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CGTN Art Series | China Crafted: A digital journey into the heart of ancient Chinese artifacts

China 07:38, 16-Jan-2026

CGTN

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China Global Television Network (CGTN) officially launched "China Crafted," the latest season of its CGTN Art Series, on January 23 at ART SG, a leading global contemporary art fair held in Singapore.

As a flagship digital art project developed by CGTN, the "CGTN Art Series" has released three interactive digital exhibitions since its launch in 2022, including the two seasons of "The Song Painted" and the third season, "Tang Architecture: Building Timeless Glory." The series is now unveiling its brand-new chapter, "China Crafted," inviting global audiences on a digital journey to discover the soul of ancient Chinese artifacts.

Spotlighting the beauty of Chinese cultural relics across dynasties, "China Crafted" focuses on timeless treasures such as jade, lacquerware, gold and silver artifacts, and porcelain. Through interactive web design, digital theater, and expert interviews, it will guide global viewers in exploring the elegance of form and craftsmanship embodied in these national treasures, conveying the aesthetics of Chinese life that have endured for millennia.

The exhibition offers an immersive digital experience of timeless artifacts from China's Shang (c. 1600-1046 BCE), Han (206 BCE-220), Tang (618-907), and Song (960-1279) dynasties and explores the aesthetics of those times through historical storytelling.

The multimedia product features over 160 representative artifacts from more than 30 partner museums worldwide. Through four interactive webpages and four original video productions featuring animations and expert interviews, the exhibition explores the intricate techniques behind the artifacts, as well as the spiritual and cultural values embedded in them.

This season uniquely blends historical storytelling with cutting-edge digital technology, creating an experience that is both educational and visually captivating.

The exhibition unfolds through four sections:

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing oracle bones. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing vessels of ritual. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing Fu Hao, the queen of the Shang Dynasty. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing four bronze yue (ceremonial battle-axes). /CGTN

"Sacred Shang" traces the ritual symbolism of Shang Dynasty jade, leading into the legendary story of Fu Hao, one of China's earliest recorded female generals.

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing lacquered tableware unearthed from Lady Xin Zhui's tomb. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing a lacquer ear cup carved with toasts. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing a lacquer plate carved with animals. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing a multi-layered lacquered cosmetic box. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing textiles and embroidery adorned with patterns of birds, beasts and clouds. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing the Boshan Incense Burner. /CGTN

"Heavenly Han" draws from the Mawangdui Han tombs to reveal refined Han Dynasty lifestyles and the philosophical pursuit of longevity embodied in lacquerware and silk.

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing a grand banquet of the Tang Dynasty. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing an ancient "gyroscope." /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing three incense burners. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing eight facets of a gold-gilded cup. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing two identical gold bowls. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing gold-decorated silver kettle. /CGTN

"Treasured Tang" captures the splendor of the Tang Dynasty through exquisite gold and silverware objects once used in imperial banquets.

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing a lotus-shaped warming bowl in light bluish-green glaze. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing the Ding Kiln White Glazed Dragon Head Bottle with lotus petal pattern. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing a conical bowl with impressed decoration of children and a pomegranate in white glaze. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing various Jian Zhan (Jian Ware). /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing the process of "Dian Cha," the art of tea preparation in the Song Dynasty. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing a unique technique that creates a pattern on the surface of tea soup. /CGTN

A screenshot from the virtual exhibition showing the Jun ware, featuring purple and lavender glaze over blue-green bodies. /CGTN

"Serene Song" focuses on the forms and textures of Song Dynasty ceramics, interpreting the poetic sensibility and Neo-Confucian ethos they convey.

The cover image of the docuseries "Shared Future: Fu Hao of the Shang Dynasty." /CGTN

The cover image of the animated docuseries "Breath of the Cosmos: Lady Dai of Han." /CGTN

The cover image of the animated docuseries "Rhythm of Chang'an: Gold and Silver Artifacts of the Tang Dynasty." /CGTN

The cover image of the animated docuseries "Chasing the Sky's Color: Song Porcelain." /CGTN

Four thematic interactive webpages have been paired with four animated documentaries, namely "Shared Future: Fu Hao of the Shang Dynasty," "Breath of the Cosmos: Lady Dai of Han," "Rhythm of Chang'an: Gold and Silver Artifacts of the Tang Dynasty," and "Chasing the Sky's Color: Song Porcelain."

"Shared Future: Fu Hao of the Shang Dynasty" is rooted in the archaeological discoveries from Fu Hao's Tomb, vividly bringing to life the legendary story of the royal couple, King Wu Ding and Queen Fu Hao.

"Breath of the Cosmos: Lady Dai of Han" depicts how Lady Xin Zhui recalls the happy times spent with Li Cang, prime minister of the Changsha Kingdom, while practicing the exercises in the atlas.

Told from the perspective of a Huji dancer in the Tang Dynasty, "Rhythm of Chang'an: Gold and Silver Artifacts of the Tang Dynasty" paints a vivid picture of a grand and elaborate night banquet in Chang'an.

Inspired by the folk legend behind the creation of Ru kiln's sky-blue glaze, "Chasing the Sky's Color: Song Porcelain" tells the tale of imperial kiln craftsmen in the Song Dynasty.

With the launch of a global digital art tour, "China Crafted" aims to create a dynamic cultural ecosystem that connects online and offline experiences, linking the past to the future through innovation, elegance, and narrative-driven expression.

CGTN will also host a special dialogue, titled "When Classics Inspire," on January 24 at the exhibition venue. The show will explore themes of civilizational continuity and cultural exchange. It will be broadcast globally across CGTN platforms in over 160 countries and regions. The program panelists include Magnus Renfrew, co-founder of ART SG, Tan-Soh Wai Lan, dean of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and Seng Yu Jin from the National Gallery Singapore.