“The Forbidden City & Tea World”, an exhibition on tea culture jointly sponsored by the Palace Museum and Zhejiang Provincial Museum, was unveiled this Saturday at ZPM (Zhijiang). The exhibition will be closed on April 6. 

Highlights of the exhibition are in particular placed on the Song and Qing dynasties, two golden ages in the history of Chinese tea culture development. It is all about tea but with a priority on the age of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty and Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty.

The event offers a collection of 114 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from the Palace Museum, covering calligraphy and paintings, gems, tribute teas, and rare ancient books. Through a narrative on the two dynasties, it blends the traditions with today’s tea cultural practice, presenting a whole picture of the tea customs, folk culture, aesthetics, and artistic achievements during the periods.

According to Zhejiang Provincial Museum, the exhibition is divided into six thematic areas, each offering a unique insight into the rich tapestry of tea culture. In early classics, characters such as 槚 (jia), 蔎 (she), and 荈 (chuan) were used to refer to tea, thus the three are featured as the names of three of the six zones.

“View” is the first gallery that captivates visitors with an introduction. “Tribute Tea from the Song and Qing Dynasties” is the name of the second, in which you may delve into tales behind such tribute teas. The next part “Fine Tea and Wine” elaborates the meaning of “elegance” in life, allowing an access to the inner world of people in ancient times. “Masters and Tea” is the fourth, which unveils stories of renowned figures in history, revealing the profound cultural depth that has been distilled over time. The fifth gallery “Tea and Prestigious Wares” features rare and precious tea sets. The sixth part, specifically named “Tea Fragrance in the Forbidden City,” centers about the Forbidden City and its connection with tea from Zhejiang.

In addition to tea-related displays, the exhibition offers invaluable artifacts such as calligraphic works of Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu, Cai Xiang, and Su Shi. Due to conservation requirements, some of these precious calligraphy pieces will only be on display for one month. Don’t miss it.

As it opens, Hangzhou Daily and ZPM will also be offering tickets to the newspaper readers. Click the Hangzhou News (phone app) open and check it out.