112 Buddhist statues from private collection exhibited at Beijing's Forbidden City

For the first time, a private collection is displayed within the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing. The exhibition 'The Light of Buddha' presents 112 Buddhist sculptures dating from the 6th to the 15th century, with 87 pieces from the Zhiguan Museum of Fine Art and 25 from the Palace Museum's own collection. The show is installed in the Hall of Abstinence, designed by Beijing-based architecture firm studio O. The installation uses black panels, lights, and drapes to mediate the monumental architecture, creating a neutral, immersive environment. Eight steel pillars in the outer courtyard abstractly represent the eight main Himalayan peaks, referencing the geographical origin of the statues. The exhibition is organized geographically, with coordinates on the pillar bases indicating each statue's location. The experience leads visitors through two pavilions connected by a corridor, with white and red panels symbolizing snowy peaks and monks' robes. The ceiling of the second pavilion is left exposed, revealing the historic structure. The exhibition runs until December 23, 2018. This collaboration between a private collection and the Palace Museum marks a precedent in China, where the state museum had never before hosted a private collection.