National Museum of China - Beijing - China

We are up to the Ming and the Qing, 1368 to 1911, the two last dynasties in China. Ming is to, I think, 1644 is when Ming ends. Establishment of the Ming, 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang, later known as Emperor Taijiu, established the Ming dynasty in Nanjing. 1421, Emperor Chengzhi moved the capital to Beijing. Upon founding the Ming, Emperor Taijiu formulated new laws and introduced reforms that concentrated the legislative, administrative, jurisdictional, military, and supervisory powers in his hands. Centralized authoritarian rule reached a new height. Blue and white porcelain vase with dragon among flowers design, Ming dynasty, Wanli era, from Chongming, Beijing, Qianpingmei, Beijing. Blue and white porcelain flask, dragons among clouds and sea waves, Ming dynasty, Yongle era. Blue and white vase with two lugs and intertwining branches design, Xuanbi era. Blue and white porcelain zhen vessel with lingji fungus design, Ming dynasty, Xuanbi era. That was an annoying group that just came through. White glazed porcelain vase in size with intertwining lotus design, Ming dynasty, Yongle era. White glazed porcelain jar in size with floral design, white glazed porcelain produced by Guang official. One of the official kilns, the Guangduan, during the Yongle era, was known for its fine quality and pure color. Its general is jade, resulting from low iron content. The color evokes a sweet feeling, hence it was also referred to as Qianbei sweet white porcelain. White glazed porcelain bowl, Yongle era. Yang Li, Da Dian, Great Canon of Yongle era replica. Da Ming, Lu, Code of Great Ming. Block printed edition, Ming dynasty, 30th year, Hongwu era. Household registration certificate, Ming dynasty. This certificate was issued by the Ming government 1371 to a man named Jiang Shu of Qinmen county, present day Shixian on Hui province. Fish scale registers. In the early Ming, parcels of land were measured and documented in a register. The layout of the registers looked a bit like fish scales and became known as fish scale registers. Wasteland reclamation certificate issued a peasant named Wang Yishang from the Ming dynasty. Wooden seal of the imperial guard, Ming dynasty. Set up in 1382 to control officials and civilians, the imperial guard was directly under the emperor and had special courts and prisons. Copper seal, Ming dynasty. This was the official seal of the military command of Mu Dai Li, mountain guard, present day Hulun Ha, Inner Mongolia, established 1406. Copper tally, Ming dynasty. Soldiers on night patrol at Beiping, transitory military commission near present day Mingcheng later, Inner Mongolia. Use this tally as a pass while on duty. Copper tally, Hongwu era. Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Military guards used this tally as a pass to enter or exit the imperial city in the capital Nanjing during the Hongwu era. Ivory tally, Ming dynasty. Palace phoenix. Use this tally as a pass to enter or exit the palace. Imperial palace in Beijing, replica. Economy and daily life in Ming dynasty. In the early Ming dynasty, Emperor Taiju implemented encouraging policies to restore and develop production. By the mid to late Ming, growth in the commodity economy led to new modes of production in certain industries. Lifestyles and social values began to change as the pursuit of luxury and individuality became fashionable. Map of the Yellow River and the Grand Canal, Ming dynasty. Agriculture and harnessing the Yellow River. In the early Ming dynasty, Emperor Taiju moved people to desolate areas to cultivate wasteland, built water conservancy works, encouraged farming and sericulture, and reduced or remitted taxation and forced labor in war-torn areas. These measures helped to restore and foster agricultural production. During the mid to late Ming, maize and sweet potatoes were introduced to China and widely grown. In the late Ming, an official named Pan Jishun successfully controlled flooding along the Yellow River and aided agricultural production. This is the Yellow River and Grand Canal, replica of the original, which was ink color on silk. Is that Beijing? Is that the Great Wall they're showing, and then another city? Tilling at Dawn, Ming dynasty hand scroll. This painting depicts the farming scene at the country south of the Yangtze. It's so dark, I