Date: Saturday, 11 July 2026
Registration: 10:45 – 11:00am
Guided viewing: 11:00 – 12:00pm***
Place: Gallery 1, Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Oriental Ceramic Society is delighted to announce an exclusive guided viewing of the newly opened exhibition “The Forbidden City and the World: Cultural Encounters” at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, with curator Dr Nicole Chiang.
Over the millennia, Chinese civilisation has been shaped by a long tradition of cultural openness and dynamism. The Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties inherited these traditions both in their systems of governance and moral lineages. Through diplomacy and trade, the Forbidden City not only served as the centre of political power but also provided a platform for interactions between China and the wider world. Its architecture, artefacts, and stories carry the imprint of more than five centuries of cross-cultural encounters, exchanges that inspired creativity and transformed civilizations around the world. The exhibition showcases over 130 precious artefacts, including 18 grade-one national treasures, from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
Dr Nicole Chiang is a Curator at the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the author of Emperor Qianlong’s Hidden Treasure: Reconsidering the Collection of the Qing Imperial Household. She began her career at the National Palace Museum in Taipei and subsequently served at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and the Museum of East Asian Art in Bath. She has contributed to two British Museum exhibitions and taught at The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (SOAS) where she received her PhD. Her research interests include Qing imperial art and the history and theories of collecting.
Please note that all registered participants will receive an individual ticket for entry to the museum. Pre-registration is required. Drop-ins will not be entertained.
* After the tour, ticket holders may visit other exhibitions (except Gallery 8).
** Please note that registration for this event will close on 8 July 2026 at 23:59.
*** A table of 12 will be reserved at cost-split basis. Please kindly email us ahead to reserve a seat for lunch.