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Two Hundred Selected Masterpieces from the Palace Museum, Beijing

  • Image of "Hall of Supreme Harmony, Palace Museum, Beijing (Image provided by the Palace Museum, Beijing)"

    Hall of Supreme Harmony, Palace Museum, Beijing (Image provided by the Palace Museum, Beijing)

    Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Special Exhibition Galleries
    January 2, 2012 (Mon) - February 19, 2012 (Sun)

    In 2012, which marks the 40th anniversary of the normalization of relations between Japan and China, the Tokyo National Museum is holding an exhibition of masterpieces from the Palace Museum, Beijing.
    The site of the Palace Museum, Beijing, was formerly the residence of 24 Chinese emperors from the Ming-dynasty Emperor Yongle to the Qing-dynasty Emperor Puyi. In addition to its own glorious architecture, it houses a collection of more than 1.8 million artifacts.
    This magnificent exhibition consists of a selection of 200 masterpieces from that collection and is split into two sections. The first section features the simultaneous display of 41 Song- and Yuan-dynasty calligraphic works and paintings not previously shown outside the palace (some works for a limited period), as well as masterpieces of court and literati paintings, must-see works by three of the best calligraphers of the Song period, and masterworks of calligraphy by Yuan-period literati. Boasting a tremendous array of fabulous bronzes, jades and other artifacts, this lineup can be described as a defining exhibition of the Palace Museum. The second section centers around four portraits of Emperor Qianlong, whose reign marked the Qing dynasty’s golden period. This section seeks to understand the abundance of world views held in the Qing dynasty. There is also an area that attempts to recreate, using existing artworks, a portrait of Emperor Qianlong in which he is depicted surrounded by various masterpieces.
    We hope you will take the opportunity to come and see this extraordinary encapsulation of the masterpieces of Chinese civilization.
     

    * Please note that some works will be exhibited for a limited period.
    * The Palace Museum Virtual Reality Program ”The Forbidden City: Palace of the Emperors – Special version for the exhibition Two Hundred Selected Masterpieces from the Palace Museum, Beijing” will be on view in Room T5, Honkan. (The Palace Museum Virtual Reality Program (Room T5, Honkan) can be viewed with regular exhibition admission fees.)

    News Update:  Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival, the world-renowned Chinese painting, is traveling abroad.

    Legendary Masterpiece Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival
    [On display from Monday, January 2 to Tuesday, January 24, 2012]
    Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival (Northern Song dynasty), arguably the most renowned painting in the history of Chinese art, will be included in the exhibition, Two Hundred Selected Masterpieces from the Palace Museum, Beijing.
    The exhibit of the painting Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival ended on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. From Wednesday, January 25, a printed replica of the work is on display.
    Information about Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival


    First-Class Cultural Heritage Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival (detail)
    By Zhang Zeduan, Northern Song dynasty, 12th century, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China
    [On display from Monday, January 2 to Tuesday, January 24, 2012]

     

General Information
Period Monday, January 2 - Sunday, February 19, 2012
Venue Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30 - 17:00
Closed Mondays(Except for Monday, January 2, January 9) and Tuesday, January 10
Admission Adults: 1,500 (1,300/1,200) yen
University students: 1,200 (1,000/900) yen
High school students: 900 (700/600) yen
Junior high school students and under: Free
* Prices shown in ( ) indicate advance / group (more than 20 persons) discount tickets.
* Persons with disabilities are admitted free with one accompanying person each.
* Advance tickets will be sale at the Museum ticket office (during museum hours, 30 minutes before closing hour) from Friday, November 18, 2011 to Sunday, January 1, 2012 and e-Ticket Pia (P-code:764-910), Lawson Ticket (L-code:32200) and other major ticketing agencies from Saturday, November 19, 2011 to Sunday, January 1, 2012.
Access 10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station
15 minutes' walk from Keisei Ueno Station, Tokyo Metro Ueno Station and Tokyo Metro Nezu Station
Organizer Tokyo National Museum, The Palace Museum, The Asahi Shimbun, NHK, NHK Promotions Inc.
With the special assistance of The Mainichi Newspapers
With the Support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Japan
With the Sponsorship of Mitsui & Co., Ltd., TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD., Aioi Nissay Dowa insurance Co., Ltd., Huawei Technologies Japan K.K, Takenaka Corporation
With the Assistance of All Nippon Airways, Chinese Culture Center
 
 This exhibition is covered by the Japanese Act on the Indemnification of Damage to Works of Art in Exhibitions (Act No.17 of 2011).
General Inquiries 03-5405-8686 (Hello Dial)
Exhibition Website http://www.kokyu200.jp/ (In Japanese)
The website has closed with the end of the exhibition.
 
* Please note that the lounge area of Heiseikan including drink corner will not be available on January 6, 2012.

