Hong Kong Palace Museum Launches Landmark Islamic Art Exhibition

Hong Kong Palace Museum Launches Landmark Islamic Art Exhibition
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In a landmark cultural initiative highlighting centuries of artistic and civilizational exchange, the Hong Kong Palace Museum has opened its first-ever major Islamic art exhibition, titled “Wonders of the Imperial Carpet: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art.” The exhibition, which runs exclusively in Hong Kong until October 6, brings together a remarkable collection of Islamic treasures that underscore deep historical connections between China and the Islamic world.

Featuring over 90 rare artifacts, the exhibition includes 18th-century Chinese porcelain adorned with gilded Quranic inscriptions, crescent moons, and stars, as well as exquisite Safavid carpets, illuminated manuscripts, and intricately crafted objects that blend Arabic calligraphy with traditional Chinese decorative motifs.

These works, originating from the great Gunpowder Empires—the Safavid, Mughal, and Ottoman dynasties—serve as a testament to cultural convergence rather than conflict. Among the highlights is a royal Quran once owned by a Safavid Shah, displayed alongside a Persian carpet gifted to the Duke of Venice, offering a powerful artistic message that Islam has historically expressed itself through beauty, art, and refinement, far from the misconceptions of hostility.

The exhibition opens with a large maritime map illustrating ancient trade routes that connected southern China with the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa as early as the 10th century. This visual narrative reaffirms the depth of trade and cultural exchange that introduced Islam to new regions through commerce, art, and shared values—rather than conquest.

The exhibition stands not only as a showcase of stunning artifacts but also as a bridge between civilizations, reinforcing the idea that art and history can foster mutual understanding in an increasingly divided world.