Food culture is a vital component of traditional Chinese heritage, boasting a rich and diverse history. ‘A Movable Feast: The Culture of Food and Drink in China’ takes the audience through a feast that traverses spiritual, cultural and physical spaces. It explores the culinary culture and lifestyle of ancient Chinese people through the evolution of food vessels, eating practices and traditions, presenting approximately 110 exquisite works. These objects, primarily on loan from The Palace Museum, span from the Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty. Additional works on display come from the British Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, as well as museums in Hong Kong.

Photo 1–3 | © The Palace Museum
Photo 1 | Lobed cup with dragon-shaped handle, Song dynasty (960–1279)
Photo 2 | ‘A Night Banquet at Peach and Plum Garden’ (detail) by Ding Guanpeng, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Photo 3 | Portable box with dragons amid waves, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736–1795)