, the first in almost 120 years.
The Jingfu Palace of the Forbidden City, never open to the public since it was built more than 200 years ago, has begun renovations…
This is a group of buildings with green glazed tiles and yellow sheared roofs. It was the residence of the Queen Mother during the Kangxi period, and was rebuilt during the Qianlong period to serve as a banquet for Emperor Qianlong after his return to power. This is景福宫 Jingfu Palace located in the northeast of Yeongsugung District.
With the launch of the “景福宫 Jingfu Palace Research Conservation Project”, the architectural form, materials, craftsmanship, etc. of the cultural relics here have gradually become clear during the research process. At the same time, image collection and recording work is also underway, and the protection and repair work of the cultural heritage buildings in the景福宫 Jingfu Palace area will eventually be shown in the form of a documentary. A trailer allows you to first experience the confusion, thinking and breakthroughs in the research and restoration process, and appreciate the infinite charm of dialogue with history!
“景福宫 Jingfu Palace” area in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City has officially started a two-year substantive renovation. This is also the first renovation of景福宫 Jingfu Palace in more than 120 years.
景福宫 Jingfu Palace is the retirement home carefully built by Emperor Qianlong for himself. It is located in the northeast of the Ningshou Palace area of the Forbidden City. The palace is dotted with ancient trees and rockeries, and has unique porches and courtyards. After the Jiaqing period, it was used as a warehouse for storing antique treasures.
In 1910, 13 plaques were updated at景福宫 Jingfu Palace, and the calligraphy and paintings on the inner eaves were re-inscribed and framed. From then until Puyi announced his abdication, there was no record of renovation of景福宫 Jingfu Palace in the Forbidden City.
The scope of repairs currently determined includes the main hall of景福宫 Jingfu Palace, the east gate room, 景福宫 Jingfu Gate, verandah, southwest gate, hall door, courtyard wall, courtyard floor, etc. The focus is to eliminate safety hazards of cultural relics buildings, such as the three arched roofs. “Troughs,” or gutter repairs.
While景福宫 Jingfu Palace is being renovated, the National Palace Museum will also carry out digital recording, research and systematic application of the national intangible cultural heritage “Official Ancient Architecture Construction Techniques”, and will use three-dimensional laser scanning, close-up photography results combined with traditional manual measurements to complete the work Surveying and mapping of the current status of cultural relic buildings, and conducting architectural survey and current survey of information such as shape, materials, construction techniques, etc. to build a digital景福宫 Jingfu Palace.
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.
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….
Dyeing, powdering, and drawing different patterns on various colours of silk can be used as writing materials. The silk paper without writing is already beautiful!
Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Jin Tingbiao, and the scroll of the baby’s play. This picture was created by Jin Tingbiao, a court painter of the Qianlong Dynasty, and depicts a scene of children playing in the countryside. Some of the childish and lively children picked flowers, and some competed in “grass fighting” by pulling the stems of flowers and plants together. The children’s naughty expressions are fully displayed, and the cheerful atmosphere overflows the picture. Emperor Qianlong, who was looking forward to having many children and grandchildren, was very satisfied with this picture and wrote an imperial poem on it: “Weeping poplars, strange stones, and luxuriant grass, red and green baskets are pouring out to fight against each other. The heart of a child loves business, and the famous saying is that there is a stream of water in the river.” “He also stamped more than ten square seals and included the picture in “Shiqu Baoji” to show his love.
冬至 At the winter solstice, Yang is born, and the sundial begins to grow. Today Winter solstice , the wall tiles, eaves corners, and plaques of a city are lit up with warmth, and we can’t help but look forward to the coming of the New Year….
Qianlong Qing Dynasty, anonymous, Kesi Sanduo Youqing Picture Scroll (partial). “Three mores” refers to many descendants, more blessings, and longer life. Having these “three mores” at the same time is truly a blessing in life, so “three mores are celebrated” has become a traditional blessing. In this tapestry scroll with its warp and weft cut through, the craftsman cleverly displayed the theme of “three mores” in the way of children playing: the children gathered together represent “many children”; the red bats flying in the sky allude to “the flood”. (Red) Fu (bat) Qitian” means “many blessings”; the boy holds longevity peaches in his hands, which represents “many lifespan”; and at the end of the scroll, there is a boy lifting a hammer to strike a chime, which means “chime” is homophonic to “celebration”, which completely completes the whole story. It expresses the creative theme of “three more times bring celebration”.
The pearl-necked turtle dove is a small wild resident bird of the family Dove and Columbidae that is common in cities, and is also one of the most common birds in the Forbidden City. The sides of their necks are black and densely covered with white spots, like many “pearls” scattered around their necks. This feature is only found after the Pearl-necked Turtle Dove reaches adulthood, so it can also be regarded as their “coming-of-age ceremony”.
Sun Zhiwei, a poet in the early Qing Dynasty, said in his poem “Doves in the Rain”: “The sun rises in the southeast corner, and the pigeon calls his wife.” “Banjiu” means “turtle dove”. The poem depicts a turtle dove and its partner staying together and inseparable. Pearl-necked turtle doves are usually monogamous and behave respectfully in daily life. They breed once a year, and the breeding period is from May to July. Usually the male bird first looks for a location, and then takes the female bird to choose a place that both parties think is suitable, and then build a nest with branches.
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 writing and rich and gorgeous colors to humorously depict the cute, lively and interesting image of children. In particular, the staggering and unsteady steps of children wearing crotchless pants when walking ashore are vividly depicted, showing the author’s keen observation. The expressive power of describing God through form…
