Items from the collection of the National Museum of China to be presented in Russia for the first time

From 11 April to 17 August 2025, the exhibition halls of the Patriarch's Palace and the Assumption Belfry of the Moscow Kremlin Museums will host the exhibition "Fine Dining. Stories of Food in Ancient China". For the first time in Russia, artefacts from the collection of the National Museum of China will be presented, revealing the peculiarities of the country's culinary traditions. TV BRICS is the international media partner of the event.

The exposition brings together 145 unique exhibits telling about grain crops, millennia-old traditions of wine and tea consumption, cooking techniques and the art of making crockery. The exhibition is divided into five thematic blocks: "Food from the Eight Corners of the World", "The Bouquet of Wine and the Scent of Tea", "Evolution of Kitchenware", "Precious Tableware", and "The Ritual Starts with a Meal".

A Chinese proverb says: "Exquisite food comes with exquisite tableware" – and this rule can be traced in every exhibit. The exposition of the Patriarchal Palace will present unique artefacts reflecting this principle: from simple ceramic vessels to exquisite bronze, gold, silver and jade items created by masters of different epochs. Visitors will see an ashi porcelain bowl from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), a plate with the inscription "Good Wine" from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and a ceramic model of a barn from the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD).

The Chinese have always sought to surround their meals with aesthetics – gourmet meals were complemented by music, dance, and theatrical performances. Many traditions originating in ancient times have been preserved to this day, reminding that gastronomy in China is not just a process of satiety, but a whole philosophy.

The exhibition is part of the programme of the Cross Cultural Years of Russia and China (2024-2025) and is a response to the exhibition "Russian Feast – Traditional Foods, Drinks, and the Art of Table Setting", previously held in Beijing. The presentation of the project will take place on 2 April 2025 at 11:00 at the BRICS+ Information and Cultural Media Centre, where Elena Gagarina, General Director of the Kremlin Museums, will give details about the upcoming exhibition.

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