can't see anything. Da Ming Huai Dian. Collected statutes, Ming dynasty. Block printed edition, palace treasury, Ming dynasty. Du Ming Hua Dian. Dikai, contending colors, porcelain cup with children playing. Cheng Hua era. It's when they outline in a different color and then fill it with another. Dukai, porcelain jar with flower and butterfly design. It's named for the outline in blue usually and then the fill of a different color. The technique for producing dukai, contending colors, porcelain, combined underglaze blue and white, outlines, and overglaze color painting, fired twice. So they had an underglaze outline and then they painted over it with the more vibrant colors. Because if you fired it with those vibrant reds and yellows, it'd become very muted. Red turns maroon, for instance. First appeared in the Xuan Di era, reached its pinnacle in the Cheng Hua era. Xuan Di era is 1426-1435. Dukai, contending colors, porcelain stem cup with grape design, Ming dynasty, Cheng Hua era. Red lacquer box with carved bird and flower design. Ming dynasty. Black lacquer viewer inlaid with mother of pearl. Jiang Shanli, dates unknown, noted late Ming. Craftsman who specialized in lacquer inlay made this vessel. Black lacquer tin body, so decorated with birds, butterflies, and plum blossoms. Inlaid with red agate, coral, turquoise, and mother of pearl. Bamboo brush holder, Ju Shansong. Croissant enamel ding vessel. Double gourd shaped croissant enamel bottle. Croissant enamel bu vessel, intertwining lotus design. Wukai, porcelain jar with lid and fish, water plant design. Wukai is five color, right? Blue and white, wukai, literally five colors. Porcelain was developed in the Jai Ching, Xuan Li, based on Dukai, contending colors, technique, and was known for bright colors. Wukai polychrome porcelain vase with dragon among flowers design, Yuan Li era. Wukai polychrome porcelain du vessel with auspicious animal designs. This is opposed to Songkai of the Tang, which is three colors, usually brown, white, and green. Sometimes they have more, it's not a fast rule. Brocade with multi-colored cloud, dragon, and sea wave design. Satin and crane, and Lingji, fungus design. Brocade with floral design, these are all Ming. Candy crafts in the Ming dynasty, silk production developed rapidly, and some towns became renowned for their silk products. Advances in weaving resulted in new varieties and patterns in silk textiles. Cotton cloth production expanding greatly, particularly in Songjiang. Elegant and colorful porcelain wares manufactured with new technologies and materials such as Tianbai, sweet white, Dukai, contending colors, and Wukai polychrome attained artistic perfection. Metallurgy achieved a level of maturity, resulting in famous Grand Yongle Bell, as well as strong steel weapons and the copperwares of the Xuandi era, 1426 to 1435. Cotton cloth from Songjiang, Ming dynasty, Jiangsu province. And this crown, sumptuous. Phoenix coronet for Empress Xiaoduang. From earth from Dingling mausoleum, Changping, Beijing. Look at those phoenixes. Foreign relations in the Ming. Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government dispatched the famous maritime explorer Zhang He and his fleet on epic-making expeditions to the Indian Ocean. Zhang's expeditions resulted in friendly ties with countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa, while China maintained close contact with Korea. Relations with Japan were impaired by Japanese pirate attacks along China's coast in Japan's wars against Korea. After discovering new sea routes in the 16th century, Europeans began coming to China, and a new era of direct dialogue opened between Chinese and Western civilizations. Voyages of Zhang He, great Chinese maritime explorer Zhang He, made seven voyages in the Ming dynasty to the Southeast Asian countries west of present-day Brunei and the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean. His expeditions demonstrate the Ming dynasty's achievements in shipbuilding and maritime navigation in terms of scale and distance and were remarkable in the world history of navigation. I think they essentially wanted to get rid of him because he had become too powerful. He wasn't a general. He was a diplomat. They were mostly voyages of hey we're here and we're your overlords give us a draft. Then they sail away. Iron spearhead. This spearhead made