Palace Museum artifacts to be displayed in Taiyuan

Ancient relics from Beijing's Palace Museum will be displayed for residents of Taiyuan from Oct 1, as part of a loan from one of China's most famous historic collections.

Taiyuan Museum is set to receive more than 1,000 artifacts from Beijing, and it intends to mark the loan with a series of academic events, including a forum for curators.

During the exhibition period, various traditional handicraft activities, including porcelain painting will take place, as part of efforts to educate visitors about the new exhibits.

The loan from Beijing is thanks to a partnership agreement Shanxi provincial government signed with the Palace Museum in March. The agreement commits the two sides to hold joint exhibitions, protect artifacts, host academic events and facilitate training, as well as support academic research and the development of cultural products.

According to the agreement, seven themed exhibitions will showcase the items on loan from the Palace Museum:

1. The World Rejoices As One: Celebrating Imperial Birthdays in the Qing Dynasty

The exhibition mainly exhibits ceremonial forms and banquets at imperial birthday celebrations held for the Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi.

2. An exhibition on imperial architecture from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties

The exhibition will showcase horizontal inscribed boards, couplets on columns, glazed tiles, traditional construction processes and model the ironwork of structures in the Forbidden City.

3. An exhibition of selected imperial enamelware from the Palace Museum's collection

4. An exhibition on porcelain from the imperial kilns of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

Includes typical examples of porcelain made in the imperial kilns between the reign of emperors Hongwu (1368-1398) and Wanli (1573-1620) during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

5. A Special Exhibition on the works of five calligraphers of the late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties

A display of more than 200 paintings and calligraphy pieces by five famous calligraphers of the Late Ming (1368-1644) and Early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties: Zhang Ruitu, Huang Daozhou, Niyuanlu, Wang Duo and Fu Shan.

6. An exhibition of old photos from the Palace Museum's permanent collection

A total of 800 photos taken between the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the Republic of China period (1912-1949) from the Palace Museum's permanent collection, showcasing social changes and architecture in different historical periods.

7. A digital exhibition on the Palace Museum and Forbidden City

The exhibition will be divided into three exhibition areas. The digital exhibition area is set to display buildings and stories related to the Palace Museum through videos; the cultural exhibition area will promote traditional Chinese culture through 43 themed videos; and the interactive experience area will offer related activities, such as making foods popular in the imperial era.