HONG KONG.- The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM or the Museum), the Palace Museum, and the Palace of Versailles today jointly unveiled the new special exhibition, “The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries”, that will run at the HKPM. The exhibition will be open to the public from 18 December 2024 to 4 May 2025.


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Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, as well as the China-France Year of Cultural Tourism, this exhibition features nearly 150 treasures from both the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles, illustrating the rich history of mutual respect, inspiration, and exchange in science, artisanship, arts, culture, and philosophy between the Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles – now recognised as two significant World Heritage sites – during the latter half of the 17th century and throughout the 18th century. The exhibition features a diverse array of artefacts, including imperial portraits and exquisitely crafted pieces made from porcelain, glass, enamel, and textiles, as well as books and scientific instruments. Among the exhibits are eight first-grade national treasures from the Palace Museum, along with invaluable historic items and recent acquisitions from the Palace of Versailles. Most of these artefacts are being displayed in Hong Kong for the first time. The Hong Kong Maritime Museum and the Chinese University of Hong Kong Library have also generously provided several pieces on loan.

Exploring the rich tapestry of Sino-French cultural exchange through fascinating stories in four thematic sections

“The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles” exhibition marks the first time that prized treasures from the two World Heritage sites, the Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles, are featured and juxtaposed in one exhibition in Hong Kong. Divided into four sections, the exhibition explores the extensive and impactful exchanges between China and France in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries across various fields, including science, craftsmanship, art, and philosophy.

• The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles presents an overview of the two palaces as the administrative, life and artistic centres of China and France, as well as major stages for Sino-French cultural exchange. It also presents the monarchs of China and France as important promoters of cultural exchanges between the two states.

• Science and Diplomacy focuses on the scientific exchange between China and France, highlighting the arrival of the “King’s Mathematicians” in China, sent by Louis XIV, and their role in facilitating mutual understanding and knowledge exchange between China and France, particularly in science and technology, despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations for over a century.

• Artisanal Exchange and Innovation explores the vibrant cultural exchange between China and France, presenting exquisite ceramics, glass, enamel, and silk objects that emerged from their mutual learning. It emphasised how artisans from both states learned from each other’s manufacturing techniques and aesthetics, fostering new artistic forms and innovations.

• Art and New Knowledge focuses on the artistic dialogue led by the Chinese and French courts, including the taste for China in Versailles and the creations of French painters within the Forbidden City. Beyond the realm of art, the exchange of ideas and knowledge flourished. Books on Chinese history, culture, and philosophy profoundly influenced on the intellectual framework of the Enlightenment-era France and Europe in the eighteenth century.

Enriching the visitor experience through immersive multimedia installations, engaging educational programmes and publications

The exhibition features eight multimedia installations. At the entrance, a panoramic video showcases the magnificent architecture of the Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles, inviting visitors to step into these two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Accompanied by “Winter Sanctuary”, a composition by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra inspired by the traditional Chinese 24 solar terms, the audience can experience a magnificent symphony that encapsulates the changing seasons and the passage of time within these two grand palaces.

The exhibition features an immersive multimedia installation that vividly recreates a previous letter from Louis XIV to the Kangxi Emperor in 1688. Written in Old French, the letter praises the emperor and expresses the king’s desire to send Jesuit missionaries to share new knowledge of science. In the letter, Louis XIV addressed the Kangxi Emperor as “our very dear and good friend”. Although the letter never reached the Kangxi Emperor, the “King’s Mathematicians” dispatched by the king had already arrived in China, marking the beginning of many official exchanges between the courts of China and France.

The HKPM is publishing The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (Bilingual edition) to tie in with the exhibition, which will be available for sale at the ART EXPRESS by the Commercial Press gift shop on the Museum’s ground floor.


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