Nine sika deer exhibited at Palace Museum

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Nine sika deer were recently ushered to the garden in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility of the Beijing's Palace Museum in a move that matches the exhibition, “Eternal Abundance from Heaven -- Auspicious Deer Artifacts at the Palace Museum,” which is kicking off at the Palace of Eternal Longevity on Tuesday.

The sika deer in the garden in the Palace Compassion and Tranquility /Palace Museum Photo

The nine sika deer - consisting of two bucks, five does and two cubs - were originally living in the Chengde Mountain Resort in north China's Hebei Province and were brought together by the Palace Museum and Chengde Bureau of Cultural Relics.

An experienced manager and a veterinarian were assigned by the local authority to guard the deer during the exhibition.

Also, 69 antiques related to deer were selected from the Museum's catalog of paintings, porcelain, jade and other categories for visitors’ appreciation and enjoyment. The exhibition runs till late February next year.

Antiques in the exhibition /Palace Museum Photo

The word "deer" in Chinese "鹿" , is a homonym of Chinese character "禄", which means high status and good fortune. The deer represents peace and is a promising omen in China. Also, hunting deer is a traditional Chinese imperial event in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), which was China's last feudal dynasty.

A part of the painting shows hunting deer / Pinterest Photo

In early autumn, the Qing emperors and their entourages, as well as princes, dukes, ministers and banner-men, came to the Mulan Paddock (currently in northeast Hebei Province) to engage in an annual deer hunt known as the "Mulan Autumn Hunt." In the Manchu language, Mulan means "whistling to the deer."

This tradition began during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, who established the paddock as a hunting ground.

Over time, it became a fixed annual event. By the time of the Qianlong and Jiaqing emperors, the Mulan Autumn Hunt had evolved into an indispensable state ritual and an expression of ancestral devotion.

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