‘A different way to view the past’: imperial China from a female perspective in elaborate scrolls, a sedan chair, golden crown and other artefacts
- History has always been viewed from the perspective of men, says the curator of a new exhibition that shows imperial Chinese art and artefacts by and for women
- From a dazzling golden crown to a silk scroll showing women of the court playing a form of soccer, to a sedan chair used for weddings, there is much to admire
While there have been many exhibitions in Hong Kong about ancient China – those at the Hong Kong Palace Museum are a prime example – not many have focused on the varied lifestyles of women in that era.
Ladies of the imperial court, for example, engaged in everything from an ancient version of soccer to chess, and life as a courtesan, though at times difficult, involved tea-making, needlework, singing and more. Female painters and embroiderers were at the top of their field, even if they did not receive the same recognition as their male counterparts.
Now an exhibition newly opened at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin, “Women and Femininity in Ancient China – Treasures from the Nanjing Museum”, offers some insight.
“We wanted to offer a different perspective and way to view the past,” says museum curator Raymond Tang. “Ancient history and ideologies have always been considered from the perspective of men. So we thought, can we use a female perspective instead?”
Jointly organised with Nanjing Museum, which has one of the largest historic collections in China, the exhibition, supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, features 118 artefacts – including 21 grade-one and 23 grade-two national treasures – all of which are on display in Hong Kong for the first time. It follows a similar exhibition held at the Nanjing Museum in 2015.