Celebration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum

Dedication to cultural preservation and service provision

Traditional culture serves as the cultural root of the Chinese nation. Safeguarding the root is crucial for ensuring a promising future of the nation. Prince Kung’s Palace Museum recognizes the need to boost cultural confidence, upholds the fundamental principles of cultural preservation, and undertakes the contemporary mission of being a pioneer and role model in preserving and promoting excellent traditional Chinese culture.

The inaugural exhibition of 2023, titled “Craftsmanship of Traditional Architecture Models”, featured models of traditional architectural structures, including the main hall of Nanchan Temple in Shanxi province, Zhaozhou Bridge in Hebei province, the Belvedere of Avalokitesvara in the Temple of Solitary Joy (Dule si) in Tianjin, the Hall of Tathagata in the Temple of Wisdom Attained (Zhihua si) and the no-longer-existing Western Peace Gate in Beijing. Throughout the exhibition period, a site-specific theatre performance staged the historical survey of Prince Kung’s mansion in 1937 by the accomplished Chinese architect Liang Sicheng (1901-72) and his wife Lin Huiyin (1904-55). Another exhibition, titled “Oriental Wisdom in Sǔn Mǎo (Mortise-and-Tenon Joints): Traditional Furniture Making Techniques”, comprehensively presented furniture-making techniques from Beijing, Suzhou, and Guangdong. The furnished space of the exhibition created an immersive environment, allowing viewers to appreciate Chinese living aesthetics.

The 12th “Blossom of Wisdom Gathering” unfolded amid the spring bloom of crabapple flowers. Luminaries from the realms of poetry and art congregated in the museum’s Garden of Gathered Splendor, contributing to the event with the creation, recitation, and exchange of poetic expressions.

During the Cultural and Natural Heritage Day of China in mid-2023, the 16th “Echoes of Classics – Prince Kung’s Palace Museum Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance Season” graced Prince Kung’s Palace Museum. The event featured the restaging of some classic guqin and Kunqu Opera repertoire at the museum’s Grand Theatre.

A follow-up to the 2022 event, the 2023 ornamental goldfish exhibition delighted visitors with the opportunity to view a diverse array of breeds kept in wooden barrels or clay vats, set against the backdrop of the summer shade in the museum garden.

The recently launched “Panoramic Prince Kung’s Palace Museum” digital system allows the public to view the museum’s seasonal landscapes online at the push of a button. Additionally, the system provides four guided tour routes, featuring the adorable “fu” family members – cartoon avatars representing the museum – as virtual tour guides offering pre-recorded information.

Nestled on the shores of Shichahai Lake and an indispensable part of the Shichahai neighborhood, Prince Kung’s Palace has a profound connection with Shichahai historically, geographically and culturally. As a specimen of princely residences in the Shichahai area, Prince Kung’s Palace Museum has been committed to enhancing the cultural experiences of the local community. It endeavors to fulfill its core mission by consistently providing cultural services to the public.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Prince Kung’s Palace Museum is taking an unprecedented step by inviting members from the Shichahai community to co-curate an exhibition. This unique showcase aims to present 40 years of the museum through the eyes of its neighbors. Additionally, throughout 2023, a series of public lectures unfolded under the theme "Prince Kung’s Palace and the Shichahai neighborhood". These lectures delved into the historical interactions between these two entities, serving as a testament to the museum's identity as a community museum and its commitment to implementing a concept of collaborative operation with the public.