Hong Kong Palace Museum | HKPM Master Talk Series | Jade and Gold: Chinese and Eurasian Cultures Compared

The emblems of power in ceremonial ornaments and fine sceptres were made in jade in China and of gold in Western Asia and Europe. These are also symbols of the deep differences between the cultures, or even civilisations, at the two ends of Eurasia. Or we can contrast the Chinese bronze ritual vessels with the stone figures of deities in Egypt, Greece and Rome. To understand these differences, we need to look at the geography: the vast agricultural wealth of the North China Plain alongside the rocky shores, with limited space for crops, around the Mediterranean. Differences in climate and lifestyle also underpin the separate development of the two regions. From at least 3000 BC, connections were built along the grasslands of the steppe and the oases and deserts of Central Asia.

Professor Dame Jessica Rawson will share insights into how these multiple routes introduced new technologies and materials to the lives of peoples at the two ends of Eurasia, best represented by the exchange of silk for horses. Additionally, Dr Daisy Wang, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, will moderate a conversation with Professor Dame Jessica Rawson.

This talk is jointly organised by the Department of Fine Arts, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Bei Shan Tang Foundation is the sponsor of the Distinguished Visiting Professor Programme 2026 of the Department of Fine Arts and the Institute of Chinese Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. For more details on the “Chinese Art History Lecture Series” 2026, please click here.

The “HKPM Master Talk Series” invites experts from around the world with outstanding research achievements in the fields of art and culture to offer multi-perspective and comprehensive explorations of the history and academic values of their respective fields. The series further fosters mutual exchanges between China and the West, bringing new life to the Chinese traditional culture.

Putonghua simultaneous interpretation will be provided on-site. The talk will be livestreamed on the online platforms of the HKPM Wechat Video Account, Museum Headlines and Zaiyi in Putonghua only; no subtitles.

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* Bei Shan Tang Foundation is the sponsor and strategic partner of the Distinguished Visiting Professor Programme 2026 of the Department of Fine Arts and the Institute of Chinese Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

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