The words below, in reference to the birth of the Malay world, were written more than half a millennium ago, are as true now as ever. In an era of growing isolationism and what has recently been termed ‘the most… Continue reading
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, as well as the China-France Year of Cultural Tourism, the Hong Kong Palace Museum is showing The Forbidden City and The Palace of Versailles: China-France… Continue reading
Land of the Golden Man and the great kurgans, Kazakhstan is a land of legends situated on the edge of the steppes of Central Asia. This exhibition on treasures from the Great Steppe offers a history through five treasures that… Continue reading
The current exhibition in London explores the arts and culture of the Mughal period through the artistic achievements of the ‘Golden Age’ of the Mughal court, circa 1560-1660, during the reigns of three emperors: Akbar (r 1556-1606), Jahangir (r 1605-1627),… Continue reading
Along the River During the Qingming Festival is considered the most famous ancient scroll painting in China today. It was created at the end of the Northern Song dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Huizong (r 1100-1126) (Fig 1), and… Continue reading
The traditional house of Korea, hanok, comes from a building culture that was created in response to the distinct four seasons in Korea, where both extreme hot weather and cold weather exist. To cope with this climate, an underground flooring… Continue reading
In the first decades of the 20th century, a new generation of print artists broke from existing traditions in Japanese printmaking to bring new energy to the traditional prints previously produced in Japan. By the end of the 19th century,… Continue reading
Painted screens and porcelain ware that used decorative motifs and designs are the main subjects in this exhibition to explore pattern and decoration during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) in Korea. Dragons, peonies, books, and scholarly accoutrements are among the most… Continue reading
Japan’s history of ceramic artistry developed largely alongside the culture of drinking tea. The practice of preparing and serving tea, chanoyu (hot water for tea), gained popularity in the 16th century. Japanese tea practitioners initially used Chinese and Korean antique… Continue reading
Incense is complex, it takes many forms and can contain a wide variety of plants and minerals, reflecting the cultures and tasks for which it was used. It was known to have been used in ancient India, mentioned in the… Continue reading