The Context

Today, we’ll talk about how the hidden murals of Beijing’s Fahai Temple, created by Ming Dynasty court painters nearly 600 years ago, combine extraordinary craftsmanship, lavish use of gold, and a long history of protection to form one of the most overlooked masterpieces in world art.

Today, we’ll talk about a Yuan dynasty handscroll depicting two contrasting horses that uses artful realism and moral allegory to rebuke corruption and celebrate integrity, while also revealing how Chinese paintings are able to express political ethics across the centuries.

Today, we’ll talk about how the monumental Daoist murals of Yongle Palace, which were created amid war, transformed Chinese religious art, and later survived an unprecedented relocation to become one of China’s greatest cultural treasures.

Today, we’ll talk about an important Ming Dynasty port that became a cradle of globalization. Yuegang, in Fujian Province, started as a smuggling hub but was later developed into the only legally sanctioned port for private overseas trade during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Today, we’ll talk about how Dunhuang’s murals, which are layered with faith, art, and cross-cultural exchange, preserve a thousand-year visual history of China and the Silk Road.