Description:
This gallery features the large Ming Tomb, a corner of a Chinese Imperial Palace building, the Tombs of Han and Tang, and a large display of artifacts illustrating the development of Chinese architecture from the 2nd century BC to the 17th century AD. The ROM holds the largest and best collection of Chinese architectural artifacts outside of China.
The Ming Tomb was acquired by the ROM in 1919. Made of stone, the tomb includes two gates, four large sculptures, an altar and an octagonal burial mound. Built in 1656 AD, the tomb may belong to the famous general Zu Dashou who, around 400 years ago, fought to defend the Ming Dynasty against the Manchus.
In traditional society, people visited the tombs of their family members several times a year. To represent this custom, a large wooden carriage with matching harness—the kind used to visit family tombs—is placed next to the Ming Tomb.
The centrepiece of this gallery is the spectacular reconstruction of the corner of a 17th-century Chinese Imperial Palace building, the type found in Beijing’s Forbidden City. A crew of Chinese artisans from the National Museum of Chinese Architecture in Beijing assembled the life-sized architectural fragment and painted and gilded it in a traditional style at the ROM. |
