Ancient treasures spark new pursuit of beauty
From an empress' coronet to an exquisite necklace, history inspires modern appreciation of Chinese artistry, Lin Qi reports.
On July 19, Luo Li, a schoolteacher from Chengdu, Sichuan province, was pulled from a long queue at the National Museum of China in Beijing while waiting to buy one of the museum's most popular collectibles — an empress coronet magnet.
Surrounded by museum staff and media, Luo was told that the one she purchased was the two millionth coronet magnet sold since the product was first released exactly a year earlier. The magnets, available in both wood and metal versions, have become a sensation. She received the magnet from Li Yafei, a visitor from Shandong province who, in March, had purchased the one millionth magnet.
The unexpected craze has also drawn more visitors to see the original — a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) gold coronet worn by Empress Xiaoduan, lavishly decorated with pearls and precious stones.
