On November 29, 2024, Timeless Masterpieces: The Exquisite Guangzhou Clock of Qing Dynasty, a major original exhibition hosted by the Guangdong Museum, opened in the No. 1 Exhibition Hall on the 3rd floor of the Guangdong Museum. The exhibition runs until April 6, 2025.

This exhibition, prepared over more than 3 years, is the first and largest-ever special exhibition on Guangzhou Clocks (Guangzhong) of Qing Dynasty. It displays over 110 masterpieces and related artifacts. The exhibition has received strong support from numerous institutions, including the Palace Museum, the Chengde Mountain Resort Museum, the First Historical Archives of China, the Summer Palace Management Office, the Guangzhou Museum, and the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum.

The exhibition is divided into three main parts: "The Measure of Time," "The Art of Time," and "The Warmth of Time." Through exquisite artifacts, historical archives, various Canton-made crafts, and rich multimedia digital displays, it comprehensively presents the diverse aspects and contemporary value of Guangzhou clocks of Qing dynasty from the three dimensions of "The Spirit of Craftsmanship," "Chinese 'Smart' Manufacturing," and "Mutual Learning Among Civilizations."

Part One: "The Measure of Time" traces the history of timekeeping instruments in China, recounting the process from the "clock diplomacy" of Western missionaries to the chiming clock trade of the High Qing (when Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong emperors ruled) era, and finally to the gradual popularization of clocks in Chinese social life. It showcases the historical context, development, and creative spirit of Guangzhou artisans behind the rise of Guangzhou clocks.

Part Two: "The Art of Time" details the stylistic features and unique techniques of Guangzhou clocks—a splendid and exquisite fusion of Chinese and Western styles—from four aspects: wooden clocks, bronze clocks, enamel clocks, and mechanical structures. It highlights the decorative crafts involved in "Guangzhong" production, such as Canton enamel, chasing, inlay, mother-of-pearl inlay, and glass, as well as their complex and refined mechanical structures.

Part Three: "The Warmth of Time" primarily summarizes the museum's achievements in clock conservation and restoration, craft research, digital reconstruction, and revitalization. It also features the inheritance and development of "Guangzhong" techniques by the contemporary Guangdong clockmaking industry, reflecting the "warmth" of cultural inheritance through time.

The exhibition combines macro-narrative with personal perspectives, adopts modern design techniques, and uses AI interactive technology to build an interactive scene, "Pan Chun's Workshop." It features an immersive fusion projection project, "Clock Fantasy," a 3D-mapping projection, "The Mechanical Structure of a Guangzhou Clock," as well as interactive games like "The Secret of Time—Assembling a Guangzhou Clock" and modern installations. These create an overall atmosphere of "technology" and "fluidity," highlighting the creative ability of Qing-dynasty Guangdong artisans and the subtlety of "Chinese 'Smart' Manufacturing." This makes the traditional art of "Guangzhong" visible, audible, tangible, sensible, and playable, bringing a multi-dimensional experience to the visitors. It also allows visitors to experience the eternity of time and the charm of Guangzhou clocks across time and space, all within the exchange and inheritance of culture. 

Selected Highlights and Descriptions

"Guangzhong" is the abbreviation for mechanical clocks manufactured in Guangzhou during the Qing Dynasty, named for their place of origin. They were mechanically complex and gorgeously decorated clocks, independently manufactured in China during the Qing Dynasty, capable of accurately indicating the time. A "Guangzhong" is a timekeeping tool, a high-end work of art, and a high-tech product that integrated cutting-edge Chinese and Western technologies of the time. It thus possesses rich intrinsic meaning, contemporary significance, and civilizational symbolism.

Exhibition Views

Highlights