by Indonesians to commemorate Zhang He features his honorary names inscribed in relief cast on both sides of the blade. Sambo Taijian Xiyang Jitong Suyan Yi. Zhang He's journey to the western ocean by Liu Maodeng. Huang Li era. Zhang He's sailing charts replica. Bronze bells off exhibit. Ming dynasty from Nanping, Fujian province. This bell was cast for Zhang He's seventh journey to bring him luck and safe voyage. He did seven voyages all together. You can see how far he got in this 1405 to 1433. So he sailed out of Tianjin I guess. And down through Indonesia. Straits of Malacca. Then around Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, India. Then up to Hormuz and Red Sea. Somalia. Copper incense burner stand. Arabic script. Zhang Bi reign. Copper Ganta and Vajra. Xuanbi era. Openwork copper incense bowl. Incense burner. Copper cannon. Jingtai era. Steel sword. Ming dynasty. Thirsty southern capital. This scroll depicts commercial prosperity in Nanjing during the Ming dynasty. The commodity economy thrived during the mid late Ming dynasty while traditional industrial and commercial cities continued to grow prosperous. Numerous new ones emerged. Silver gradually replaced the less credible. Bao Chao. Paper notes as a major currency. Wealthy merchants formed links with regional trading partners. At the same time life in the urban and rural areas grew increasingly prosperous and the pursuit of wealth became fashionable. Splendors of the imperial capital. Ming dynasty. This scroll depicts busy market scenes in Beijing during the mid to late Ming dynasty. Knickknack peddler. Ming dynasty. Hanging scroll in color silk. Hu Wailu. Copper plate for printing. Bao Chao. Paper currency. Silver ingot. That'll play a role in the opium wars. Coins from the Ming era. Abacus. Here's some of the paper money. Standard copper weights of Chengzhou county. Tianqi era. Dongji weighing apparatus. Yuanli era. This small and precise Dongji used for weighing precious materials like gold, silver, medicine. Could be used to diffraction of a grain. It's the apothecary system. Cranes. Had to memorize that in school. Stupid. White glazed porcelain seated Sakyamuni Buddha. Double gourd shaped blue and white porcelain bottle with eight immortals. Emperor Xiang Zhang enjoying lantern festival. Establishment and growth of the Qing dynasty. The Qing dynasty, last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, was founded by the Manchus, an ethnic group from northeast China. The Manchus ruled for nearly 300 years from the time of the first leader Nurhaci to the last emperor Puyi. During the period 1644, when the Qing capital was moved to Beijing until the break out of the opium war 1840, the Manchu rulers established essential authority and achieved unprecedented consolidation and growth to unify multi-ethnic China. Portrait of Qianlong Emperor. Qianlong Emperor, born Yixin, Gyoro Hongli, grandson of Kangxi Emperor. Ruled 1711 to 1799. That's Kangxi there. Kangxi Emperor, 1644-1911. That's the Qing dynasty. They don't give the date of his reign. Yeah, they do in the Chinese, 1654-1722. Rise of the Manchus and the founding of the Qing. In 1616, Nurhaci unified the Nujian tribes and founded the later Jin regime, presently known as the Qing dynasty. After Nurhaci's son Huangtaiji ascended the throne, he renamed the regime Qing and changed the name of his ethnic group from Nujian to Manchu. Huangtaiji's son Fulin inherited the throne and became the Shengji Emperor. In 1644, the Qing rulers overthrew the Ming dynasty, moved the capital of Beijing, and established rule across the country. The Qing dynasty largely followed the Ming system of governance while gradually modifying it to strengthen central authority. New political-military organs were established like the Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers in the early Qing and the Grand Council in the Yongzhen era. Qing troops were comprised of the Eight Banners and the Green Scandid Army. Zhu Ling, Company Commander of the Eight Banners. Da Jiangdian Bo, Jade Seal. Da Jiangdian Hall, present-day Chenyang, Liaoning Province, was where Nurhaci, the Huangtaiji, dealt with official business. Tianming, Tang Bo coin with Manchu script. After Nurhaci founded the later Jin regime in the first year of the Tianming era, Tianming, Tang Bo coins were circulated in territories under later Jin