Hong Kong Palace Museum opens its doors in 2022

It’s no secret that jade occupies a special place in Chinese culture, extending far beyond its use as a decorative material. In fact, jade objects have been used in China for more than 8,000 years, with a symbolic significance that has transformed over different periods of history. In the formation of ancient Chinese civilisations, they played a crucial role as symbols of wealth and status and were extensively used in rituals. 

Presented by Dr Tianlong Jiao, head curator of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, this lecture uses new archaeological findings to take a comprehensive look at the cultural significance of jade during different periods in early China. 

Date: October 23, 2021
Time: 10am-11am
Registration is now open; you can sign up here.

In ancient China, emperors often personally supervised the production and selection of objects, such as porcelain wares, for their palaces. In doing so, they shaped the way in which they were produced. Exploring how imperial taste led to new developments in porcelain making, this talk by Ms Tsai Mei-fen, former chief curator of the Department of Antiquities at Taipei's Palace Museum, dives deep into three types of porcelain – Ru kiln celadon in the Song dynasty (960–1279), ’sweet-white’ (tianbai) porcelain in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and porcelain with painted enamels from the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Each was favoured by a particular emperor – Huizong, Yongle, and Kangxi, respectively – who had a marked influence on the development of ceramic production.

Date: November 20, 2021 
Time: 10am-11am
Event sign up link will be posted on this page closer to the date.

Dressing for the occasion was more than just common courtesy in the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). The emperor, his family, and court ministers had to observe strict rules regarding the attire they could wear at different official occasions and religious ceremonies. In this lecture by Mr Yan Yong, Curator and Head of the Court History Department, Palace Museum, participants will be introduced to the imperial costume of the Qing dynasty, and its cultural significance. Topics include the ranked hierarchy the costume embodied, and the Manchu and Han-Chinese cultural elements of the Qing imperial costume.

Date: December 11, 2021 
Time: 10am-11am
Event sign up link will be posted on this page closer to the date.