On December 14, the exhibition “Vanguard of Civilization: Jade Artifacts from the Lingjiatan Culture” opened at the Hall of Literary Brilliance (Wenhua dian) of the Palace Museum. The exhibition is jointly hosted by the Palace Museum, Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism (Anhui Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau), and Ma’anshan Municipal People’s Government. It is co-organized by the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Anhui Museum, Hanshan County People’s Government, Hanshan County Lingjiatan Site Administration, and Hanshan Museum, with full support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club and exclusive sponsorship from the Institute of Philanthropy. The opening ceremony was attended by Wang Xudong, a member of the CPC Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and director of the Palace Museum, Liu Yuzhu, chairman of the China Cultural Relics Protection Foundation, Qiao Yunfei, a member of the CPC Leadership Group and deputy director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Song Xinchao, chairman of ICOMOS China, Yan Yalin, director of the Archaeology Department of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Yuan Fang, secretary of the CPC Ma’anshan Municipal Committee, Du Haijiang, Party secretary and deputy director of the Palace Museum, Fan Ronghui, executive deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee, and He Changfeng, a first-level inspector of Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, as well as officials from the Social Development Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, departments and agencies under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and experts and scholars in the field. The ceremony was presided over by Ren Wanping, deputy director of the Palace Museum. In his speech, Du Haijiang highlighted General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements that cultural relics and cultural heritage carry the genes and lifeblood of the Chinese nation, and they are non-renewable and irreplaceable civilizational resources. The Palace Museum, as a guardian of Chinese civilization, houses 104 jade and stone artifacts unearthed from the Lingjiatan site. This exhibition, jointly organized with Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Ma’anshan Municipal People’s Government, is the first time that the excavated jade artifacts from the Lingjiatan site over the years have been displayed together in their entirety. Du expressed the Palace Museum’s steadfast commitment to its mission of “authentically and comprehensively protecting and responsibly passing on the outstanding traditional Chinese culture embodied by the Palace Museum,” adding that it will continue to use exhibitions to better tell the story of China in the new era. Yuan Fang emphasized that Ma’anshan is a city where ancient and modern civilizations shine together, with the Lingjiatan Culture being especially remarkable. Noting that General Secretary Xi Jinping has placed great importance on protecting and inheriting cultural heritage, Yuan commented on remarks made by Xi during his visit to Anhui in October this year. Xi called for the further integration of culture and tourism, the development of cultural tourism into a pillar industry, the strengthening of cultural heritage protection and inheritance, and the transformative and innovative development of fine traditional culture. This exhibition, Yuan said, supports the implementation of the principle of “protection first, strengthened management, value discovery, effective utilization, and breathing new life into cultural relics”, which will ensure that the ancient Lingjiatan Culture blooms anew with vitality and splendor in the new era. The Lingjiatan site, located in Hanshan County, Ma’anshan City, Anhui Province, dates back approximately 5,800 to 5,300 years and is one of the landmark Neolithic sites in China. As a crucial piece of evidence for over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the Lingjiatan site serves as a crucial relic, key chronological marker, and critical region in the formation of civilization in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, providing tangible evidence for research into the origins, formation, and development of Chinese civilization. Since its discovery in 1985, the site has yielded numerous important jade artifacts. As the largest and best-preserved settlement site of its era in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, it stands alongside the Hongshan Culture and Liangzhu Culture as one of the “Three Great Jade Culture Centers” of prehistoric China. As the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the Lingjiatan site approaches, the exhibition presents 399 pieces (sets) of important artifacts from five museums and archaeological institutions across China. The exhibits include jade, pottery, and bone artifacts. Among the highlights are an engraved jade plate which is rich in philosophical implications, a double-ringed jade bi (a circular Chinese jade artifact) that inspired the design of the medals for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, and a jade tortoise representing nature worship in the Neolithic Age. Many of these invaluable artifacts are on public display for the first time. As a significant Neolithic archaeological achievement profoundly influenced by jade culture, the Lingjiatan site offers new perspectives on exploring the origins of Chinese civilization. This exhibition, which brings together important artifacts from the Lingjiatan site with both longstanding and recent archaeological findings, presents the “Lingjiatan chapter” of China’s civilizational origin story to the world. The exhibition, themed “Vanguard of Civilization,” is divided into six sections: “Seeking the Heavens and Exploring Origins,” “Axes of Power and Prestige,” “Ancient Hearths of Civilization,” “Divine Shamans and Royal Authority,” “Masterpieces of Craftsmanship,” and “United in Brilliance.” Through an in-depth exploration of the site’s abundant archaeological findings, advanced jade craftsmanship, mysterious religious beliefs, and dynamic cultural exchanges, the exhibition aims to bolster confidence and pride in Chinese civilization and illustrate its continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peaceful nature. The exhibition that opened on December 15 this year at the Hall of Literary Brilliance (Wenhua dian) of the Palace Museum will run until March 16, 2025.

