The Chamber of Young Snow Art Exhibition Hall of Lingnan University presents Exhortations to Promote Good Deeds by Empress Renxiao of the Great Ming - Exploring the relationship between moral education books and politics in the Ming Dynasty

The Chamber of Young Snow Art Exhibition Hall at Lingnan University presents “Print and Preservation: Special Exhibition on the Exhortations to Promote Good Deeds by Empress Renxiao of the Great Ming” 《古刻薪傳⸺大明仁孝皇后勸善書特展》. This is the first public display of the rare 1405 imperial edition from the third year of the Yongle reign compiled by Empress Renxiao of the Ming dynasty. A detailed examination of the historical context and content of this work highlights how the Ming imperial court published ethical and moral texts to assert its legitimacy and stability. Visitors will receive a free copy of the picture book “Dai Ming: Keeper of Time and Legacy” created by artist Lam Kin-choi at certain events held as part of the special exhibition. For more details, please stay tuned to our social media channels. The exhibition runs from now until 2 December 2025.

This rare third year of the Yongle reign imperial edition was intended exclusively for the crown prince and other princes (Photos 1 and 2), and most surviving copies are in the Palace Museum. However, the 1407 edition, published in the fifth year of the Yongle reign, was widely distributed to the public at the request of Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi after the death of Empress Renxiao, increasing its influence on both officials and commoners across the empire and beyond, making it a foundational text in Ming moral education.

Curated by the Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries, Dr Yang Lok-man, the Curator, explained that as this artefact is being exhibited in Hong Kong for the first time, it is a golden opportunity to see it and understand by reading Empress Renxiao’s preface how she reinforced the Yongle Emperor’s claim to the throne, particularly in the context of the Jingnan Rebellion. Dr Yang said "This book was compiled by Empress Renxiao herself as a moral education text intended to promote virtuous behaviour and prevent wrongdoing at its earliest stages. The text upholds the Confucian Five Relationships (between ruler and subject, father and son, elder and younger brothers, husband and wife, and between friends) as the standard for distinguishing right from wrong. It emphasises loyalty to the sovereign and filial piety toward one’s parents as part of the implementation of cultural and moral governance."

The exhibition is generously supported by the Chamber of Young Snow, an initiative which fosters cultural exchanges between China and the West, and loans precious items from its collection for display. To create a better understanding of the historical context of the book, a section is dedicated to portraits of Ming emperors and empresses, visually reconstructing the imperial lineage and providing deeper historical context to the Exhortations.

The project also features a special collaboration with artist Lam Kin-choi on the picture book “Dai Ming: Keeper of Time and Legacy” (Photo 3), available in Chinese, English, Nepali, and Urdu. The Chinese print edition will be distributed free of charge, and a digital version will be accessible online. Designed with engaging and easy-to-understand narratives, the book introduces readers of all ages to the evolution and diversity of Chinese book and printing technology.

Exhibition details

Print and Preservation: Special Exhibition of the Exhortations to Promote Good Deeds by Empress Renxiao of the Great Ming is open to the public from now until 2 December 2025. Free admission. Details are as follows:

For more details about the exhibition, please visit:

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