National Treasures Reunite: Exhibition Traces Palace Museum Relics’ Wartime Journey

Chongqing - On Nov 21, the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum opened "The Stories Between Chongqing & the Palace Museum," a special exhibition tracing the southward relocation of Palace Museum relics and the westward journey of privately owned treasures during the Global Anti-Fascist War. Featuring more than 100 precious artifacts and over 40 sets of historical images and archival materials jointly presented by the Three Gorges Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition highlights Chongqing's vital role as a wartime guardian of cultural heritage.

Following the Mukden Incident in 1931, the Palace Museum’s Board of Trustees resolved to relocate its treasures to prevent them from falling into the hands of invading forces. In February 1933, the first batch of relics was sent south. Over the next several years, nearly one million artifacts traveled tens of thousands of kilometers across more than ten provinces, first moving southward and later westward.

As one of the major wartime storage sites, Chongqing began receiving relics in January 1938. Nearly 9,500 crates of Palace Museum artifacts—along with numerous privately owned cultural items, including paintings, calligraphy, and jade pieces—were transported to the city under the constant threat of bombardment. Chongqing became both a refuge for the nation’s cultural treasures and a key junction for their eventual post-war return.

“More than 80 years have passed, and although the smoke of war has long dissipated, the spiritual strength behind these relics has never faded,” said Chang Xiaoyong, Director of the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum.

“Today, the ‘representatives’ of the Palace Museum relics that once traveled south and later returned north are reunited with the westward-relocated relics that found a home in Chongqing. The history of the Palace Museum’s relocation is a cultural victory of the Chinese nation against invasion and a vivid expression of the wartime spirit embodied in cultural preservation. This shared journey of hardship and guardianship between Chongqing and the Palace Museum will not be forgotten. It remains an enduring symbol of the nation’s collective effort to safeguard its cultural roots in times of peril,” Chang said.

The exhibition is organized into three sections: “The Long March of National Treasures,” “Chongqing as Guardian,” and “Treasures Returned to the People.” The final section also presents rare Palace Museum items allocated to Chongqing—some being displayed to the public for the first time—such as a seal case, a Liuping waist saber, and a key tag once used by an imperial consort, underscoring the enduring cultural ties between the two cities.

Among them, the Qing-dynasty silver lidded hotpot — 37 cm tall with a 41 cm diameter — features an exquisite lobed shape, auspicious engravings, and a structure comprising lid, pot, stand, and burner tray. The pot is divided into seven compartments, reminiscent of today’s "nine-grid" Chongqing hotpot. 

"It is beautifully crafted and remarkably well preserved. And it has a special connection with Chongqing — its structure echoes the city's iconic hotpot culture," said Jiang Jie, associate researcher at the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum. 

In addition to the static displays, the exhibition features themed lectures, youth educational programs, and a series of cultural and creative interactive experiences.