Hong Kong Palace Museum | The Quest of Originality: Contemporary Design and Traditional Craft in Dialogue

5001. Lamp with Stylised Clouds

As the saying goes, "an uncut gem does not sparkle". Before the invention of metal grinding, all carving was done by hand using sandstone. The base, tube, and plate of this  lamp were cut from three pieces of jade and attached together using the mortise-and-tenon technique. The process was more rigorous compared to the machine production today. Rare among jade ware in the Han dynasty, this delicate work of art embodies the exquisite craftsmanship of its time.

It is among the most representative lamp ware in early China. Modelled after a dou, a ceramic food container in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, it has a wick holder in the shape of a five-petal flower in the centre of the plate. At that time, soybean oil was used as a lamp fuel:  the plate would be filled with soybean oil and a wick would be put in it, which would then be lit and replaced when it ran out. With technological advancement, electricity is used for modern lighting; we can simply turn on a light after plugging it into a power source.

The colours and patterns of jade ware vary with time and environment. If you look closely at this lamp, you will see the brownish-red pattern that looks like a blood smear. In the course of history, jade has transformed from a mineral with distinctive properties to a symbol of human civilisation. As far as we know, this lamp is a unique piece and therefore of great collection and historical value.

© The Palace Museum

5002. Vase with Spiral Pattern

Red, white, and blue—does the vase before you look like a contemporary artwork? In fact, it was made in the Forbidden City during the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty. Translucent and cold to touch, glass is also pliable at high temperature and can be made into different utensils. However, glass was not as prized as porcelain and jade in ancient China and was only treated as a substitute for jade.

Glassmaking has a long history in China, dating back to Western Zhou and reaching its heyday in the Qing dynasty. In the Qing dynasty, the most delicate glass pieces came from the Imperial Workshops. The glass workshop was set up by the Kangxi Emperor with the assistance of Kilian Stumpf, a Jesuit missionary from Germany, and was further expanded under the Yongzheng reign. The glassware produced in the workshop were not only for the use of the emperor but also given to important officials as rewards. Although the glass workshop was initially led by missionaries, the Qing government also recruited top artisans from all over China to work with and receive advanced training from the missionaries. According to archival sources, some glassware production projects were overseen by Chinese artisans in the Yongzheng period.

This vase was made with a hot glass decorating technique that reached maturity in the Qianlong era. The complicated process was similar to that of Venetian glassmaking in Renaissance Italy. Like pulling candy, the artisans pulled hot glass of three different colours into thin tubes, cut them to the same length, and aligned them parallel to one another. They then glued the tubes onto the heated vase, which would be cooled and heated repeatedly. Look closely at the tri-coloured spiral pattern; the secret to such an even pattern is the carefully controlled spinning speed and strength during cooling.

© The Palace Museum

5003. Massage Tool with Flowers

Does this object look familiar to you? Beauty enthusiasts should be no stranger to this self- massage tool. While it had several names in the Qing dynasty, it is most commonly referred to as tai ping che in the archives. One uses this by holding the long handle and rolling the roller back and forth on the skin. The early tai ping che was much larger in size as it was mainly used to massage muscles and joints. Smaller rollers for face massage probably appeared at a later time, and this enamel roller with floral patterns is one such example. Rumour has it that Empress Dowager Cixi loved using the tai ping che with a special skincare formula.

Massage has a long tradition in China and in particular the imperial household. Did you know there were masseurs and specialist massage instructors at court as early as the Sui and Tang dynasties? In the Ming dynasty, massage was among the thirteen medical specialities of the Imperial Academy of Medicine. However, the Qing emperors were not as interested. Even though the Qing Imperial Academy of Medicine inherited the system from the Ming dynasty, the massage department was abolished by the Shunzhi Emperor. The Kangxi Emperor also openly questioned the benefits of massage, claiming he had never received a massage as it would damage his qi, one’s vital energy. Due to this prejudice, massage was only conducted by trained eunuchs and children in the Qing court,  as opposed to professional doctors in the Ming dynasty. Perhaps, it was the lack of professional masseurs that gave rise to convenient self-massage tools like the tai ping che in the Forbidden City.

© The Palace Museum

5004. Icebox with Stylised Lotus Scrolls

Refrigerators are indispensable to modern households. Interestingly, there were also large ice chests with similar functions as early as the Spring and Autumn period in ancient China. These chests were mainly made of pottery or copper and had a relatively simple structure, with a hole at the bottom to drain the water from melted ice.

