China Institute Gallery to Present Medieval Wonder of the World DABAO'EN TEMPLE, December 16

China Institute Gallery will present one of the medieval wonders of the world – the Dabao'en Temple in Nanjing, China – on Saturday, December 16, 2023. The event will feature a video premier, lecture, and reception at China Institute Gallery from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 100 Washington Street in Lower Manhattan. (Temporary entrance at 40 Rector Street.) Admission is free.
 
The video, Revealing the Legendary Dabao'en Temple, is one of a series of videos that China Institute Gallery is producing to provide educational resources on major trends in traditional Chinese art. Produced under the banner of Chinese Art Explained, the videos provide exhibition highlights and discuss notable movements in Chinese art history. They will be accessible on China Institute's website.
 
The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, part of the Dabao'en Temple (also known as the Great Bao'en Monastery), was considered one of the seven medieval wonders of the world. Destroyed by rebels in the 19th century, a full-size replica of the tower exists today in Nanjing.
 
THE DABAO'EN TEMPLE – EVENT DETAILS
Saturday, December 16
 
2:05 p.m. Welcome Remarks
 
2:10 p.m. Video Premiere: Revealing the Legendary Dabao'en Temple
The legends surrounding the Dabao'en Temple are explored in this new 19-minute video, which presents archaeological findings on the most important imperial temple in Chinese history since the 15th century. Written and directed by Willow Weilan Hai, Director and Chief Curator of China Institute Gallery.
 
2:30 p.m. Lecture: The Great Bao'en Monastery Pagoda
This lecture traces the beginnings of the enigmatic Porcelain Tower, also known as the Great Bao'en Monastery Pagoda, explaining why so little is known about its physical appearance and how it nevertheless has been famous for half a millennium. Rebuilt in 2015, it continues to inspire awe and majesty just as it did in the 15th century.
Lecture by Dr. Nancy Steinhardt, Professor of East Asian Art and Curator of Chinese Art at the University of Pennsylvania.
Followed by a Q&A session.
 
4 p.m. Reception
 
To RSVP for the Dabao'en Temple event, contact: tjiao@chinainstitute.org
 
NEW VIDEO LIBRARY
Video Library: Chinese Art Explained 知库, a series of new videos on China Institute's website, explores highlights of China's rich cultural history, lasting over 5,000 years. Videos in the series to date are as follows:
 
Flowers on a River: The Art of Chinese Flower-and-Bird Painting, 1368-1911, Masterworks from Tianjin Museum and Changzhou Museum
This 27-minute video captures the grandeur of this highly praised landmark exhibition presented at China Institute Gallery in spring 2023. The video reviews three sections:  Precious Plums of the Palace: Academicism and Court Painters; Fragrant Plums in the Wild: The Literati and Their Painting Schools; and Vitality of Nature: Flower-and-Bird Painting and Customs. Written and directed by Director and Chief Curator of China Institute Gallery Willow Weilan Hai, lead curator of the exhibition.
 

• Chinese Flower and Bird Painting with Photography

This 19-minute video compares traditional Chinese flower-and-bird painting with contemporary photography, tracing nature's creations and their inspiration for this major genre of Chinese painting, which entwines creative brush work with poetry. Written and directed by Willow Weilan Hai, Director and Chief Curator of China Institute Gallery.
 

• The World of Flower-and-Bird Painting – International Symposium

This video captures the entire full-day symposium in conjunction with the exhibition: Flowers on a River: The Art of Chinese Flower-and-Bird Painting, 1368-1911, Masterworks from Tianjin Museum and Changzhou Museum, held on March 25, 2023, at China Institute Gallery. Scholars, collectors, and artists shared their thoughts and study on the subject.
 

• Revealing the Legendary Dabao'en Temple

The legends surrounding the Dabao'en Temple are explored in this new 19-minute video, which presents archaeological findings on the most important imperial temple in Chinese history since the 15th century. Written and directed by Willow Weilan Hai, Director and Chief Curator of China Institute Gallery.
 
The nation's oldest and most highly recognized educational institution devoted solely to Chinese culture, China Institute advances a deeper understanding of China through programs in education, culture, art, and business. With the belief that cross-cultural understanding strengths our global community, China Institute is the go-to resource on China—from ancient art to today's business landscape and its rapidly shifting culture. The Institute's programs, school, and gallery exhibitions bring to life the depth, complexity and dynamism of China. Programs, activities, courses, and seminars are offered on the visual and performing arts, culture, history, music, philosophy, language, and literature for the general public, children, and teachers, as well as for business. Founded in 1926 by Chinese reformers Hu Shi, K.P. Wen, and John Dewey, China Institute is the oldest bicultural, non-profit organization in America to focus exclusively on China.
 
China Institute Gallery is renowned for its intimate, first-class thematic exhibitions, which are accompanied by in-depth scholarly catalogues. Since 1966, the Gallery has presented over 100 exhibitions across all art forms including calligraphy, painting, ceramics, bronzes, jades, decorative art, folk art, architecture, photography, textiles, and contemporary art. Covering 5,000 years of Chinese history from the Neolithic period to present day, China Institute Gallery is the only non-commercial exhibition space solely dedicated to Chinese art in New York and the United States. The Gallery's commitment to education through catalogues and art programming makes Chinese art available to audiences far beyond the Gallery's doors. China Institute Gallery has collaborated with numerous Chinese museums. These exhibitions have showcased rarely seen collections from provincial and municipal museums in China, presenting cultural treasures as well as newly excavated artifacts to illuminate China's rich cultural history. More information available online at: www.chinainstitute.org.