The Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) was honoured to invite Dr. Xiang Kunpeng, Research Fellow of The Palace Museum, Beijing and a visiting scholar of the ICS Visiting Fellowship Programme, to deliver a public lecture on the topic “以「樣」為媒：關於清宮御瓷設計邏輯的探索”.

In the lecture, Dr. Xiang drew on a wide range of ceramics and their design sketches housed at The Palace Museum and other institutions to outline the ceramic-making process during the Qing dynasty. He provided a detailed analysis of the creative rationale behind these ceramics, noting that some of them were imitations of works from pre-Ming dynasties, while others demonstrated an innovative recombination of artistic elements from enamelware, lacquerware, jade carving, glassware, bronzes, and even paintings. These creations not only satisfied the aesthetic preferences of the royal court but also exemplified the flourishing ceramic industry of the time. The lecture concluded with a comparison of ceramics across different dynasties.