The ICOM-ITC 2024 October Training Workshop begins during this beautiful golden autumn season in Jiangxi Province on October 24th. With the theme of Sustainable Museum Management: Local Challenges and Best Practices, the training workshop focuses on topics including sustainable development, strategic planning, education and sustainability, and museums’ response to climate changes. It is organized by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the Chinese Museums Association and the Palace Museum, and co-organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Jingdezhen Municipal People’s Government, and supported by the Jiangxi Provincial Museum and the Jingdezhen China Ceramics Museum. Leaders and lecturers who attended the opening ceremony included Ding Xinquan, member of the party group and deputy director of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and director of the Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration; Xiao Li, member of the party group and deputy mayor of Jingdezhen Municipal People's Government; Zhu Hongwen, deputy director of the Palace Museum; Ai Jingfang, deputy secretary general of the China Museum Association; Ludovica Antonucci, coordinator for Capacity Building Programmes of the ICOM; Ana Labrador, honorary senior fellow of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies of Melbourne University and visiting scholar in Department of Social and Cultural Analysis of New York University; Ibrahim Tchan, director of the Ecomusée Tata Somba. Guan Li, party secretary and director of Jiangxi Provincial Museum, presided over this event. During the opening ceremony, Zhu Hongwen, Ding Xinquan and Xiao Li delivered speeches. Zhu Hongwen systematically reviewed the development history of ICOM-ITC, and looked back upon the profound relationship in ceramics between the Palace Museum and the Jiangxi Province as well as Jingdezhen, pointing out the significance of building a platform for international exchanges and academic research by organizing this training workshop here. Ding Xinquan highlighted the rich and profound historical and cultural heritage, as well as the natural ecology of Jiangxi province, hoping this workshop would broaden international horizons and explore new paths and strategies for the sustainable development of museums. Also, he sincerely expected that the participant would gain a better understanding of Jiangxi province to strengthen international friendships and promote cultural exchanges through this workshop. Xiao Li extended a warm welcome to the lecturers and participants who came from afar, mentioning that Jingdezhen is a city with thousands of years of cultural legacy in ceramics with exquisite ceramics production skills and profound historical heritage. She hoped that the training workshop would fully utilize the unique resources and explore advanced concepts and practical experiences in museum operation and management, exhibition planning, cultural relic protection, public service, and other aspects. The training workshop has invited senior experts from China, the United States, the Philippines, Benin, and Italy to give lectures, and attended by 30 participants including 14 Chinese participants, and 16 international participants from 14 countries across Asia, Africa, and South America. This 10-day training workshop will carry out teaching activities in Jingdezhen and Nanchang successively. Lecturers will discuss excellent cases of global museum management through lectures, discussions, case studies, interactive exchanges, hands-on practices, reading artifacts, excursions and evaluations, in a bid to enhance professional competence, broaden international perspectives, explore new paths and strategies for the sustainable development of museums, and jointly promote high-quality development of the global museum industry.

