The Fourth Exhibition: Jinghua Royal Embroidery - Exhibition of Qing Dynasty Imperial Embroidery Art

Baoding, a key strategic town in the capital region, known for "controlling three northern passes and reaching nine southern provinces," has an indissoluble bond with the Forbidden City. It has preserved royal heritage consistent with the Forbidden City's regulations, supplied skilled craftsmen and governance talent to the imperial court, and fostered intangible cultural heritage techniques that flourished from the court into folk traditions. The "Baoding and the Forbidden City: Series of Special Exhibitions on the Inheritance of Qing Dynasty Court Techniques," with "Capital Region Link" as its core concept, will sequentially present various extraordinary court crafts, decode the centuries-old cultural ties between Baoding and the Forbidden City, and showcase the vibrant inheritance of court techniques in the capital region. The second exhibition, "Jinghua Imperial Embroidery" – Special Exhibition of Textile and Embroidery Art, will open on August 1, 2026.

Exhibition Dates: August 1 – 31, 2026

Exhibition Venue: Lanchi Academy (Ancient Lotus Pond), Hanlüxuan

Guiding Unit: Baoding Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism

Hebei University (Lanchi Academy) Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities

Organizer: Lanchi Academy Museum

Executor: Hebei University Forbidden City Studies Research Center

Co-organizers: Hebei University Institute for Advanced Studies of Yan-Zhao Culture

The Palace Museum, Research Group for "Research on Examples of Qing Dynasty Court Craft Inheritance"

Jinxiu Pavilion

Jing Embroidery, also known as Court Embroidery, is one of the "Eight Wonders of Yanjing." It serves as a miniature reflection of the establishment, flourishing, and standardization of Qing Dynasty court art. Every stitch in the court's draperies embodies the majesty of the dynasty, becoming a textile carrier that engraves the traditional ritualistic order. In 2014, Jing Embroidery was listed as a representative item of national intangible cultural heritage. In areas like Dingxing, Tangxian, and Yixian in Baoding, the complete lineage of inheritance is preserved. The inheritance model has evolved from secret court transmission and oral instruction in ancient times to a diverse ecosystem combining workshop practice, institutional teaching, and public dissemination. It sets a quality benchmark for modern craftsmanship and establishes an aesthetic paradigm for Oriental design.

As summer deepens, we invite you to step into the grey bricks and dark tiles of Lanchi Academy to appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship of Jing Embroidery, characterized by its "full yet orderly, splendid yet not ostentatious" style, and to explore the poetic ingenuity of Chinese civilization that has continued for thousands of years.