Four must-see exhibits

Celadon-glazed Ru Kiln Brush Washer

Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127)

Made exclusively for the Northern Song court, Ru Kiln porcelain wares are by far the most celebrated of Chinese ceramics, known for their scarcity and refined beauty. These vessels are characterized by their simple forms and light color described as "blue of the sky after the rain". This brush washer is one of the few Ru wares that have survived today. The vessel has a diameter of 13 centimeters, with a glossy blue glaze and dense ice crackle. It is in near-pristine condition and recognized as a fine example of the guanyao or court ware of the imperial Ru Kiln, which existed in the late 11th and early 12th centuries.

Archaic Bronze Xijia Plate

Fifth year of King Xuan of the Western Zhou Dynasty (823 BC)

The plate, at a diameter of 47 cm, is engraved with an inscription of 133 Chinese characters in 13 rows telling about the life and achievements of a marshal named Xijia who followed King Xuan on punitive expeditions to a tribe in the north, and to collect articles of tribute from tribes in the south. The inscription provides important information for the studies of the period's social structures.

Jade Memorial Seal of the Empress Wen

Hongxi reign (1424-25), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

This is a fragmented seal with one-half intact. The seal is 10.2 cm tall and 10 cm long. The mottled grayish-green jade seal is sculpted into a dragon squatting on a square pedestal. The fierce-looking dragon has a flattened snout, round eyes and elongated eyeblows flowing backward beside the horns. The base of the seal originally had 16 characters, with only seven characters still remaining: Tian Qi Sheng Wen Huang Hou Bao, the posthumous title of the empress. This is a rare surviving seal from the imperial court of the Ming Dynasty.

Doucai Chicken Cup

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

The tiny cup stands no more than 4 cm tall with a diameter of 8.2 cm. It depicts a red rooster and a golden hen in the garden with their chicks, a scene that signifies harmonious country life. Doucai, which translates to "competing for color" or "contrasting colors", is a variety of decorative porcelain formed by the combination of a blue-and-white underglaze and overglaze decoration.