rule. Tiankang, Tang Bo coin with Manchu script. Ascendant of the Throne, 1626 new coin called Tiankang, Tang Bo were issued. Wooden imperial plaques were deployed in the troops of the Qing dynasty. These plaques are engraved with the posthumous title of Huangtaiji. Inspection tour of Taiyang, unifying and consolidating rule over the frontiers. During the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong emperors, 1662 to 1795, a separatist rebellion was quelled in the south. Taiwan recovered, revolts in the northwest frontiers were put down, and Tsarist Russia's attempt to expand its territory into China was foiled. I always called Qianlong the dandy emperor, but he actually personally went on a lot of military expeditions. These efforts to strengthen authority over the border areas helped consolidate the unified multi-ethnic country. Designated to supervise officials in Taiwan and report to the central government, this scroll depicts the censor's inspection tour of Taiwan in the Yongzheng era. Portrait of General Zhang, Tiankang, original by Huangji. General Zhang, Tiankang's cannonball was unearthed at Fuzhou, Fujian province. This cannonball was used in battles led by General Zhang, Tiankang against Dutch colonials in Taiwan. Black flannel bow case and quiver with silver ornaments, Qing dynasty. This bow case and quiver were presented in tribute to the Qianlong emperor in 1756 by a chieftain of the Mongolian Turgut tribe. Muslim areas in the western regions were at replica. This album depicts life among ethnic groups living in present-day Xinjiang. Koryo was a collective term in Qing dynasty referring to four western Mongolian tribes, the Dorobets, Jungars, Turguts, and Kaoshets. Transporting provisions in northern campaign replica. During the Kangxi era, the Qing army put down a revolt in northwest, launched by Galadin, leader of Mongolian Jungar tribe. This painting depicts troops transporting provisions to the front line. Gold imperial edict conferring the title. Seventh Panchen, Denny replica. Silver seal of Jed Ruang Hutaku. Jed Ruang refers to attendant to the Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni. This Jed Ruang Hutaku, the Jed Herlong Hutaku, lived in Kondiling Monastery, Wooden seal with iron surface for the 5th Dalai Lama. The scribe Tibetan Manchu and Chinese script bestowed upon the 5th Dalai Lama, Chunji Emperor. Builded figure of the 5th Dalai Lama. Arriving in Beijing 1652 with 3,000 attendants, the 5th Dalai Lama was received by the Chunji Emperor and stayed in the Yellow Monastery specially built for him. On his way home the next year, the Emperor presented a gold edict and gold seal conferring upon him the title Dalai Lama. Statue for Tibet approved by Emperor. 1793 the Qing government formulated a 29 article statute governing political and religious affairs in Tibet. Jade carved imperial edict. This edict engraved on 8 jade plates was conferred upon the 8th Dalai Lama. 1783 Qianlong Emperor. Text was written Chinese Manchu Mongolian Tibetan script. Jade imperial seal with coiled dragon knob. The seal inscribed with Manchu and Chinese scripts was used when Qing Emperors issued imperial edicts. Japanese bronze mirror Edo period. Japan unearthed from Kaiyuan Temple, Chuanzhou Fujian. This bronze mirror was brought to China from Japan around the late Ming and as an offering to the Kaiyuan Temple. Relations with Japan and Korea. China and Japan maintained tribute and trade relations in the Middle Ming. When Japan, Japanese and Chinese pirates joined together and began harassing China's coastal areas. By the mid 16th century, the famous General Qi Guang counterattacked and contained the pirates. In the Wanli era, Japan launched two invasive wars against Korea. Upon request from the Korean king, the Chinese army helped the Koreans defeat the Japanese invaders. Steel saber. The inscription on this saber indicates that it was made for the famous General Qi Guang when he was the regional commander of the Qi Zhen. Resisting Japanese pirates replica. The scroll depicts historical scenes. 