The exhibition “Timeless Beauties: Figure Paintings from Across the Ages in the Palace Museum Collection (Phase IV)” kicked off on September 4, 2024, in the Palace Museum. The opening ceremony was attended by Du Haijiang, Party secretary and deputy director of the Palace Museum, and Liu Hong, a member of the Party committee and vice president of the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), who both delivered speeches. Other attendees included Li Xiaoliang, deputy director of the General Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Chang Jinguo, deputy director of the General Office of the National Cultural Heritage Administration; Feng Naien, director and Party secretary of the Prince Kung’s Palace Museum; Li Lizhong, director of the Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum; Su Dan, deputy director of the China National Arts and Crafts Museum (China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum); and Zhang Bo, general manager of the Department of Corporate Culture of the ABC. Ren Wanping, deputy director of the Palace Museum, presided over the opening ceremony.

In his speech, Du Haijiang noted that the Palace Museum adheres to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The museum is committed to authentically protecting and responsibly inheriting the excellent traditional Chinese culture embodied by the museum. The “Timeless Beauties” exhibition is the fourth in a series called “Figure Paintings from Across the Ages in the Palace Museum Collection,” following “Exemplars of the Court,” “Elegance of the Literati,” and “Life in Its Many Forms.” He said that this exhibition reflects the changes in women’s social status and living conditions across different political regimes, customs, and trends through the ages. It tells touching stories of love from family and country that have been passed down through the ages. The Palace Museum and the ABC will work together to utilize cultural relics to better tell China’s stories and foster a deep connection with its heritage, contributing to the preservation and promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture, Du said.

Liu Hong stated in his speech that the ABC is one of the major comprehensive financial service providers in China and the only large commercial bank with branches covering all county-level regions nationwide. He said that the bank has been committed to a people-centered approach, focusing on high-quality development. It aims to become a leading bank in rural revitalization and a primary bank in supporting the real economy. The ABC has always been rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture and worked actively to foster and practice a financial culture with Chinese characteristics, aiming to support the development of cultural undertakings and industries by leveraging financial resources. Since signing a strategic cooperation agreement with the Palace Museum in 2017, the bank has supported multiple high-level exhibitions.

The exhibition “Timeless Beauties: Figure Paintings from Across the Ages in the Palace Museum Collection (Phase IV)” is jointly promoted by the ABC. The exhibition features 83 precious paintings with both artistic and historical value from the Palace Museum’s collection. It will be open until October 31, 2024. Visitors can make reservations through the official Palace Museum ticketing website.