Four-and-a-half month special exhibition spotlights the rich history of mutual respect, inspiration and exchange between China and France, reinforcing the HKPM’s mission to advance dialogue between world civilisations
(16 December 2024, Hong Kong) The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM or the Museum), the Palace Museum, and the Palace of Versailles today jointly unveiled the new special exhibition, “The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries”, that will run at the HKPM. This exhibition is financially supported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Cathay is the Lead Sponsor for the exhibition, with Tigillus Foundation and Centurion from American Express as Major Sponsors. The exhibition will be open to the public from 18 December 2024 to 4 May 2025.
“The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles” is jointly organised by the HKPM, the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles. The opening ceremony for the special exhibition was held at the HKPM today. The event was officiated by Dr Wang Xudong, Member of Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Director of the Palace Museum; Cheuk Wing-hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the HKSAR; Christile Drulhe, Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau; Rosanna Law, Secretary for CSTB of the Government of the HKSAR; Laurent Salomé, Director of the National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon, France; Leo Kung, Chairman of the HKPM Board; Dr Adrian Cheng, Chairman of the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Committee; Lavinia Lau, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer of Cathay; David Chang, Founder of the Tigillus Foundation; Katy Tse, Director of Head of Product, Brand and Loyalty, International Card Services, Hong Kong, American Express International Inc.; Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) and Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM.
Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, as well as the China-France Year of Cultural Tourism, this exhibition features nearly 150 treasures from both the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles, illustrating the rich history of mutual respect, inspiration, and exchange in science, artisanship, arts, culture, and philosophy between the Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles – now recognised as two significant World Heritage sites – during the latter half of the 17th century and throughout the 18th century. The exhibition features a diverse array of artefacts, including imperial portraits and exquisitely crafted pieces made from porcelain, glass, enamel, and textiles, as well as books and scientific instruments. Among the exhibits are eight first-grade national treasures from the Palace Museum, along with invaluable historic items and recent acquisitions from the Palace of Versailles. Most of these artefacts are being displayed in Hong Kong for the first time. The Hong Kong Maritime Museum and the Chinese University of Hong Kong Library have also generously provided several pieces on loan.
Dr Wang Xudong, Member of Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the PRC, Director of the Palace Museum, said, “The Palace Museum is delighted to collaborate once again with the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles to showcase the rich cultural exchange between China and France through this exhibition. This event not only builds upon the earlier exhibition, ‘The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: Exchanges between China and France in the 17th and the 18th centuries’, held at the Palace Museum, but also offers a fresh curatorial perspective to deeply explore the long-standing and intertwined memories of friendship between the two nations. It underscores that the exchange of civilisations is a vital force driving world peace and the advancement of humanity.”
Cheuk Wing-hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the HKSAR, said, “Through the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Hong Kong SAR Government is honoured to support this special exhibition on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the China-France diplomatic relations. This initiative not only highlights the significant cultural exchanges throughout history but also expresses the deep friendship between China and France. This special exhibition serves as a testament to the shared aspiration for a better life and deeper cultural understanding among the peoples of China and France. By revisiting this significant history, we aim to enhance cultural interactions today, promote mutual understanding, and continue the enduring friendship between our two countries into the future.”
Laurent Salomé, Director of National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon, France, said, “As a royal palace that documented France's most opulent period in history, the Palace of Versailles is committed to promoting French culture and engaging in dialogue with global audiences. Through this special exhibition, we selected newly acquired pieces from the last decade, offering a novel perspective that illustrates the magnificence of Sino-French exchanges. I am deeply impressed by Hong Kong’s diversity and vibrancy and its role as an important bridge connecting the East and West. We hope visitors from the world can join us in appreciating and exploring the intricacies that this exhibition will bring.”
Leo Kung, Chairman of the HKPM Board, said, “‘The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles’ connects the majestic Forbidden City with the splendid Palace of Versailles, showcasing historically meaningful artefacts that underscore the rich and abundant cultural exchange between China and France at this important point in history. The exhibition best illustrates the mission of the Hong Kong Palace Museum to foster dialogue among civilisations and to bring rich and diverse cultures of the world to our local and international visitors. We are proud to contribute to strengthening Hong Kong’s role as a hub for global cultural exchange and help Hong Kong boost its cultural and tourist industries through major exhibitions like this.”
Lavinia Lau, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer of Cathay, said, “At Cathay, we are dedicated to enriching the Hong Kong community and providing fresh inspiration. Promoting arts and culture has always been close to our hearts, which is why we have partnered with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority as their exclusive Travel Partner. This reaffirms our commitment to supporting Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. We are proud to be the Lead Sponsor of this special exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Our Cathay Cargo services have ensured the safe transport of these precious exhibits, bringing invaluable artefacts from the Mainland and France, all the way to Hong Kong, to showcase the significant cultural and artistic exchange between the two nations in the 17th and 18th centuries. We are honoured to play a part in this exhibition and would like to express our gratitude to the museums for their steadfast trust and confidence in us as the appointed Travel Partner.”
