The Emperor's Dragons: Precious Collections from the Shanghai Museum

Only one place in New Zealand offers the opportunity to get close to over 100 carefully selected ancient dragons.

6000 years worth of China’s cultural heritage is right here at the Otago Museum, in our special exhibition The Emperor’s Dragons, Precious Collections from the Shanghai Museum.

The exhibition follows the story of the dragon through time, highlighting the changing motif on outstanding examples of jade, bronze, ceramics, silk and other works of art and craft – providing a window on the rituals, traditions and luxurious items of a rich and ancient culture.

Representing the Emperor, the dragon holds a place of honour for the Chinese. As a people they consider themselves to be ‘descendants of the dragon’, cherishing its values of independence, positivity and dedication. A creation of the ancient Chinese, the dragon embodies the features of many different animals as well as phenomena such as thunder and tornadoes. A sign of auspiciousness, the dragon is closely linked to seasons and customs, permeating many aspects of Chinese life – including art and architecture, ranking systems, weddings and funerals, dance and poetry, religious and folk festivals.

Possible because of a close and treasured sister-city sister-museum relationship, The Emperor’s Dragons is a beautiful exhibition offering a close-up view of many objects which were made specifically for Emperors and the Emperor’s Court. Just imagine the prestigious circumstances in which these items would have been created, used or displayed!

The Emperor’s Dragons is a collection-rich journey through sixty centuries of one of the most prized symbols in history. Incredibly it will be in Dunedin for the next six months and incredibly it will be admission free.

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to experience the dragon’s roar!