The splendor of a Ming Dynasty empress crown

Featuring an intricate design and exquisite craftsmanship, a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) empress crown with twelve dragons and nine phoenixes reflects the aesthetic sensibilities and artistic achievements of its time.

This photo taken on October 10, 2026 shows details of the Twelve-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown of Empress Xiaojing from the Ming Dynasty on display at the Capital Museum in Beijing. /CGTN This photo taken on October 10, 2026 shows details of the Twelve-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown of Empress Xiaojing from the Ming Dynasty on display at the Capital Museum in Beijing. /CGTN This photo taken on October 10, 2026 shows details of the Twelve-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown of Empress Xiaojing from the Ming Dynasty on display at the Capital Museum in Beijing. /CGTN This photo taken on October 10, 2026 shows details of the Twelve-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown of Empress Xiaojing from the Ming Dynasty on display at the Capital Museum in Beijing. /CGTN Standing 32 centimeters tall and weighing 2,595 grams, the crown of Empress Xiaojing is adorned with 121 gemstones and 3,588 pearls.

It is one of the four empress crowns excavated from the Dingling Mausoleum, part of the Ming Tombs in Beijing, in the 1950s.

The Twelve-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown of Empress Xiaojing from the Ming Dynasty is on display at the Capital Museum in Beijing on October 10, 2026. /CGTN The Twelve-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown of Empress Xiaojing from the Ming Dynasty is on display at the Capital Museum in Beijing on October 10, 2026. /CGTN The Twelve-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown of Empress Xiaojing from the Ming Dynasty is on display at the Capital Museum in Beijing on October 10, 2026. /CGTN The crown is part of the collection of the museum at the Ming Tombs.

It is currently on display at the Capital Museum until October 18.