China's Palace Museum (Forbidden City) is going to debut part of its cultural relics in London, organizing the largest ever overseas exhibition of the palace since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

The luxurious exhibition, jointly held by the Royal College of Art in London and China's Imperial Palace, is highly regarded by Chinese and British cultural authorities. It is scheduled to open on November 12, 2005 to April, 2006.

A total of 458 relics of the Palace Museum are ready to be shown in the exhibition named "China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795". Paintings, calligraphy, jade articles, bronze, porcelain, embroideries and furniture of the three Qing-dynasty emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianglong from 1662 to 1795 will debut overseas for the first time.

The number of top-grade relics far exceeds the quota previously set for overseas relic exhibition, the organizer said.

The upcoming exhibition will be displayed separately by themes like religion, military achievement, Sino-west dialogue, science and art, contemporary painters and painting art.

The Palace Museum's selected 735 relics were exhibited in London in 1935, when 420,000 people rushed to observe them, raising a wave of enthusiasm for Chinese artifacts.

(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2005)