(Mostly Palace Museum Holdings)
P9 “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains”
P5 The Grand Golden List of the Imperial Examination
P4 Imperial Seal
P1 – Imperial Wardrobe Records
The emperor’s attire preserved Manchurian riding uniforms while also adopting and adapting Han Chinese dress traditions. Official clothing was categorized into ceremonial, auspicious, everyday, travel, and rain attire. Ceremonial dress was worn for grand events such as coronations, celebrations, and investitures. The emperor’s daily attire was meticulously recorded by the Imperial Household Department in archives known as the Wardrobe Records.
P2 – Emperor Qianlong’s Inscribed Plaque: “Hall of Five Fortunes and Five Generations”
Jingfu Palace, located in the eastern section of the Ningshou Palace complex, was originally built by the Kangxi Emperor for Empress Dowager Xiaohui. In 1772, Qianlong rebuilt it following the design of Jingyi Studio, intending it as his retirement residence. In 1784, after the birth of his first great-great-grandson, Qianlong saw this as heavenly blessing—a symbol of five generations under one roof. He inscribed the plaque “Hall of Five Fortunes and Five Generations” and composed a essay urging his descendants to revere heaven, serve the people, and remain diligent to preserve this blessing.
P3 – Red Sandalwood Screen Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl, with Grandsons’ Birthday Poems
This 16-panel screen features red sandalwood frames, each bordered with mother-of-pearl kui-dragon motifs. The inner frames are decorated with gilt cloud and bat patterns, while the top panels are openwork-carved with twin dragons holding pearls. The lower panels are carved with double dragons presenting the character for longevity.
The screen surfaces are paper-based, each inscribed with celebratory poems composed by Kangxi’s grandsons for his 60th birthday. The reverse side is mounted on beige silk and embroidered with 10,000 variations of the character 壽 (longevity) in multicolored thread.
P4 – Cloisonné Rectangular Pot with Painted Enamel and Carnelian Pomegranate Bonsai
This bonsai centers on a pomegranate tree—a symbol of numerous offspring. The trunk is wood coated in gold lacquer; leaves are copper pieces finished with enamel; fruits are carved from multicolored carnelian. The scene is enriched with peach trees, lingzhi mushrooms, hydrangeas, rocks, and aquatic plants.
The rectangular cloisonné pot is adorned with floral patterns and panels of painted enamel depicting Western figures and landscapes—a refined fusion of Chinese and Western craftsmanship, representative of Guangdong’s artistic excellence during the period.
P5 – The Grand Golden List
The “Golden List” came in two forms: a small version for the emperor’s review, and a grand version—sometimes 20–30 meters long—displayed outside the city gates, announcing the names of those who passed the imperial examinations.
P6 – “Imperial Jade Seal of the Emperor” with Intertwined Dragon Knob
Made of green jade with a intertwined dragon knob, carved in seal script. A label attached to the seal bears inscriptions in both Manchu and Chinese identifying it as one of the “Twenty-Five Treasured Seals” of the Qing court.
P7 – “Golden Cup of Eternal Stability”
A symbolic cup used in imperial New Year ceremonies.
P8 – Gold-Inlaid Telescope Set with Pearls and Gemstones
P9 – Fang Cong’s “After Wang Ximeng’s ‘A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains’” (Section)
According to Qing court archives, in 1774 the court painter Fang Cong was commissioned to create this handscroll based on the original Song dynasty masterpiece held in the palace collection. The work bears multiple imperial seals including “Qianlong’s Appreciation,” “Three Rare Hall Studio,” and “For the Benefit of Descendants.”
— Xiao Chen Stories
October 20, 2025, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.