Traveling in Beijing—an Ancient Capital

Tiananmen, a tourist spot in the center of Beijing, used to be the gate of the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty.     

Playing Children Adorn Ancient Porcelain

Porcelain is one of China's greatest achievernents. It appeared during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and developed into three types of blue porcelain, white porcelain and colored porcelain between the Tang and Song dynasties. From the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), porcelain-making evolved, glazes and colors improved and porcelain was sold overseas. The quaint shapes and colorfully deslgned porcelain of the Ming Dynasty showed the appeal of folklife, but it was mainly used in the palace. Shown here are some pieces decorated with children at play. From these artifacts we can get an idea of the hairstyles, dress and architecture of that time.     

田义墓——宦官文化陈列馆(英文)

Tianyi Cemetery lies in the western part of Moshikou in Beijing's Shijingshan District, is the first and also the onlymuseum in China that commemorates the place of eunuchs in Chinese culture.Built in 1605, during the Wanli Period of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as the graveyard of a high-ranking eunuch named Tianyi, it was comprised of Xiande Ancestral Hall,     

北京民俗博物馆

Beijing Folk Customs Museum, located inside Dongyue Temple in Chaoyang District, was built more than 700 years ago by Taoist monks in the sixth year of Yanyou of the Yuan Dynasty in 1319.     

Chiseled Gold Ornament

According to some archaeological discoveries, people began to use gold to make ornaments during the Shang Dynasty, more than 3,000 years ago. This partfcular piece of chiseled gold ornament was unearthed in 1957 from the Ming Dynasty tomb of Wang Gui at You'anmen, Beijing. Wang Gui was a head of the Imperial Bodyguard in the Ming Dynasty. His eldest daughter was an imperial concubine of the Emperor Cheng Hua. Consequently, his family held a prominent position at the time. The gold ornament, 50.5 centimeters in length and 295 grams in weight, is composed of two parts. The upper part is shaped like lotus leaves, with fine double lines as the vein. To indicate auspiciousness, a pair of mandarin ducks with lotus flowers in their months sit on either side of the thick leaves. Seven long gold chains measuring 21 centimeters in length link the     

韩希孟的花卉虫鱼绣品(英文)

The Gu embroidery originates from the Gu Mingshi family from Shanghai who was a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations of the 38th reign of Jiajing, during the Ming Dynasty.     

The First Foreign Clawn in Sichuan Opera

SICHUAN opera, popular in Sichuan,Yunnan and Parts of Guizhou provinces,originated from Emperor Yongzheng's regime in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) by the combination of kunqiang-(melodies which originated in Kunqiang (melodies which originated in Kunshan,Jiangsu Province in the Ming Dynasty),gaoqiang (a kind of rhyme scheme of Chinese opera) and luantan (a     

Sculpture in Beijing's Western Suburb

Tanzhe Temple, located in the mountains west of Beijing proper, was first built 700 years ago during the Yuan Dynasty. The temple contains exquisitely sculpted Buddhist statues that are a constant attraction for worshipers and tourists.     

Introducing Chinese Wushu to the World

ZHAOBAO-STYLE shadow boxing was created by Wang Zongyue during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)and for seven generations it was passed only to the male offspring of the Wang clan, remaining mysterious to other people. It was not until the early twentieth century     

卖场(英文)

Chinese have long valued ivory for art objects. During the Ming and Qing dynasties,Guangzhou, a city in south China's Guangdong Province, was the center of the ivory trade,and ivory carvings from Guangzhou were considered the best in China.During the late years of the Qing Dynasty,Guangzhou's ivory-carving industry was internationally recognized,and most of the ivory sculptors in the imperial city were from Guangdong Province,especially Guangzhou.Ivory carvings from China are renowned throughout the worl...     

卖场(英文)

Chinese have long valued ivory for art objects. During the Ming and Qing dynasties,Guangzhou, a city in south China's Guangdong Province,was the center of the ivory trade,and ivory carvings from Guangzhou were considered the best in China.During the latter years of the Qing Dynasty,Guangzhou's ivory-carving industry was internationally recognized, and most of the ivory sculptors in the imperial city were from Guangdong Province,especially Guangzhou. Ivory carvings from China are renowned throughout the w...     

北京通教寺的众尼(英文)

Nestled away in a little hutong in Dongzhi men, Beijing, is Tongjiao Monastery, which was built in Ming Dynasty(A. D. 1368-1644), rebuilt in 1942 and now serves as a working monastery for Buddhist nuns. The building is a cultural relic under preservation by the city. The main building in the monastery is the Mahavira Hall, which contains the statues of Amitabha and on either Side the statues of Guanyin Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha.     

北京大栅栏(英文)

Da Shi Lan, one of Beijing's most famous old-fashioned streets, has a history dating back 570 years. It was built in 1430, the 18th year of Emperor Yong Le's rule during the Ming Dynasty. Da Shi Lan is 375 meters long and is home to 26 shops from nine types of trade.     

Long History and Splendid Culture——The Exhibition of Beijing Historical Relics in the Capital Museum

In the eastern part of Beijing, there is a quiet and ancient lane known as Guozijian Street, which was the location of the school of highest learning during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1271-1911). The Capital Museum is located inside the Temple of Confucius on this street. To help people     

Ancient Archways and Ancestral Halls in Shexian County

The stone archway in the style of the Ming Dynasty also has more than 400 years of history. Located by a busy street, the old and new buildings of the ancient county set each other off radiantly.     

“都一处”烧麦馆 (英文)

In the late years of the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) and the early years of Qing Dynasty(1644—1911), Wang Ruifu, the ancestor of "Du Yi Chu," left his hometown, Fushan County of Shanxi Province. and undertook a hazardous journey to Beijing to make a living.     

Phoenix-Head Flat Kettle

The elegant ceramic style of blue-and-white porcelain (with colored drawings under glaze) emerged in the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279), came to maturity in the Yuan Dynasty, and became popular in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Famous for its delicate blue flowers on a pure white background, this style of porcelainware possesses rich Chinese flavor and strong aesthetic appeal; pieces handed down to the present day still     

Blue and White Pot

Many recent archaeological studies have proven that the earliest blue and white porcelain was produced from the kiln in Gongxian County, Henan Province in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It was an important variety of porcelain available for export then. The early blue and white porcelain in the Yuan Dynasty appeared dark and gray. During the reign of Zhizheng, clear blue and white porcelain was produced, indicating     

Mural Paintings in A Liao Tomb

It was a custom in the Liao Dynasty to decorate tombs with murals. The paintings in Zhao Dejun's tomb, excavated in Beijing, provide a well-known example. During the Five Dynasties period, Zhao Dejun was a warlord in Youzhou, which became the southern capital of Nanjing in the Liao Dynasty (and even later, was renamed Beijing). The Zhaos grew to become a very powerful family in the area, as can be seen from the size of Zhao's tomb and the value of the funerary objects buried with him. His tomb     

琉璃厂文化一条街(英文)

A ntique Street is located outside Heping Gate in Beijing’S Xuanwu District.During Liao Dynasty(907-1125),it was called Neptune Village.During the Yuan(1279-1368)and Ming dynasties(1368-1644),it acquired the name“Antique Street,”as people set up along the street kilns to glaze articles.