Jointly organized by Hebei Museum, Nanyue King Museum and Handan Museum, Resting in Comfort: An Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Pillows opened on July 22, 2023, at Hebei Museum.
The exhibition features 196 ceramic pillows from the collections of Nanyue King Museum, 5 ceramic pillows from Handan Museum and 17 ceramic pillows from Hebei Museum. Among them, over 50 artifacts from Nanyue King Museum are on display outside the museum for the first time. Spanning various periods from the Western Han dynasty (202 BCE–8 CE) to the modern era, the exhibits are divided into five sections: “Pillows and Culture,” “Pillows in History,” “Pillow Shapes,” “Pillow Designs” and “Pillow Crafting”. Through the culture, history, shapes, designs and craftsmanship of pillows, the exhibition explores the rich cultural significance of ancient Chinese pillows and the wisdom and aesthetics they embody. Leveraging the medium of pillows, the exhibition enables the artifacts to showcase China’s folk cultures. Reflecting the harmonious coexistence between ancient Chinese people and the natural world, the auspicious connotations inherent in these ceramic pillows provide visitors with deeper insights into the yearnings of ancient Chinese people and their pursuit of a better life.
The exhibition is open until October 22, 2023.
Source: Hebei Museum