Relics of rapport

Visitors at Auspicious Beginnings: Joint Exhibition of Artifacts From the Palace Museum and Tibet, in Beijing on April 29
Part of Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy, a silk handscroll by prominent painter Yan Liben (601-673)
A gold octagonal tower with inlaid gems, produced in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), combines styles of both the Han and Tibetan ethnic groups
A more-than-1,300-year-old sandalwood statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, which was a gift from Tibet to the Qing court

One of China's 10 most famous paintings, Bunian Tu, is currently on show at an exhibition in the Palace Museum, China's imperial palace from 1420 to 1911, in Beijing.

Also known as Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy, the masterpiece is a highly prized item in the Palace Museum's collection. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) married Princess Wencheng to Tibetan leader Songtsen Gampo in 641, establishing rapport between the two families. Tibet formally came under the central administration during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).

Before July 30, visitors can take a close look at 108 artifacts from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). They include exhibits from museums and temples in Tibet. The three-month exhibition highlights Tibet's close relations with the central authorities in ancient times.

(Text and photos by Xu Bei)

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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