1555 when Chinese soldiers and civilians fought against Japanese pirates along the coast of Zhejiang. This is when Shanghai built its walls to protect against Japanese pirates. Home scroll from Korean friend. In the late Ming dynasty, Italian Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci and other Europeans arrived in China. They collaborated with Chinese scholar officials and introduced advanced European science and technologies, contributing to the technical development of modern Japan. I think Ricci was actually put in charge of the astrology department for the Ming dynasty. Cathedrals. Kunyu 1, Luo, Xuan 2. Complete map of 10,000 countries. This is Matteo Ricci's famous map. I went to Edinburgh and visited the National Museum of Scotland. They had an excellent exhibit that was going on this summer. It's still going on till the fall. Ming in the golden age. They had an interactive display of this map of Matteo Ricci's in full color. You could press it on a big touchscreen table and all different little information things would pop up and you could follow trade routes. It was really neat. Catering to the Chinese perspective, the placed China in the center of the map. This map drawn by Matteo Ricci showed Chinese people for the first time that China was one of the many countries in the world. Economy and ethnic cultures in the Qing dynasty. The early Qing government took measures to restore an economy severely damaged by the chaos of war by the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong eras. 1662 to 1795, economic development reached unprecedented heights. I guess Qianlong died in 1795. Recovery and growth of agriculture and handicrafts. In the early Qing, policies to encourage wasteland reclamation and water conservancy helped to restore agricultural production. The Qing dynasty saw increased rice and wheat yield to spread a non-indigenous high-yield crops like sweet potato and maize and expanded cotton, tea and tobacco cultivation. In handicrafts, the horse hereditary craftsman system was abolished. Textile, ceramics and iron smelting industries grew in scale. Product variety and manufacturing skills. Illustrations of cotton cultivation. Qing dynasty rubbing this album in two sections submitted to Qianlong emperor by Feng Guangcheng, governor general of Jili province as a report about cotton cultivation and trade. Catching locust replica. This album illustrating the locust catching experience was painted in 1759 presided over by the Yuan, the magistrate of Huanyin prefecture in Jiangsu province. Building dam across yellow river replica. Farming and weaving replica Qing dynasty. Wasteland reclamation license. This license issued in 1768 by Yunnan provincial administration commission to a peasant named Xia Limu at Lijiang prefecture documents the boundaries and area of his reclaimed land. Gauze with dragon roundel design. Cotton print with floral pattern. Colored cotton fabric with shepherd pattern. Gold thread satin with cloud and dragon design. Farming and weaving replica Qing dynasty. Splendors of Suzhou replica. This scroll depicts the busy markets and beautiful landscape of painter's hometown Suzhou during the Qianlong era. Suzhou is a really nice city but I like the Hangzhou better. I wonder if they show the water gate here. Flourishing trade. National unity, development, agriculture, handicraft industries contributed to prosperity in the Qing dynasty. Beijing was the political and cultural center and increasing hub for merchants and commerce. While the south already had bustling cities like Jiangning which is Nanjing. Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Hangkou which is present-day Wuhan. And Guangzhou. Guangzhou is in Guangdong. And there were new commercial centers on the border towns Urumqi which is present-day Xinjiang which we're having all the trouble now with separatists. Daizhenlu which is present-day Tianjin fish market. Beijing shop front. Puyang street vendors and performers. Wooden sign board for Puji pawn shop. Here an account balance sheet for Longsheng shop. Qianlong tangbo bronze coins. Yongzheng tangbo bronze coins. Kanji tangbo bronze coins. Ruler. Iron sliding weight. Rice shipping contract between boatman and rice trader. Dantou county. In the Qing dynasty the customs of ethnic peoples were varied and colorful including food, dress, entertainment, weddings, and funerals. With social and economic development and unprecedented regional interaction, contact between various ethnic groups increased steadily. Illustrations of a Qing dynasty wedding. A general view of the vast land replica. This album portrays various ethnic peoples and foreigners living during the Qing