Yuanming New Garden - Western Clock Museum.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Westerners and Western objects entering the Forbidden City mostly entered Beijing via Macau. In 1582, the Italian missionary Matteo Ricci, who came to Macau, used two Western self-sounding clocks, one large and one small, to win the favor of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty, and successfully stayed in the palace as a clock and watch mechanic. Western instruments and scientific and technological knowledge have since become the magic weapon for foreign missionaries.

Western clocks and watches quickly became the favorite of the Ming and Qing courts, and playing with various self-sounding clocks became a new fashion for Chinese emperors. Emperor Qianlong loved Western clocks and watches. The Qing Palace Clock Factory was also the most prosperous during the Qianlong period. It was composed of more than 100 Western missionaries, craftsmen, and clock eunuchs. The main task was to make various clocks and watches according to the emperor's will. The finished products were decorated with luxury and the mechanical level was comparable to Western imports.

In the "Western Clock Museum", various types of novel and complex Western clocks and watches are displayed.

Post by JamesAnderson.28 | Oct 7, 2024