Jade Dragon from Hongshan Culture Collection of the Palace Museum
The opening ceremony for the exhibition “The Making of Zhongguo: Origins, Developments and Achievements of Chinese Civilization” was held at the Belvedere of Literary Profundity (Wenyuan ge) in the Forbidden City on January 25，2022. Overseen by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the exhibition is jointly organized by the Palace Museum, China Media Group, and twenty-nine other museums.
This exhibition finds its origin as an innovative special presentation of The Nation’s Greatest Treasures, a popular TV variety show. It presents Chinese civilization with its long history and profundity as a great flowing river and interprets the origin, propagation, and development of the civilization as Sources (Yuan), Streams (Liu), and Confluence (Hui). Indeed, these three concepts comprise the foundation of the exhibition’s three sections, which demonstrate how the diverse yet unitary Chinese nation and civilization has endured with inclusive cultural qualities and explain the overall course of the origin and development of Chinese history, the brilliant achievements of the Chinese people, and the significant contributions China has made to human civilization. In comprehensive and distinctive fashion, the exhibition presents the how and why of the formation of Zhongguo (i.e. China), the greatness of the Chinese nation, and the immortality of Chinese civilization.
This exhibition presents over 130 pieces (sets) of precious cultural relics from the Neolithic age all the way through the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), including artifacts and works of art fashioned from stone, pottery, jade, bronze, gold, and silver as well as calligraphy, paintings, rare documents, and seals. Some of the featured national treasures are the He Zun (ritual bronze wine vessel), Changxin Palace lantern, and the Four Medical Tantras. Located on the north side of the Hall of Literary Brilliance (Wenhua dian), the final “display item” for the exhibition is the Belvedere of Literary Profundity (Wenyuan ge), which harmonizes with the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries (Siku quanshu) (printed reproduction)—the last set of displayed items in the gallery of the Hall of Literary Brilliance.
Held over Spring Festival, the Beijing Winter Olympics, and Tomb Sweeping Festival, the exhibition will continue until May 4, 2022.
Source: the Palace Museum