Harmony and Dining: An Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Food Culture | National Historical Museum
Exhibitions
Food is a universal language of life for humankind, and a most tender dialogue between different civilizations. The exhibition "Harmony in the Brocade: Ancient Chinese Culinary Culture," jointly organized by the National Museum of China and the National Museum of History of Brazil, will officially open to the public in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, starting June 27, 2026. It aims to build a bridge for dialogue between Chinese and Brazilian civilizations through food. This exhibition is a key project of the 2026 "China-Brazil Year of Culture" and has been selected as one of the National Cultural Heritage Administration's 2026 "Civilization Bridge Project – Outstanding Cultural Relics Exhibitions Abroad" projects. This exhibition features over one hundred exquisite artifacts related to ancient Chinese cuisine, including bronze tripods, bronze ovens and other cooking utensils, as well as finely crafted tableware, tea sets and wine vessels, covering various categories such as pottery, bronzes, porcelain, gold and silver ware, and jade. The exhibition, divided into five sections—"Nourishing Diet," "Cooked Foods and Hot Drinks," "Reverence for Heaven and Etiquette," "Pleasing to the Eye and Heart," and "Sharing Beauty"—presents a panoramic view of the rich connotations and unique charm of ancient Chinese food culture from multiple dimensions. Food not only sustains basic human survival but also witnesses social development and change, and vividly expresses different cultural lifestyles. This overseas exhibition will allow the Brazilian public to get closer to the kitchens and tables of ancient China, experience the passion and wisdom of life that transcends time and civilization, and inject new vitality into the friendly relations between China and Brazil.