The exhibition The Imperial Palace of Beijing: historical revivals, artists and craftsmen from the Forbidden City presents artefacts made according to traditional ancient Chinese techniques, the result of research, study and experimentation on the masterpieces belonging to the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of China held at the Palace Museum of the Forbidden City in Beijing (The Palace Museum), which by statute cannot be exhibited outside the Museum. The works on display are made by master craftsmen active from the 1970s onwards, heirs to and continuators of the traditional techniques of the imperial manufactory.

The exhibition is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and by The Palace Museum - Palace Museum of the Forbidden City in Beijing, under the patronage of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Beijing. The exhibition is organised on the occasion of the celebrations for the centenary of the foundation of the Palace Museum of the Forbidden City (1925-2025) and forms part of the celebrations for the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and China, contributing to strengthening the cultural dialogue between the two countries and the ever more intense relations between the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and the highest scientific and cultural institutions of the People’s Republic of China.

The Palace Museum of Beijing is located in the Forbidden City and was officially established in 1925. It holds over 1.97 million artefacts belonging to the Chinese imperial collections across different historical periods and is, at the same time, a fundamental custodian and continuator of court craft traditions. In recent years, guided by the principle of “endless vitality”, the Palace Museum has intensified its commitment not only to spreading the appeal of traditional Chinese craftsmanship internationally, but also to involving new generations in the processes of reinterpretation and creative transmission of traditional culture. In this way, the institution today stands as one of the principal windows through which the world can approach Chinese civilisation and the history of the Chinese people.

The cultural and creative products of the Palace Museum have always been inspired by the fundamental principle of “bringing cultural heritage back to life”. In promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese cultural tradition, they also devote particular attention to safeguarding and enhancing the arts and craft knowledge of the court. The works on display therefore testify to the extraordinary cultural richness of traditional Chinese craftsmanship, offering an in-depth view of the continuity of artistic practices over time.