Exploring the rich tapestry of Sino-French cultural exchange through fascinating stories in four thematic sections
“The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles” exhibition marks the first time that prized treasures from the two World Heritage sites, the Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles, are featured and juxtaposed in one exhibition in Hong Kong. Divided into four sections, the exhibition explores the extensive and impactful exchanges between China and France in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries across various fields, including science, craftsmanship, art, and philosophy.
- The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles presents an overview of the two palaces as the administrative, life and artistic centres of China and France, as well as major stages for Sino-French cultural exchange. It also presents the monarchs of China and France as important promoters of cultural exchanges between the two states.
- Science and Diplomacy focuses on the scientific exchange between China and France, highlighting the arrival of the “King’s Mathematicians” in China, sent by Louis XIV, and their role in facilitating mutual understanding and knowledge exchange between China and France, particularly in science and technology, despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations for over a century.
- Artisanal Exchange and Innovation explores the vibrant cultural exchange between China and France, presenting exquisite ceramics, glass, enamel, and silk objects that emerged from their mutual learning. It emphasised how artisans from both states learned from each other’s manufacturing techniques and aesthetics, fostering new artistic forms and innovations.
- Art and New Knowledge focuses on the artistic dialogue led by the Chinese and French courts, including the taste for China in Versailles and the creations of French painters within the Forbidden City. Beyond the realm of art, the exchange of ideas and knowledge flourished. Books on Chinese history, culture, and philosophy profoundly influenced on the intellectual framework of the Enlightenment-era France and Europe in the eighteenth century.
Enriching the visitor experience through immersive multimedia installations, engaging educational programmes and publications
The exhibition features eight multimedia installations. At the entrance, a panoramic video showcases the magnificent architecture of the Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles, inviting visitors to step into these two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Accompanied by “Winter Sanctuary”, a composition by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra inspired by the traditional Chinese 24 solar terms, the audience can experience a magnificent symphony that encapsulates the changing seasons and the passage of time within these two grand palaces.
The exhibition features an immersive multimedia installation that vividly recreates a previous letter from Louis XIV to the Kangxi Emperor in 1688. Written in Old French, the letter praises the emperor and expresses the king’s desire to send Jesuit missionaries to share new knowledge of science. In the letter, Louis XIV addressed the Kangxi Emperor as “our very dear and good friend”. Although the letter never reached the Kangxi Emperor, the “King’s Mathematicians” dispatched by the king had already arrived in China, marking the beginning of many official exchanges between the courts of China and France.
In conjunction with the special exhibition, the HKPM will launch dynamic and diverse educational activities, including public talks and the “Palace Theatre: Whisper of Treasures” family workshops, which combine interactive theatre with artmaking activities, allowing participants to travel back to the era of the Kangxi Emperor and Louis XIV. Throughout the exhibition period, visitors are invited to take part in a special in-gallery learning activity and earn a beautiful commemorative postcard inspired by the exhibition. The Museum will launch a limited-time free postcard campaign titled “To My Very Dear and Good Friends”, allowing visitors to send the postcards to their friends at no cost. This service will be available via designated post boxes within the Museum from 18 December to 31 December 2024. Additionally, the first public talk will be held on 18 December at the HKPM, presented by Guo Fuxiang, a Research Fellow of the Palace Museum. For further details, please refer to the HKPM website.
The HKPM is publishing The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (Bilingual edition) to tie in with the exhibition, which will be available for sale at the ART EXPRESS by the Commercial Press gift shop on the Museum’s ground floor. An extensive range of more than 60 themed products, including stationeries, tablewares, and art prints, will also be available at the HKPM gift shop.
“The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles” will be open to the public from 18 December 2024 through 4 May 2025 in Gallery 9 of the HKPM. Tickets for this special exhibition are priced at HK$150 for adults and HK$75 for concessions*. Holders of a Full Access Ticket, priced at HK$180 for adults and HK$90 for concessions*, can visit this exhibition and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Presents: “The Origins of Chinese Civilisation” in Gallery 8, as well as other thematic exhibitions in Galleries 1 to 7 on the same day. Tickets are available for sale or reservation through the WestK’s online ticketing platforms and ticketing partners. Please refer to the HKPM website for more information.
*Concessions are available to children aged 7 to 11, full-time students, seniors aged 60 and above, persons with disabilities (with one companion), and CSSA recipients.
Remarks
About the Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Hong Kong Palace Museum aspires to become a leading institution on the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture while advancing dialogue between world civilisations. The Hong Kong Palace Museum is a collaborative project between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum and is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a donation of HK$3.5 billion for its establishment, as well as some of the annual exhibitions and education programmes in 2023–2031.