Ice chest designs in the Qing dynasty were more sophisticated. This ice chest from the Qianlong reign is made of wood core and lined with silver to reduce seepage. The surface is decorated with cloisonné: copper wires were bent to form the outline of the cloisonné and soldered onto the surface of the chest; the wire enclosures were then filled with enamel of different colours before firing, giving the ice chest a bright, vibrant look. Ice cubes would be placed at the bottom of the box, while fruits, such as watermelons, peaches, and grapes, would be put in the drawer in the middle. Not only did the chest keep the fruits cold, but the air that escaped from the hole at the top also cooled the surroundings.

Ice, which came mainly from frozen lakes and rivers in winter, was difficult to come by in ancient China. The icehouse supervisor and officials from the Ministry of Works would pay tribute to the God of the Rivers before collecting and transporting the ice to ice cellars for storage. Ice in Qing official cellars was mainly used for worship in the Forbidden City and gifted to ministers and key officials afterwards. The ice would then be distributed to 14 locations in Beijing, including gates and archways, to help cool people down in summer.

© The Palace Museum

5005. Snuff bottle with figures in a landscape and poem

Why is there a walnut in the showcase? This is in fact a snuff bottle carved from a walnut.

Retaining the natural form of the nutshell, this snuff bottle has an uneven exterior. One side is carved in low relief with a landscape of flowing clouds, trees, and rocks, and two old men whose appearance and clothing suggest they are Europeans. The other side of the bottle is engraved with an inscription in clerical script. There is a small opening at the top fitted with a boxwood lid that is connected with a spoon.

Snuff was introduced from the West during the Kangxi period. It is a fine powder ground from fermented tobacco leaves. When inhaled directly, it helps clear stuffiness. European nobility often stored snuff in ornately decorated boxes; but the Qing court used sealed bottles with small lids attached with a spoon to protect the powder from moisture. Often made with precious materials, these exquisite bottles were considered innovative and fashionable.

Although walnut is not as valuable as glass, porcelain, agate, or jade, the artistry involved in carving this snuff bottle should not be underestimated—a slight moment of carelessness could break the nutshell, ruining all the effort.

5006. Double-gourd-shaped picnic basket

Imagine stacking up food and cutlery containers like building blocks. The boxes here can be fitted together into a three-tiered gourd-shaped picnic basket. A lock on the handle secures the boxes in place.

The basket is woven from bamboo and wood, making it light and easy to carry. The interior is painted with red lacquer, a water-resistant material which works like modern plastic. It prevents the sauce from spilling and keeps out the damp in humid environments.

Does this remind you of the picnic hampers we use today, or the lunchboxes we take to school or work? In the Qing dynasty, members of the inner court often visited different palaces or travelled outside the Forbidden City. These handy and elegant food baskets were therefore an important part of court life. They reflect people's pursuit of aesthetics, craftsmanship, design, and quality of life in the past.

5007. Censer with lotus scroll

This exquisite censer comprises two hemispheres, with ventilation holes on the top, both sides, and the bottom to diffuse the fragrance. You might be wondering: Without the wooden base to hold it in place, wouldn't it be risky if the hot metal censer rolled around?

In fact, this censer is also known as a "suspended incense burner". The receptacle is gimballed by three concentric rings in the centre; each ring's central axis intersects with the body of the censer. The mechanism ensures that the receptacle remains upright at all times, no matter how the outer sphere rolls.

Silver spherical incense burners can be traced back to the Tang dynasty. They were used by the nobility to scent clothing, bedding, and other items. This censer from the Qing dynasty is made using cloisonné enamel and imitates the Tang dynasty design. At first glance, it serves a similar purpose as the aroma diffusers we use today; but from the perspectives of craftsmanship and design, we can see the creativity and wisdom of the artisans.

5008. Clock with water automaton

Clocks are part of our daily life; but in ancient times, they were not easily available. The mechanical clocks that entered the Qing court as tributes were all sumptuous works of art. One example is this clock with water automaton, which was made in Guangzhou and combines both Western and Chinese elements.

Upon close observation, you can see that both the spiral glass columns spouting from the golden dragon's mouth and the two rectangular panels beside the clock dial are driven by a gear mechanism. When activated, the performance machine plays music and rotates the glass columns, creating various visual effects of flowing water. The god of longevity and the Eight Immortals show up in turn, forming a vivid and auspicious scene of birthday celebration.

This clock reports time just like European clocks; however, it is decorated with cloisonné and glided entwined branches, demonstrating the cultural exchange between China and the West. Mechanical clocks were introduced to China from Europe as early as the end of the Ming dynasty and the beginning of the Qing dynasty. After the ban on maritime trade during the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty, Guangzhou became the sole foreign trade port in the Qianlong period. Only then did the local people start to study the mechanism of these clocks and manufacture timepieces that incorporate the Chinese elements of pavilions, pagodas, and human figures.