Ming imperial porcelains exhibited at the Palace Museum

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The exhibition of imperial porcelains from the reign of Hongzhi and Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty kicked off Friday at Hall for Abstinence (Zhai Gong) in the Palace Museum – comparing porcelains from the imperial kiln site at Jingdezhen (in eastern Jiangxi Province) and imperial collection in the museum.

The two-part exhibition of Hongzhi (r. 1488-1505) and Zhengde (r. 1506-1521), sponsored jointly by the Palace Museum and Jingdezhen People’s Government, is divided into five units for each emperor.

A yellow-glazed Zun in the period of Emperor Hongzhi /Palace Museum Photo

After two exhibitions of the early Ming imperial kiln site and Emperor Chenhua (r. 1465-1487) in the middle part of the dynasty, this is the third theme ceramic exhibition of the two sides. Another one will be held next year focused on the porcelain of the late Ming period.

A white-and-green colored plate in the period of Emperor Zhengde /Palace Museum Photo

The selected porcelains embrace various categories such as the elegant blue-and-white porcelain, under-glaze red porcelain and pure single colored glaze porcelains with uniformity.

Moreover, the porcelains of multi-colored glaze and plain tricolor, the poly-chrome porcelain and Doucai and imitated Chenghua imperial porcelain are showcased in the exhibition.

A chicken cup in the period of Emperor Chenhua /Palace Museum Photo

The Hongzhi and Zhengde periods witnessed the Ming-dynasty’s cultural and social turn at the sixteenth century. The conservative imitation transforms to dynamic innovation, and the status quo for wealth replaced the aspiration for simplicity.

The exhibition runs till late February next year.

(Top image credit: Palace Museum Photo)

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