Embracing new curatorial approaches, the Museum combines a Hong Kong perspective with a global vision to present precious artefacts from the Palace Museum and other important cultural institutions around the world. Through research, exhibitions, and educational and professional exchange programmes, the Museum aims to build international partnerships and position Hong Kong as a global hub for art and culture. At heart a resource that belongs to the local community, the Museum strives to inspire community engagement, foster dialogue, and promote creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration.
About the Palace Museum
Established in 1925, The Palace Museum is a broadly representative national museum. It is housed on the grounds of the palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties known as the Forbidden City and its collection is based on Ming and Qing imperial collections. In 1961, the State Council named it a Nationally Protected Key Cultural Heritage Site, and in 1987 it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Palace Museum became a national 5A tourist attraction in 2007. The following year, it was among the first Chinese museums recognized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration as a first-grade museum. Covering over one million square metres, the architectural compound under The Palace Museum’s administration consists of around 9,000 bays (internal spaces defined by columns) of Ming and Qing era structures, making it the world’s largest and best-preserved historical palatial complex.
Today, The Palace Museum is an unparalleled art treasure house with a vast collection of over 1.86 million pieces in twenty-five major categories. It showcases the time-honoured and splendid Chinese civilisation to the public through its imperial palace architecture; the display of original interior settings to illustrate the history of the imperial court; galleries dedicated to decorative arts, timepieces, paintings, calligraphic works, ceramics, and sculptures; and thematic exhibitions.
About the Palace of Versailles
A jewel of world heritage recognized by UNESCO since 1979, the Palace of Versailles is at once a royal residence, a museum of French history established by Louis-Philippe, the King of the French, and a seat of government where the two chambers of Parliament meet when united in Congress.
In addition to its three historic dwellings – the Palace itself, the Grand Trianon, and the Petit Trianon – the Estate of Versailles gives pride of place to nature with a sweeping baroque garden adorned with groves and fountains designed by André Le Nôtre, a French landscape architect, as well as the Trianon Gardens, the Queen’s Hamlet – a royal refuge created by Marie-Antoinette, the queen of France – a wooded park surrounding the Grand Canal, and, since 2009, the Estate of Marly.
Visitors come to Versailles from around the world to admire collections of artwork featuring more than 70,000 paintings, furniture pieces, sculptures, objets d’art, rare books, sketches, engravings, and carriages. A veritable compendium of French history from the 17th century to the current day, the former royal residence exemplifies French elegance and art de vivre, alongside consummate savoir-faire.
About the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK)
WestK is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on 40 hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces, and museums, WestK will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, providing 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.
https://www.westk.hk/
About Mega Arts and Cultural Events (ACE) Fund
The Mega ACE Fund set up by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government aims to attract and support international or large-scale arts and cultural events to be held in Hong Kong. It targets mega arts and cultural events in Hong Kong organised by the private sector or non-governmental organisations, with a view to developing Hong Kong into an arts and cultural metropolis as well as a tourist destination, providing development opportunities for the arts, cultural and creative sectors, and fostering Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
About Cathay
Cathay is a premium travel lifestyle brand that brings together all that we love about travel with everyday lifestyle. The range of products and services includes flights, holidays, shopping, dining, wellness, and payment. All our travel lifestyle offerings are designed to bring customers exciting offers, rewards, and experiences with hand-picked partners.
Flights are provided by Hong Kong’s home carrier Cathay Pacific, a premium full-service airline and a founding member of the oneworld global alliance. Cathay also includes the Group’s cargo division Cathay Cargo, and low-cost carrier HK Express. We are a member of the Swire Group and are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) as a public company.
For more than seven decades, Cathay Pacific has been connecting our home city of Hong Kong to the world. Now we are bringing that connection to more of our customers’ lives. The new era of Cathay elevates their every bite, tap, step, stay, and flight to greater heights. http://www.cathay.com
About Tigillus Foundation
Tigillus Foundation works regionally and globally to foster better understanding for Chinese culture through soft powers drawn from its rich history and vibrant culture. The founder Mr David H.Y. Chang is Chinese-born, Western-educated, and built a career across multiple continents. He is a keen amateur historian and sees history as a good place to start for self-reflection – a process which forms our self-understanding, identity, and path forward. He believes that in the midst of fast-changing times, it is vital for the younger generation to play their part and promote dialogues between Eastern and Western cultures, so as to resolve misunderstandings and deepen mutual appreciations with each other.
Tigillus Foundation is committed to elevating the world’s understanding of Chinese cultural heritage through arts, culture, and education in the global context. The foundation passionately sponsors and hosts events that celebrate and promote Chinese culture through philanthropic efforts worldwide, and passionately supports the establishment of professorships, scholarships, and fellowships across the region. Its mission is to inspire the study of Chinese history and its profound impact on the world throughout the millennia – as the empire rose and fell. To learn more about the Foundation and its mission, please visit: https://tigillus.org/
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the exhibition “The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries” only, but does not otherwise take part in it. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the materials/activities (or by members of the grantee’s team) are those of the organisers of the exhibition only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
