The Forbidden City and The World: 130 Artefacts Trace Global Exchanges at Hong Kong Palace Museum
An exhibition titled "The Forbidden City and The World" is currently being held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, focusing on the cultural exchanges facilitated by the Forbidden City from the Yuan to Qing dynasties. Open until March 6, 2028, the display features 130 artifacts, including 18 significant national treasures from Beijing. It highlights themes such as "Routes of Exchange: Marco Polo and Zheng He" and "The Emperor's Southern Treasury: Canton Customs and the World," displaying diverse items like a mosque lamp and a ruyi sceptre. The exhibit also examines the historical Canton System and its influence on trade and the Opium Wars.
Key facts
- Exhibition at Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) until 6 March 2028
- 130 artefacts on loan from Palace Museum Beijing, HKPM, and Museum of Islamic Art Doha
- Includes 18 grade-one national treasures from Palace Museum collection
- Covers Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, spanning over 600 years
- Sections: Routes of Exchange, Imported Treasures, East Meets West, Emperor's Southern Treasury
- Highlights: mosque lamp, ruyi sceptre, sapphire pendant, Castiglione works, James Cox clock
- Explores diplomatic, trade, scientific, and artistic exchanges
- Canton System (1757-1842) shaped court culture and led to Opium Wars
Entities
Artists
- Zheng He
- Marco Polo
- Giuseppe Castiglione
- Jean-Denis Attiret
- Jiang Tingxi
- Yu Sheng
- Zhang Weibang
- Ferdinand Verbiest
- Matteo Ricci
- James Cox
- Conrad Gessner
- Li Shizhen
- Blaise Pascal
- Nian Xiyao
Institutions
- Hong Kong Palace Museum
- Palace Museum Beijing
- Museum of Islamic Art Doha
- UNESCO
- State Council of China
- East India Company
- Imperial Board of Astronomy
Locations
- Hong Kong
- China
- Beijing
- Doha
- Qatar
- Mogadishu
- Somalia
- Southeast Asia
- Indian subcontinent
- Ceylon
- West Asia
- Arabian Peninsula
- Africa
- Egypt
- Saudi Arabia
- Khorasan
- Iran
- Afghanistan
- Siam
- Thailand
- Champa
- Vietnam
- Canton
- Guangzhou
- London
- England
- Italy
- Brenta River
- Yuanming Yuan