The Beginning of the World Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera

Since time immemorial, China has been interested in the Great Narrative of the Universe. Even before the first dynasties, observers of the Heavens tracked the movement of celestial bodies. Cosmology, then astronomy, became State sciences, and the emperors – the Sons of Heaven – became custodians of the interdependence between the sky and the Empire. China was considered as much part of Heaven as of Earth. The exhibition The Beginning of the World: Dragons, Phoenix and other Chimera vividly illustrates how the story of this relationship can be observed through the prism of jade. Arching back over eighty centuries, this venerable stone is a mirror reflecting Heaven, Earth and mankind. Its inner beauty enchants and delights yet also leaves us pondering. The exhibition features emblematic symbols, mythical creatures, and ritual implements – over two hundred remarkable jade pieces from the collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, a collection they began in Switzerland in 1966 when they visited Vladimir Rosenbaum’s art gallery in Ascona. The jades are complemented by other gems: agates, turquoises, and crystal, as well as delicate liturgical silk fabrics embroidered with gold thread, which are all also part of this exceptional collection.