A golden age for Chinese art

One of the artworks from China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) that will be on show at the British Museum from September. Provided to China Daily

The latest in a series of exhibitions focuses on bringing the best in ancient Chinese treasures to Britain

UK art experts are predicting a growth in interest in Chinese art and culture, driven by people's desire to view ancient pieces rarely seen before in the country.

From next month, a landmark exhibition of treasures from the golden age of Chinese history is to be put on at the British Museum. The curator says the exhibition will "dazzle" visitors.

Its focus is on how China became a superpower in the first half of the 15th century and the wealth of beautiful objects it produced during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), says its curator, Jessica Harrison-Hall. She adds that it is only now that British audiences are starting to fully understand Chinese art.

"The exhibition concentrates on 50 particular years, when China was becoming a global superpower," she explains.

"It is like our Elizabethan era - a golden age. Probably the most beautiful things ever made in China were made at this time.

"It will include priceless pieces of porcelain, silk robes, golden vessels and jewelry, weapons, paintings, furniture and arguably the world's first encyclopedia."

The event - Ming: 50 years that changed China - is being funded by a group of 10 Chinese institutions and 21 international lenders, and is also expected to feature new research as well as exhibits from that time in Chinese history.

"An understanding of this period is very beneficial for both people in China and the UK because there were so many echoes of the present at this time - this is a great opportunity to explore some of those relationships," Harrison-Hall adds.

Running until January, it has been given the official backing of the British Arts & Humanities Research Council - a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, along with the other UK research councils - which has meant academics from all over the world have been brought in to help.

The event will focus on five main themes: court, military and literary cultures, the distinction between beliefs and trade, and diplomacy.

One of the stars of the show will be the period's great Chinese mariner Zheng He.

"In Britain, people know about Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, but know less about Zheng.

"It might surprise many to hear about some of his spectacular journeys - to East Africa and the Middle East - around the early 15th century.

"Even the Spanish ambassador to Samarkand, traditionally the second-largest city in Uzbekistan, was reported to have talked about the extraordinary beauty of China's crafts and how many people were involved in their production," says Harrison-Hall.

"This is a very rich and accessible period of Chinese history that is perhaps less well known than many others."