Thailand has sent 228 of its national treasures to Beijing for a large-scale exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Thai–Chinese diplomatic relations.
The exhibition, “Ten Thousand Auspicious Blessings: Eternal Bonds,” opened this week at the Ancient Palace Museum inside the Forbidden City and will run through February 24, 2026.
The exhibition is being organized by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts Department, working with the Royal Thai Embassy in Beijing, the Thailand Foundation and China’s Palace Museum and The Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation.
Thai officials say it is one of the centerpiece events of a year-long program celebrating the milestone and represents the largest collection of Thai artefacts ever loaned to China.
Phnombootra Chadrajoti, director-general of Thailand’s Fine Arts Department, said the scale of the loan is unprecedented. This is the first time the country has sent such a large number of historically important items abroad.
The exhibition is housed in Wenhua Hall, one of the Forbidden City’s most significant historic structures, which has been opened specifically for the three-month event.
China has also provided more than 50 artefacts from its own imperial collections. Displayed together, the Thai and Chinese artefacts highlight long-running cultural, diplomatic and artistic ties between the two countries.
The Ten Thousand Auspicious Blessings: Eternal Bonds moves through four connected themes that look at the early history of Thai–Chinese contact, shared beliefs and religious practices, court art, and the survival of traditional Thai craftsmanship today.
Curators say the structure is meant to show how trade, diplomacy and spiritual ideas shaped the cultural development of both nations over many centuries.
A decorative elephant motif from Ayutthaya is exhibited in Beijing, highlighting the city’s UNESCO World Heritage status.//Photo: Fine Art Department
One of the earliest pieces on display is a three-legged prehistoric earthenware vessel found at the Ban Kao archaeological site in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi Province.
A prehistoric three-legged vessel from Ban Kao, Thailand, reveals early cultural connections with ancient China.// Photo: Fine Art Department
Its form is similar to ancient pottery found in archeological sites in China, pointing to early cultural links before formal diplomatic relations existed.
A series of Benjarong porcelain objects shows how Thai and Chinese artisans influenced one another. One bowl depicts scenes from the “Chinese classic Journey to the West” and was produced in China for the Siamese court.
Benjarong porcelain pieces depict scenes from the Chinese classic Journey to the West.//Photo: Fine Art Department
It is displayed next to another Benjarong bowl decorated with episodes from Phra Aphai Mani, a Thai literary work whose imagery was painted by Siamese artists onto Chinese-made porcelain. The two pieces illustrate how imported materials were adapted to reflect local identity.
Other significant loans include gold and silver items from the crypt of the Wat Ratchaburana temple in Ayutthaya. Miniature crowns, repoussé plaques and decorative animal motifs were sent to Beijing as part of an effort to highlight Ayutthaya’s heritage and its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the exhibition’s centerpieces is the Gong Throne from the reign of King Rama V, which has never before been shown outside Thailand. China is displaying an imperial throne backdrop from the Qianlong era beside it, setting up a visual dialogue between the two royal traditions.
Craft traditions still alive
The show also brings attention to Thailand’s living craft traditions. The country’s Ten Divisions of Traditional Crafts have provided contemporary works, including a model of the Suphannahong Royal Barge, Khon masks and ceremonial boat curtains.
A model of the Suphannahong Royal Barge is among 228 Thai treasures on display in China until February 2026.//Photo: Fine Arts Department
Thai officials say these additions are meant to demonstrate that classical craftsmanship continues to be practiced and preserved, and they hope the exhibition will help promote Thai artisanal products to Chinese audiences.
“The exhibition aims to deepen cultural understanding and encourage tourism. The show highlight ‘the artistic threads’ that have connected Thailand and China throughout history,” said Thailand’s Minister of Culture Sabeeda Thaised.
The Fine Arts Department stated that China places great importance on the Ten Thousand Auspicious Blessings: Eternal Bonds exhibition.
Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Thailand’s King and Queen to make an official visit to China and to view the exhibition as its first guests.
The Fine Art Department called the invitation a significant honor and said it reflects the importance China places on the cultural exchange.
“The Government of the People’s Republic of China places great importance on this exhibition. President Xi Jinping has invited His Majesty the King and Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana to view the ‘Ten Thousand Auspicious Blessings: Eternal Bonds’ exhibition as its inaugural guests on November 17,” said Phnombootra Chadrajoti, director-general of Thailand’s Fine Arts Department.
With the exhibition now open to the public, Thai authorities say the exhibition is intended not only to commemorate five decades of diplomatic relations but also to underscore a longer, intertwined cultural history that continues to shape the two countries today.