On September 29, “When the Great Way Prevails: Special Exhibition of Confucian Culture” opened at the Palace Museum. Sun Chunlan, former vice premier of the State Council and president of the International Confucian Association (ICA), attended the opening ceremony and declared the exhibition open. Zhang Zheng, deputy Party secretary and vice minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ding Wei, executive vice president of the ICA, and Zheng Zhiheng, vice chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, attended and delivered speeches. Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is the exhibition’s joint promoter. The opening ceremony was also attended by Xia Yunhai, deputy director general of the International Promotion Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Xin Qi, special consultant to the ICA, and officials from the departments, bureaus, and affiliated public institutions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA). Additionally, representatives from China National Museum of Women and Children, component departments of the Beijing Municipal Government, foundations, associations, academic societies, as well as current and former leadership of the Palace Museum attended the event. Wang Xudong, a member of the CPC Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and director of the Palace Museum, presided over the opening ceremony. 2024 marks the 2,575th anniversary of Confucius’s birth and the 30th anniversary of the founding of the ICA. To enhance the cohesion of the Chinese nation and the appeal of Chinese culture, and to promote the research and dissemination of Confucianism and fine traditional Chinese culture, the Palace Museum and the ICA jointly organized this exhibition. The exhibition, themed “When the Great Way Prevails,” is divided into three sections: “Tracing Back to the Ancients to Seek Confucianism,” “Shaping the World through Ethical Civilization,” and “A Teacher for All Ages.” It explores the historical development of Confucian culture through rich archaeological evidence, classic texts, and cultural relics collections, highlighting the core concepts of Confucian thought and its profound global impact. The exhibition runs from Oct. 1, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025, at the exhibition hall of the Meridian Gate (Wu men). An online version will be available on the Palace Museum’s official website, and the exhibition will be promoted through various platforms such as the museum’s official Weibo, WeChat, and video channels. The exhibition features 380 items (or sets of items) from nearly 30 archaeological and cultural institutions at home and abroad, including items from the Palace Museum’s collection. These institutions include (in order of stroke count): Shandong University Museum, Shandong Museum, the Shanxi Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Shanxi Museum, China National Museum of Women and Children, Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Confucius Museum, Gansu Provincial Museum, Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan city of Sichuan province, Chengdu Museum, Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Jiangxi Provincial Museum, Wuyi Museum, Zaozhuang Museum, Zhengzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Henan Museum, Weibin District Museum in Baoji city, Zhouyuan Museum in Baoji city, Jingmen Museum, Jingzhou Museum, Nanchang Relic Museum for Haihun Principality of Han Dynasty, Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Hunan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Hunan Museum, Hubei Provincial Museum, Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts in Japan, Tokyo National Museum in Japan, and National Folk Museum of Korea. Additionally, important visual materials for the exhibition were provided by the Shangqiu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film and Television, Guo Shoujing Memorial Hall in Xintai city of Hebei province, Huangdao District Museum in Qingdao city, and Vietnam National Museum of History. Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, as the exhibition’s joint promotion partner, has also contributed to the event.

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.

