Paris (CNS) -- The "Royal Court Living Cultural Relics Exhibition of the Ming and Qing Dynasties" was unveiled at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Monday.
Frédéric Mitterrand (French Minister of Culture and Communication), Kong Quan (Chinese Ambassador to France) and the show's two curators attended the opening ceremony.
129 cultural relics and series, 22 of which are rated as first-grade, as well as a model of the Forbidden City, are on display. The exhibition has four parts: governance, art, residence and architecture, mainly focusing on the most prosperous age under Emperors Kangxi to Qianlong (1681–1796).
The exhibition is part of the bilateral cooperative program called "The Forbidden City at the Louvre," providing a close examination of the parallel history of the two palaces, both of which were once residences of royal families and now serve as museums.
The two museums established relations in 2005 and signed two five-year cooperative plans. The Louvre brought the Napoleon Exhibition to Beijing during its visit in 2008.
Mitterrand told CNS: "The Chinese antiques are unparalleled. We thank the Chinese friends for bringing the treasures for our appreciation."
Coincidentally, the two royal palaces were finished around the same period. Both of them are mysterious and glorious. It is a matter of course that the two treasures should meet at some historical point, he added.
According to Ambassador Kong, preparation for the exhibition took over two years, and the show will provide French audiences with a novel view of Chinese civilization.
All group tickets were booked, which is solid evidence of French enthusiasm, said Zheng Xinmiao, curator of the Palace Museum.
A French youth in the audience told CNS in fluent Chinese that his visit to the Forbidden City was impressive, and he would not miss another chance to admire such royal Chinese treasures in his home country.
