The International Symposium on Chinese Textiles will be held from 4 to 5 May 2026 in Hong Kong. The symposium is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Palace Museum (“HKPM”) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (“PolyU”), and presented by the HKPM – PolyU Joint Chinese Textile Centre.
The symposium focuses on four themes: Chinese Silks along the Silk Roads; Innovation and New Technologies in Chinese Textiles; Museum Collections and Exhibitions of Chinese Textiles; and Global Circulation of Chinese Textiles. The two-day symposium brings together scholars and experts from important universities, museums, and other cultural institutions across the globe to deliver keynote speeches and presentations. Other activities include discussions, a tour of the exhibition “A History of China in Silk: The Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum,” a special viewing of the Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and a visit to the PolyU. The symposium aims at inspiring new research in Chinese textile studies, strengthening international collaboration, and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a hub for cultural exchange and interdisciplinary innovation.
About the Hong Kong Palace Museum–Hong Kong Polytechnic University Centre for Chinese Textile
Established in 2024, the Hong Kong Palace Museum–Hong Kong Polytechnic University Centre for Chinese Textile (“the Centre”) is committed to advancing global understanding and innovative application of Chinese historical textiles from different perspectives, ranging from art, history to science and technology, through research, teaching, training, public education, and publication projects. The Centre draws on the Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum and its key research focuses include the history of Chinese textiles, Chinese textile archaeology, and Chinese costume, as well as textile scientific research, textile technology, and the Silk Roads.
About The Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum is one of the world’s most comprehensive and significant collections of historical Chinese textiles. It includes nearly 3,000 works from the Warring States period (475–221 BCE) to the 21st century and encompasses examples of all major categories in Chinese textiles with unique areas of strength. The collection has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications by museums in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and beyond.
Symposium rundown
Event schedule:
| 08:30–09:15 |
Registration |
| 09:15–09:20 |
Welcome Remarks |
| 09:20 – 09:45 |
Keynote 1
Speaker
Zhao Feng, Zhejiang University |
| 09:45 – 10:45 |
Session 1: Textiles along the Silk Roads
Moderator
Zhao Feng, Zhejiang University
Speakers
Liu Qi, Hunan Museum
Wang Le, Donghua University
Zvezdana Dode, The Research Institute of Archaeology and Ancient History of the North Caucasus |
| 10:45–11:15 |
Break |
| 11:15–12:15 |
Section 2: Chinese Textiles: Science and Technology
Moderator
Kinor Jiang, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Speakers
Tao Xiaoming, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Wang Xungai, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
Zhou Yang, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University |
| 12:15–12:45 |
Q&A |
| 14:00–14:25 |
Keynote 2
Speaker
Fan Jinmin, Nanjing University |
| 14:25–15:25 |
Session 3: Museum Collections and Exhibitions of Chinese Textiles
Moderator
Daisy Yiyou Wang, The Hong Kong Palace Museum
Speakers
Yan Yong, The Palace Museum
Jessica Harrison-Hall, British Museum
Zhichao Lyu and Sum Yin Yau, The Hong Kong Palace Museum |
| 15:25–15:40 |
Break |
| 15:40–16:40 |
Session 4: The Global Circulation of Chinese Textiles
Moderator
Hang Xing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Speakers
Luca Molà, University of Warwick
Liu Dejun, Shanghai Binge Silk Co. Ltd.
Zhao Yi, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| 16:40–17:10 |
Q&A |
| 17:10–17:30 |
Conversation
Speakers
Chris Hall, Collector
Daisy Yiyou Wang, The Hong Kong Palace Museum |
| 17:30–17:40 |
Closing Remarks
Speakers
Hang Xing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| 17:40–18:30 |
Exhibition Viewing
A History of China in Silk: The Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum |
| 11:00–12:30 |
Special Textile Viewing Session
Venue
The Hong Kong Palace Museum |
| 14:30–16:00 |
Campus Tour
Venue
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
Jointly organised by:
Presented by:
Details
| Date |
4 May 2026 (Monday)
5 May 2026 (Tuesday) |
| Tickets |
Free admission. Online registration recommended. |
| Language |
Putonghua and English, with simultaneous interpretation in Putonghua and English; no subtitles |