Due to maintenance work, the “Glimpses of Splendor: Woodblock Printing from the Qing Imperial Palace” exhibition will be temporarily closed from August 5 to September 14, 2024. The exhibition is being held in the Woodblock Printing Gallery, located in the southeastern Chonglou and Chaofang inside the Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihe men). We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to your visit. The Palace Museum July 29, 2024

“Splendor on the Walls: Hanging Screens from the Qing Imperial Palace” is organized by the Palace Museum, with full support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club and exclusive sponsorship by the Institute of Philanthropy. The exhibition will be held at the exhibition hall of the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men) from July 6 to November 3, 2024. Hanging screens are often hung on interior walls to decorate and embellish vertical spaces. The craftsmanship and aesthetic value of Qing Dynasty hanging screens are unprecedented, and these screens were widely used in the halls and pavilions of the imperial court. The Palace Museum now houses over 900 hanging screens from the Qing imperial palace, the largest collection of its kind, highlighting their significant role in interior decoration at that time. These screens are exquisitely crafted and rich in detail, embodying the finest craftsmanship of the Qing Dynasty. They have retained their brilliance despite the passage of time and are now available for all to appreciate. The exhibition is divided into four sections, inviting visitors to closely observe and appreciate these masterpieces. The “Picturesque Landscapes” section features hanging screens that depict scenes from the emperor’s southern inspection tours. These artworks showcase rolling mountains that create an immersive experience for visitors, making them feel as though they were stepping into an idealized, poetic world. The “A Multitude of Lives” section includes hanging screens that portray various figures, from emperors to farmers, fishermen to scholars, foreign merchants to mythical immortals. Each figure is vividly depicted, evoking profound thoughts and imagination. The landscapes captured in time in the hanging screens may remain unchanged, but the real world is constantly evolving. However, the aspirations and pursuits conveyed through the screens are timeless and enduring. The two sections upstairs offer visitors an entirely new experience. The “Delightful Elegance” section contains hanging screens that convey emotions through detailed compositions of flowers and birds, filled with auspicious meanings. One of the hanging screens depicts birds feeding their young, subtly hinting at a deeper subtext. “The Elegance of Brush and Ink” section focuses on the artistic endeavors of emperors of the Qing Dynasty during their leisure time. Only the finest works of calligraphy and painting were selected to be crafted into hanging screens and displayed in the halls. These creations reflect the emperors’ unwavering dedication to state affairs. A pair of screens on display carry characters using the mother-of-pearl inlaying technique too document significant military and state matters, serving as an enduring historical artifact for future generations. This is the first exhibition themed on hanging screens from the Qing imperial palace. To help visitors better understand the artistic and cultural value of the Qing Dynasty hanging screens, the exhibition uses their themes as a thread and foregrounding their craftsmanship. It selects and displays over 60 representative hanging screens and related paintings and calligraphy. Highlights include the extraordinary “Gold-thread Woven Mountain Villa and Orchard,” a unique gold-thread kesi (silk tapestry) work, as well as the exquisitely crafted “Silver Inlaid Plum and Apricot” hanging screen. Reproductions of original paintings and calligraphy, such as the “Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Riding a Horse” and “Chicks Waiting to Be Fed,” reflect thoughts on preparing for danger in times of peace and on governing the country and its people. While primarily decorative, these screens also convey deeper meanings.  The design of the exhibition is distinctive, featuring an elegant, yet restrained style. Innovative spatial design and digital media technology have been used to highlight the artistic and historical significance of these hanging screens. In terms of spatial design, the first and second floors of the exhibition hall are designed with the themes of “Country” and “Family,” respectively. The design uses “mirror screens” and “partition walls” to transport visitors to both expansive natural scenes and culturally significant environments. Additionally, the unique double-layer display walls allow visitors to closely appreciate the hanging screens. Through doors and windows, visitors can view a recreation of how the hanging screens were originally displayed inside the rooms of the Qing imperial palace. There is also a specific exhibition space showcasing an immersive scene from the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) using hanging screens. Multiple multimedia screens in the exhibition hall provide information on the origins, craftsmanship, and display contexts of the hanging screens. Interactive screens offer visitors an engaging experience, allowing them to explore the ancient hanging screens’ artistic and cultural significance. Throughout the exhibition, various “screen” elements, including hanging screens, multimedia screens, and mirror screens, are used to create an immersive experience. Standing in front of these screens is like looking through windows into the past. They allow visitors to feel as if they were conversing with people from ancient times. The exhibition aims to let everyone experience the charm of history through those exquisite ancient hanging screens.