Court Costumes! Be Dazzled by 'Imperial Colours' at World Expo Museum

Credit: Ti Gong

Discover Chinese heritage through the first large-scale imperial court dress exhibition located at the World Expo Museum from July 7 to October 7.

Titled "Imperial Colors – Qing Dynasty Court Costumes from the Palace Museum," hundreds of precious imperial clothing, alongside embroidered treasures and accessories from cloth and socks to flower tapestries and ornaments are on display. Visitors can explore the ceremonial meanings behind the designs of each artifact, and fully appreciate the detailed craftsmanship required to weave the sophisticated intricacies, while experiencing the aesthetics of more than a hundred years ago.

The museum has assembled the robes of four emperors: Kangxi, Qianlong, Jiaqing and Tongzhi, the robes and clothes of six empresses and queens, including Empress Cixi, as well as the relevant clothing accessories of many concubines, making it a spectacular sight for everyone to witness the grandness and flair of those who walked the aisles and halls of the imperial court.

With colors as the theme, the exhibition has been divided into sections based on the major colors of the imperial dressing, allowing visitors to experience and capture for themselves the essence of the myriad shades that run through the colors of the palace. Visitors will also be able to understand the aesthetic significance in all sorts of different scenarios and occasions of that time: commemorating the deceased, imperial proceedings, festivals and everyday life.

The museum has also adopted VR (virtual reality) technology to enhance the learning experience: the technology aims to project and bring visitors closer to what an everyday scene might have looked like in the past, so as to let visitors better picture the lives of people in the imperial courts.