On March 24, 2016, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage officially identified the first batch of 29 heritage sites for the Maritime Silk Road.
During the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Longquan celadon reached many countries and regions through the Maritime Silk Road, and China porcelain products represented by Longquan celadon became the symbol of China culture and a world commodity.
At the beginning of this month, at the invitation of the Emirate of Las Haima, United Arab Emirates, the archaeological researchers of the Palace Museum in China came to Las Haima to cooperate with the Antiquities and Museums Department of Las Haima and the Archaeology Department of a British university, where they conducted a one-month archaeological research to explore the imprint of the ancient Silk Road trade between China and the United Arab Emirates.
Since the archaeological work started on January 7th, many pieces of ceramics and metals have been excavated, including the pieces of Longquan celadon from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties in China. Archaeologists have also carried out photo information collation and other cultural relics protection work on more than 20,000 pieces of pottery collected in Las Haima Museum.
Las Haima is located in the northernmost part of the United Arab Emirates. During the 14th and 17th centuries, it was an important port connecting East and West trade. In the Yuan Dynasty, Longquan celadon trade flourished in the Indian Ocean. Archaeologists found that the local porcelain manufacturing in Las Haima was greatly influenced by China porcelain, and China porcelain was more popular with the people of the United Arab Emirates at that time, and was used by ordinary people at home for a long time. The local people cherish the use of Longquan celadon, which will be repaired and reused when it is damaged during use. Moreover, the local people also need this technology.
Chilard Khan, director of the Archaeological Department of the Antiquities and Museums Department of Las Haima, said: “There has been a history of China pottery for eight or nine hundred years. In the UAE, especially in Las Haima, China pottery can be seen anywhere. A large number of pottery tells us that it once had a very good trade relationship with China.”
What is the ancient Longquan celadon that fascinates people all over the world?
Now I have a chance to see the ancient celadon national treasure. Zhejiang Longquan, in cooperation with the Palace Museum, is holding the “Palace Longquan Celadon Home Exhibition”. A total of 102 national treasure celadon treasures are on display, dating from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. For the first time since the Millennium, these treasured national treasures have met the world in this way.
The exhibition lasted for more than three months, from November 2, 2018 to February 20, 2019. This Spring Festival, it is a good choice to experience the charm of ancient Longquan celadon with family and friends.
Many celadon national treasures on display this time are blessed with peace. It is appropriate to feel these blessed national treasures at close range in the New Year. Moreover, such a large number of national treasures of celadon in the Forbidden City may not be seen even if you go to the Forbidden City. Don’t miss it.
In 2019, the Palace Museum will once again cooperate with Zhejiang Museum and Longquan..City cooperation, held “the world Longquan exhibition”. “Longquan Exhibition in the World” is to invite Longquan celadon, which is treasured in museums all over the world, back for centralized exhibition.