Magnetic Attraction

Due to its complex production process, the phoenix crown refrigerator magnet takes a relatively long time to make. For the wooden version, a skilled worker can only produce 15 units per hour, while the metal version is even slower, with only six units produced per hour. The People’s Daily reported in November 2024 that production for the wooden phoenix crown refrigerator magnet is expected to reach 5,000 units per day within one to two months. Production of the metal version has expanded from one factory to three, with daily output now reaching 5,000 units.　

From November 1, 2024, the fridge magnet goes on sale in limited quantities at 8 am and 8 pm daily on the museum’s official JD.com and Taobao stores. The museum drops 200 units of the wooden version and 1,000 of the metal version each session.　

The wooden version retails at 46 yuan (US$6) and 78 yuan (US$11) for the metal magnet, both online and at the museum.　

The magnets sell out instantly. Those who miss out resort to lining up at the museum as early as 6 am. However, within 20 minutes of the museum opening, the souvenir sells out. It can sell for multiple times the official price in online unofficial resales.　

During a livestream on November 21, 2024, American Evan Kyle thanked a Chinese woman for gifting him a limited-edition phoenix crown fridge magnet from the museum, calling it his “favorite gift so far.” Kyle is a young pawnshop owner who donated a World War II photo album documenting evidence of Japanese war crimes to the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago in 2022.　

On November 16, 2024, Kyle arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport to mark the second anniversary of his donation, his first trip to China. His visit garnered much attention. Many came to greet him at the airport and numerous fans welcomed him enthusiastically in his livestream. While visiting the National Museum of China, Kyle was unable to purchase the phoenix crown fridge magnet, but a warm-hearted Chinese woman gave him her own limited-edition magnet.

This is a special “haute couture” crown, which could only be worn by the empress, who was second only to the emperor and above all others. The crown features nine dragons and nine phoenixes, so naturally, it is called the “Nine Dragons and Nine Phoenixes Crown.”　

Weighing 2.32 kilograms, equivalent to the weight of four bottles of mineral water, wearing it is a heavy burden. At a major royal ceremony the empress, adorned in luxurious robes and wearing the crown, stepping carefully in high heels shaped like phoenix feet, had to bow and perform rituals with perfect precision. As there was no room for error for the “Mother of the Nation,” it was no easy task.　

The reason this crown qualifies as “haute couture” is due to its stunning appearance and exquisite craftsmanship. The crown is set with hundreds of untreated natural gemstones, including rubies and sapphires, and decorated with over 4,000 pearls, all imported from abroad, making it extremely valuable. To look at it, one could say the empress’s head bore a treasure trove.　

The back of the crown trails six “tails,” an accessory called bo bin, which was exclusive to Ming empresses. Even these small, thin panels are covered with gold dragons, gemstones and pearl decorations.　

The crown was handmade by artisans, each detail carefully carved and crafted. It features complex techniques, including forging, filigree, inlaying, engraving, cloisonné and threading. Among these techniques, cloisonné involved carefully attaching the feathers of the kingfisher to a metal base, which created the dazzling enamel “China Blue” that adorns the crown. The gleaming feathers never faded, contributing to the crown’s extraordinary beauty. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, this method was commonly used in royal jewelry.　

Today, kingfishers are a protected species, so the use of their feathers has ceased. Instead, materials like ribbons or satin are used. For example, the blue satin used in the headdresses of the young female characters in Chinese operas is now used for this type of decorative technique.　

The Ming crown of Empress Xiaoduan (1572-1620) is a national treasure. Not only is it a masterpiece of craftsmanship, it also holds profound historical value and cultural significance, and is therefore forbidden to be exhibited abroad.

The Ming Tombs are burial grounds for Ming emperors, empresses and concubines. Construction began in the seventh year of the third Ming Emperor Yongle’s reign in 1409 and continued through the early years of the Qing Dynasty under Emperor Shunzhi, the third Qing ruler. Construction lasted more than 230 years. Each imperial tomb is famous for its majestic architecture, exquisite craftsmanship and deep historical significance.　