Related Events
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  January 8, 2012 (Sun)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  January 28, 2012 (Sat)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room T5  January 2, 2012 (Mon) - February 19, 2012 (Sun) (Every　Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun,Holiday)   09:30 - 17:00  

Highlight of the Exhibition

 

News Update:  Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival, the world-renowned Chinese painting, is traveling abroad.
Legendary Masterpiece　Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival
[On display from Monday, January 2 to Tuesday, January 24, 2012]
Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival (Northern Song dynasty), arguably the most renowned painting in the history of Chinese art, will be included in the exhibition, Two Hundred Selected Masterpieces from the Palace Museum, Beijing.
The exhibit of the painting Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival ended on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. From Wednesday, January 25, a printed replica of the work is on display.
 
Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival
First-Class Cultural Heritage　Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival (detail)
By Zhang Zeduan, Northern Song dynasty, 12th century, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China
[On display from Monday, January 2 to Tuesday, January 24, 2012]
 
Among the Song- and Yuan-dynasty calligraphic works and paintings admired by all fans of Chinese art, Life along the Bian River at the Qingming Festival (Northern Song dynasty, 12th century) is an especially renowned masterpiece. This hand scroll, painted by Zhang Zeduan and measuring over 5 meters long, vividly depicts in detail festivities in the Northern Song-dynasty capital, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng).
The fame of this work as one of the highest points of Chinese art has spread far and wide. However, it is rarely exhibited, even at the Palace Museum in Beijing, and it has only been shown outside of the museum at the Shanghai Museum, the Liaoning Provincial Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. At all these places it was displayed for a limited period of time and was so popular that the exhibition venues, to which art fans flocked from around the world, recorded waiting times of several hours. For the first time, China’s “national treasure of national treasures” is crossing the sea to go on display in Tokyo.
 

 

Part I: Treasures of the Palace Museum: Imperial Masterpieces
 
Zhu Shang Zuo Tie in cursive script  
Zhu Shang Zuo Tie in cursive script (detail)
By Huang Tingjian, Northern Song dynasty, ca. 1099-1100 (Yuanfu 2-3), First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Hu Cong Tie in running script
  
Hu Cong Tie in running script
By Cai Xiang, Northern Song dynasty, 11th century, First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Blossoming Lotus
  
Blossoming Lotus
Southern Song dynasty, 13th century, First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Waterside Village  
Waterside Village (detail)
By Zhao Mengfu, Yuan dynasty, dated 1302 (Dade 6), First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Pu (Food Container)
  
Pu (Food Container)
Spring and Autumn period, 7th - 6th century B.C., First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Huang (Half-disk Ornament) with Openwork Double-headed Dragon Design
  
Huang (Half-disk Ornament) with Openwork Double-headed Dragon Design
Warring States period, 3rd century B.C., Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Blue-and-white Octagonal Prunus Vase with Dragons and Waves Design
  
Blue-and-white Octagonal Prunus Vase with Dragons and Waves Design
Jingdezhen Kiln, Yuan dynasty, 14th century, First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Carved Lacquer Plate with Gardenia Design
  
Carved Lacquer Plate with Gardenia Design
With mark of Zhang Cheng, Yuan dynasty, 13th - 14th century, First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Cloisonné Vase with Dragon-shaped Pierced Handles and Interlocking Lotus Design
 
Cloisonné Vase with Dragon-shaped Pierced Handles and Interlocking Lotus Design
Yuan - Ming dynasty, 14th - 15th century, First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Bright Yellow Silk Court Robe with Woven Design of Colored Clouds and Gold Dragons
  
Bright Yellow Silk Court Robe with Woven Design of Colored Clouds and Gold Dragons
Qing dynasty, Jiaqing era (1796-1820), Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

 

 

Part II: The Essence of Qing Court Culture: Unity Amid a Diversity of Cultures
 

Section 1: Rites of the Qing Court: The Permanence of Tradition

  
Portrait of Emperor Qian Long in Court Dress
Portrait of Emperor Qian Long in Court Dress
Qing dynasty, dated 1736 (Qianlong 1), Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China		  
 
Red Satin Court Robe with Woven Design of Colored Clouds and Golden Dragon   Red Satin Court Robe with Brocade Colored Clouds and Golden Dragon Design
Qing dynasty, Yongzheng era (1723-1735), Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

 

Section 2: Cultural Affairs in the Qing Dynasty: Continuity and Change in Traditional Chinese Culture

  
Screen with Portrait of Emperor Qing Long and His Concubine in Ancient Costume
Screen with Portrait of Emperor Qing Long
and His Concubine in Ancient Costume (detail)
Qing dynasty, 18th century, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China		  
 
One or Two? (Double Portrait of Emperor Qian Long)   One or Two? (Double Portrait of Emperor Qian Long)
Qing dynasty, 18th century, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

 

Section 3: Religions of the Qing Dynasty: A World Brought Together by Tibetan Buddhism

 

Standing Figure of Yamantaka   Standing Figure of Yamantaka
Qing dynasty, 18th century, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

 

Section 4: International Exchange During the Qing Dynasty: Contact with Neighboring Lands

  
Emperor Qian Long's Grand Review
Emperor Qian Long's Grand Review
Qing dynasty, 18th century, First-Class Cultural Heritage, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China		  
 
Pavilion-shaped Cloisonné Clock with a Pagoda   Pavilion-shaped Cloisonné Clock with a Pagoda
Qing dynasty, 17th - 20th century, Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, China

 

Exhibitions