National treasures educate and delight visitors

As a key part of the Ming Dynasty Culture Forum 2024, the Magnificent Ming Dynasty Treasures — Special Ming Dynasty Cultural Relics Exhibition held on July 13-14 showcased a collection of more than 100 high-quality cultural relics and attracted throngs of visitors.

The exhibits are from more than 10 renowned Chinese museums and cultural institutions, including the National Museum of China, Palace Museum, Nanjing Museum and Capital Museum.

The national treasures on display included imperial treasures, attire, Buddhist statues, bronze ware, furniture, calligraphy, paintings and porcelain, as well as gold, silver and jade artifacts.

"Each exhibit in this special exhibition is a testament to history. They have cultural connotations and convey rich information from their era," said Li Muchan, head of the relics department at the Ming Tombs administration center.

The exhibits showcased the diversity and richness of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) culture and presented the unique aesthetics and creativity of the era, offering visitors insight and appreciation of this important period, Li said.

After the exhibition wrapped up its two-day session at the Ming Culture International Exchange Center in the Ming Tombs Scenic Area of Changping district, Beijing, the venue of the forum, the majority of the exhibits were moved to an exhibition hall at the Dingling Museum for a display that is scheduled to run to October, organizers said.

Dingling, one of the 13 royal tomb complexes at the Ming Tombs Scenic Area, is where Emperor Wanli, who was named Zhu Yijun, as well as his two wives, was buried. It took six years to complete under his reign, which lasted from 1572 to 1620.

Wanli, the 13th of 16 Ming Dynasty emperors, was said to have the longest ruling period during the dynasty. More than 1,000 relics were unearthed from his mausoleum in the 1950s.

Of the relics discovered during the archaeological excavation, the gold mesh crown of Emperor Wanli and four phoenix crowns of the two empresses are among the most eye-catching.

Two of the empress's crowns — both incorporating the designs of dragons and phoenixes as well as jewelry — and the emperor's crown were put on display during the forum.

Considered a top-tier artifact unearthed from Dingling, the gold mesh crown of Emperor Wanli is divided into the front, rear and horn parts.

The front section features a "lantern lattice" pattern woven from 518 strands of 0.2-millimeter-thick gold wire. Without any visible knots or breaks, it is so uniformly dense that it looks as light and transparent as silk gauze.

At the top rear of the crown, ornaments depict two symmetrically coiled dragons playing with a pearl, with their heads up, mouths open, tongues extended and eyes wide-open. Each part of the dragon, including the head, body, claws and dorsal fin, was individually crafted and then welded together into an overall design.

Just for the dragon scales, 8,400 individual pieces were used. Each scale is made from twisted gold wire that was arranged and soldered into shape.

The dragons' heads, claws, dorsal fins and the flaming pearl between them were all carved using the relief engraving technique, presenting a semi-relief effect.

The craftsmanship is so meticulous that, despite the intricate patterns, no soldering marks are visible, thanks to the perfect control of the welding temperature by the artisans.

According to Li, many of the artifacts on display were rarely seen before. For instance, an incense burner from Emperor Xuande's reign during the Ming Dynasty, which is now held by the National Museum of China, is the largest of its kind in Beijing.

Additionally, the First Historical Archives of China brought an imperial archive chest, which was used to carry the instructions of Ming Dynasty founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, for exhibition. The exhibition also included the Jiajing-era manuscript copy of the Yongle Dadian, an encyclopedia completed in 1408 after being commissioned by Emperor Yongle during the Ming Dynasty, and calligraphy by Ming Dynasty artist Dong Qichang.

Each exhibit has been photographed and each high-definition image is accompanied by detailed textual descriptions. These include the artifact's name, historical background, artistic characteristics, and its significance in historical and cultural contexts.

"We have also placed a QR code next to each exhibit, so that visitors can scan the code to access a detailed introduction to the exhibit, which includes additional images, audio explanations and related information," Li said.

Each exhibit is a profound interpretation of the splendor of the Ming Dynasty and together they form a magnificent historical picture, allowing the audience to feel as if they have traveled back to that era and experienced the culture and art of the dynasty, one visitor remarked.