Pine, Plum and Cranes, 1759, by Shen Quan (1682—1760). Hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk. The Palace Museum, Beijing.

Auspiciousness

For more than two millennia the Chinese have ensured good outcomes for themselves and their offspring by reading omens and depicting signs of good fortune in their houses, palaces and temples. Natural phenomena, such as birds, flowers and particular weather conditions, have always been treated as signs of good fortune. This room presents paintings, embroideries and artefacts that embody the imagery of these auspicious signs that were essential decoration of the palace. For instance, the double gourd is seen as a sign of many descendents, while the crane is always an auspicious bird and is shown in embroideries and paintings. Many such emblems or symbols depend upon puns. The word for ‘crane’ is a homonym for the word for ‘harmonious’. Significant gifts to the Emperor, the ruyi scepters, are also on displayed. These have rarely, if ever, been seen outside Beijing.