Visitors viewing the exhibition at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (TFAM) is exhibiting The Palace of Heaven on Earth: Works from the Palace Museum in Beijing, at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art. Sapporo Television (STV) and TFAM are sponsoring the show. Initially, the exhibition was scheduled to open in Tokyo. As a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which struck the Tohoku area on March 11, the opening was postponed and moved to Hokkaido.

Three hundred guests attended the opening ceremony on July 15, including Vice Dean of the Palace Museum Chen Lihua; Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sapporo Hu Shengcai; and Hokkaido Governor Harumi Takahashi. The exhibition will be open until August 21, 2011.

The exhibition centers on the lives of women in the historic imperial residence, which is part of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Some 200 works are on display, 18 of which are among China's national treasures, made up of paintings and gold, silver, porcelain and other craft works. One illustration from the series of paintings on The Book of Filial Piety for Women, which depicts the Confucian virtue of women during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), is being shown for the first time outside of China.

Ms. Chen expressed his desire that the exhibition would give strength and hope to the people of Japan, stating, "Since the earthquake hit Japan, I'm sure that many of the Japanese people have been full of anxiety. We are determined to help heal and give power to the affected people through the exhibition." He also shared his appreciation for SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's efforts to deepen ties of friendship between China and Japan, fstating that the exhibition was made possible due to Mr. Ikeda's efforts. He concluded by saying that in the face of Japan's current crisis following the earthquake, he hopes that China and Japan can strengthen their friendship and unite to overcome all obstacles together.