Carl Sagan stated, “You have to know the past to understand the present.” Understanding China is no small task, but this extraordinary exhibition provides a fascinating glimpse into a shadowy era of the country's history. From 1796, the accession of Jiaqing, fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty, to the abdication of last emperor, Puyi, in 1912, the 19th century was a tumultuous time for today's superpower. Through catastrophic wars and the disruptions of modernisation, everything changed and set the stage for a revolution that was to reverberate into the present era. The present exhibition brings together 300 objects, half from The British Museum and half borrowed from 30 different British and international lenders. The display is the culmination of a four year project involving the collaboration of over 100 scholars from 14 countries. Divided into six sections: Court, Military, Artists, Everyday Life, Global Qing and Reform to Revolution, the story is told in a dramatic and perso