dynasty. The pictures are arranged by region, ethnic background, and gender, each with a brief descriptive history. Chen's illustration of local customs. This album depicts the life and customs of Taiwan and indigenous people in the 18th century with descriptive names. Tibetan copper ewer with dragon shaped handle. Waxed print cloth of the Miao people. Porcelain vase with lotus design. This vase was produced in a non-governmental kiln at Jingdezhen for Tibetans to use in making flower offerings to the Buddha. Embroidered tobacco bag of the Daur people. Tapok cloth of the Li people. Birch bark box with impressed design of the Erochen people. Mongolian knife, Qing dynasty. Flannel and floral pattern of the Uyghur people. Foreign relations in the Qing dynasty. In the early Qing government, the early Qing government adopted a closed-door policy and strict controls over foreign and domestic trade. During the Kangxi era, some coastal cities were designated as trading ports and a government-approved company was set up for foreign trade. Up until the early 19th century, Chen exported raw silk, tea, and porcelain in large quantities and enjoyed a trade surplus with Western countries. China also maintained close contact with neighboring countries like Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and India. Nevertheless, as the Western world began to embrace the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, the Qianlong Emperor was still unaware of the widening gap between China and the West, and the sun was setting on the glories of the Qing empire. Raw silk. Blue and white porcelain dish with pavilion design, Qing dynasty. This porcelain dish was made for export. A lot of times the exported stuff was kind of cheap. I've usually seen when stuff is made for export, it's of an inferior quality. It's not always the case in museums. But it increased, I think, the quality over time. By the Qing, they had mass-produced techniques. Blue and white porcelain bowl with human figures and workshop marks. Some of the Qing porcelain wares made for export were marked with the producer's name. The mark, Yang Yuan Maoji, found on this bowl was not uncommon. Shippu-yaki enamel vase with chrysanthemum and bird design. This vase was a present from Japan to the Qing court. Shippu-yaki is a traditional Japanese technique resembling Chinese metal-bodied enamelware. This vase was made using the mucin-without-wire Shippu-yaki method of applying enamel directly on a metal body before firing. So it's different than cloisonne. That's actually brass, it looks like. Black lacquer brush holder landscape in gold paint. I guess this would be maki-e. This brush holder was a present from Japan to the Qing court. Maki-e. Korean paper in different colors. Known for long and thin fibers whose comparatively high tensile strength came to China through cross-border traders' gifts. Copper water vessel with incised design. This Indian vessel traveled to China during the Qing. Silver bowl with embossed design. Cambodia present to the Qing court 18th century. The design features a scene from a traditional Cambodian legend about a golden deer. Mexican silver coins. Wukai polychrome porcelain medicine jar with paired eagles. Iron knife with gold design. Telescope. Sabre with leather sheath and jade handle inlaid with golden gemstones 1793. British envoy George McCartney was sent to China to request commercial privileges and the sabre was a gift he presented to the Qianlong emperor. The request was denied. German telescope. Request denied. Porcelain zhen vessel with swallows and gold paint design. Qing-Qing long arrow. Moonlight porcelain vase with banquet scene. Qing dynasty congxi arrow. Sky blue glides. Porcelain zhen vessel. Qing dynasty. Blue and white porcelain flask with asta mana gala. Eight auspicious buddhist symbols. Ducai contending colors. Porcelain vase with sea wave and floral roundel design. Turquoise green glazed porcelain vase. Fenial rose openwork. Porcelain vase with revolving inner vase. Fenial rose just means bright peachy colors. Rouge glazed porcelain bowl. Long zhen arrow. Fenial rose porcelain vase with plum blossom bamboo and swallow design. Flambe glazed porcelain zhen vessel. Enamel bowl with floral design. Let's see. Map of China. What are they showing us? Different provinces. 1820. Just bought a new video. Culture of the Ming and Qing.