Tokyo and Beijing: Cities and urban life in 18th century

World
Europe

Error loading player: No playable sources found

02:17

For both Beijing and Tokyo, the 18th century was a period when they began to flourish as major cities. Drawing on the long history of cultural exchanges between China and Japan, an ongoing exhibition at Beijing's Capital Museum is letting visitors compare and contrast the two cities in terms of lifestyle and culture.

A model of Beijing Chaoyangmen Gate Tower on display at the exhibition. /CGTN Photo

Geographical barriers have never obstructed the exchanges between China and Japan, which are situated across the East China Sea.

With over 2,000 years of communication, Beijing and Tokyo have been influencing each other with their rich culture and history.

Green and yellow glazed roof tiles on display. /CGTN Photo

Now the exhibition, titled "The Metropolises and the Prosperities in Tokyo and Beijing in the 18th Century", is giving viewers a glimpse of the prosperity experienced by the two cities in the 18th century, by showing a collection of ancient items collected by the Capital Museum and Japan's Edo Tokyo Museum.

Hina dolls on display at the exhibition. /CGTN Photo

More than 180 items, from daily articles to artworks, are on display.

Fujimori Terunobu, director of the Edo Tokyo Museum, expressed hope visitors can better understand the lifestyles and artistic cultures of Beijing and Tokyo in that period.

"We hope, through photos, sculptures, historical documents and other daily items, this exhibition will be a good opportunity for people in both countries to know each other, and to see what urban life and culture were like centuries ago."

The director also said 112 of the items on display are from the Edo Tokyo Museum, and they are being displayed in China for the very first time.

Han Zhanming, director of the Capital Museum, said the exhibition reveals many aspects of history in both cities.

"By putting together the collections of the same era, we hope the similarities and differences between the two cities and their material life reflect the commonalities and uniqueness of the two countries' cultures."