Beijing museum celebrates ancient caisson ceiling

The Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum launched an exhibition on the art of ancient Chinese caisson ceilings on Monday, in celebration of the second anniversary of the Beijing Central Axis' World Heritage inscription.

In addition, a series of events across the city on the theme of the Beijing Central Axis and UNESCO's listing of it will be held throughout the year.

The exhibition, which runs until Dec 25, demonstrates how Beijing Longfu Temple's zaojing (caisson ceiling) — a wooden architectural feature typically found in temples and imperial palaces — has been digitally preserved.

Through a clear narrative and diverse display formats, it traces the evolution of China's caisson ceilings and showcases the extraordinary craftsmanship of ancient Chinese artisans across dynasties. Interactive areas such as stamp-collecting stations are also available on-site, where tourists can get well-designed stamps inspired by caisson ceilings and cultural relics.

The exhibition uses precious cultural relics, graphic panels, and videos to interpret the history of Chinese caisson ceilings. It presents the exquisite structure of the caisson ceiling in Longfu Temple and highlights regional stylistic variations.

"It presents for the first time the restoration archives of the caisson ceiling, including vintage photographs and letters, showcasing the dedication and legacy of contemporary cultural relic conservation professionals," said Shi Yi, deputy director of the museum, which oversees the Altar of the God of Agriculture.

Four structural components of the celestial caisson are on display. Three of them have returned to public view after a 15-year absence, while one is being shown to the public for the very first time.

More than 400 cultural and creative products are also available at the museum's stores, with refrigerator magnets drawing inspiration from the celestial caisson ceilings. Since the Beijing Central Axis was inscribed on the World Heritage List, the museum has continuously updated its products to innovate and revitalize cultural heritage.

One popular magnet features a five-layer detachable design, and each ring can be separated and put back together, allowing visitors to view the details of the caisson ceiling.