LAHORE: The Lahore Museum has established the Chinese Art Gallery by exhibiting beautiful and worth seeing artifacts.

“There was no independent Chinese art gallery in the museum although it had Chinese art artifacts in its store. Owing to significance of Chinese art collection, an exhibition of Chinese artifacts for the tourists was needed,” Lahore Museum Director Ejaz Ahmed Minhas told Dawn.

He said the Chinese arts and crafts had a remarkable contribution to the art of Asia. Different dynasties of ancient China, including Ming and Qing dynasties, played a great role in enhancing the cultural traditions of the region, he said and added that the Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1,368 to 1,644AD and it was known for its trade connections to the outside world and establishing cultural ties with the West.

“The Ming dynasty is also remembered for its drama, literature and porcelain,” Mr Minhas added.

In the newly-established Chinese Gallery, the artifacts include jars, utensils, teapots and plates along with many other artifacts belonging to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The artifacts reveal the quality of painting and variety of shapes for which these two dynasties have had a historic reputation. The surface of these ceramics is beautifully painted with flora and fauna and other traditional motifs from China whose patterns are pleasing to see. The specimens of ivory carvings are also displayed in the form of a chessboard and chessmen, jewellery box of ivory and wood. These artifacts have been donated to the Lahore Museum by the late Molana Hifzur Rahman in the 1960s.

Chinese porcelain artifacts include large porcelain jars of the Ming Dynasty, decorated with traditional Chinese floral motifs, depicting floral patterns and sunflower motifs in blue and white colours. Other artifacts include a flower vase from Qing dynasty, chandelier, enameled plates, ivory mirror frame, paper cutter, flower vase, cylindrical vase, ivory tusk, showing seated the Buddha figure, traditional fly-whisk with an ivory handle, a ivory hand fan, a mirror frame and white rods all made of ivory.

An octagonal box showing seven containers and six small trays, showing landscape in lacquer decoration, male robe, boat in dragon shape, brass vase and utensils are also on display.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2022