A major exhibition showcasing the ancient Minoan civilisation of Greece opened on Monday at the Palace Museum in Beijing, marking the first large-scale display of Greek antiquity in China.
Titled “Daedalus: Legends of Crete,” the exhibition features 172 cultural relics from the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in Greece, alongside one modern reconstruction. The artefacts offer a comprehensive look into the Minoan civilisation, one of Europe’s earliest Bronze Age cultures, known for its grand palatial architecture, intricate frescoes, and early writing systems.
The exhibition will run from April 15 to July 27. During this period, a series of academic lectures and educational programs will be held to enhance public understanding of ancient civilisations and promote cultural exchange between China and Greece.
Beijing Evening News.
According to Global Times, Greek Ambassador to China, Evgenios Kalpyris, highlighted during Monday’s exhibition opening that Daedalus serves as a universal symbol of creativity. He drew parallels between Greek and Chinese traditions, noting that “In Chinese tradition there are rough equivalents to Daedalus, such as Lu Ban – the inventor of the wooden bird, or Zhuge Liang – the maker of the wooden ox. They all represent creativity,”
The Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City, is one of China’s most iconic cultural landmarks and one of the most well-preserved ancient architectural complexes in the world. It contains one of the largest collections of mechanical timepieces of the 18th and 19th centuries in the world, with more than 1,000 pieces from both China and worldwide.