Dingling was the resting place of Emperor Wanli, the 14th Ming ruler, and his two empresses – Empress Xiaoduan and Empress Xiaojing. Emperor Wanli, who ruled for 48 years from 1572 to 1620, was the longest-reigning Ming ruler, but also one of its most controversial, considered a weak ruler that hastened the decline of the dynasty.　

In May 1620, Empress Xiaoduan passed away at the age of 57. Emperor Wanli died in August the same year, at the age of 58. Both were buried in Dingling in 1620. Empress Xiaojing, who died in September 1611 aged 47, was initially buried in a different tomb. However, in 1620, her son with Wanli, Zhu Changluo, who became Emperor Taichang, ordered her coffin to be moved to Dingling, where she was interred alongside Emperor Wanli and Empress Xiaoduan.　

From this ancient tomb, more than 3,000 cultural relics were unearthed, including imperial and empress garments, imperial seals, ritual objects, wooden figurines, armor, knives, arrows, gold, silver, jade, porcelain and a large number of exquisite silk textiles. These are all exceptional examples of craftsmanship. Among the finds were the only four surviving Ming Dynasty phoenix crowns in China.　

As well as Empress Xiaoduan’s crown, these include the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes Crown, Empress Xiaoduan’s daily wear crown, and two crowns worn by Empress Xiaojing – the ritual Twelve Dragons and Nine Phoenixes Crown, and the daily wear Three Dragons and Two Phoenixes Crown.　

Additionally, the tomb contained the only emperor’s gold crown discovered in China – the Gold Threaded Winged Crown.　

These four phoenix crowns are now held by three cultural heritage institutions: The Nine Dragons and Nine Phoenixes Crown is housed at the National Museum of China. The Three Dragons and Two Phoenixes Crown is housed at the Palace Museum, also called the Forbidden City. The Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes Crown and the Twelve Dragons and Nine Phoenixes Crown are kept at the Ming Tombs Museum, which also holds the Gold Threaded Winged Crown of Emperor Wanli.

Empress Xiaoduan, born Wang Xijie in Zhejiang Province, was a virtuous woman and married the emperor in 1578 aged 13. After her death in 1620, she was buried with the title and respect due to an empress, with one ritual crown used on formal occasions and one crown for daily wear.　

Empress Xiaojing, born of humble origins and having led a difficult life, was posthumously honored. At the time of her death, she held the title of Imperial Consort, just below empress. She was not buried with a phoenix crown, but after her son ascended the throne as Emperor Taichang (although he too died in 1620 after ruling for only one month from August to September), she was posthumously given the title “Empress Dowager Xiaojing, the Reverent and Virtuous Empress.” Her remains were moved to Dingling by her grandson Emperor Tianqi (1605-1627), where she was buried alongside Emperor Wanli. More importantly, during her reburial, she was given additional burial items, including gold, jade and jewelry, as well as two phoenix crowns symbolizing her new status as empress.　

As a cultural and creative product, the phoenix crown fridge magnet cannot fully replicate the beauty of Empress Xiaoduan’s actual crown, but it breaks from conventional designs for similar souvenirs. The wooden magnet is made by layering three types of wood, with the two “tails” on either side able to move. Six pearls are manually attached, and two pendant beads are hung. It goes through four quality checks, each requiring the attention of a dedicated specialist. The metal fridge magnet features six prominent phoenix heads on the front, which must be manually installed. Ten tassels and 20 beads on the front are hand-strung, and dozens of small red and blue beads must be individually placed. The magnet’s design resonates with traditional Chinese aesthetic values, transforming cultural heritage into a tangible and accessible form of communication.　

According to Liao Fei, deputy head of the museum’s operation and development department, the phoenix crown fridge magnet is just one of many products inspired by the Empress Xiaoduan Phoenix Crown. There are more than 10 other items, including notebooks, badges and even ice cream that have been developed around this iconic cultural symbol, all of which have been well received. The continued popularity of these cultural and creative products has helped bridge the gap between cultural relics and the public, attracting more and more visitors to the museum to experience the artifacts in person and appreciate their beauty.