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The imperial edict on display in Jiaxing Museum. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

An exhibition about imperial edicts was held in Jiaxing Museum, Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province on Jan 1 and will last until March 31.

An imperial edict is an official document issued by an emperor in ancient China and has high historic value.

Organized by Jiaxing Museum and Xuzhou Imperial Edict Museum, the ongoing exhibition showcases more than 140 imperial edicts collected by the latter.

According to Li Haitao, a docent at Xuzhou Imperial Edict Museum, the imperial edicts in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911) were usually 30 to 34 centimeters in width and their lengths were usually 2.5 meters, with the longest being six meters.

Li noted that imperial edicts also reflect the vicissitude of a dynasty.

For example, during the prosperous reign of emperors Kangxi and Qianlong in the early part of the Qing Dynasty, imperial edicts were made of high-quality materials and featured bright colors. During the late Qing Dynasty, the quality of imperial edicts fell significantly due to the ongoing turmoil.

The imperial edict on display in Jiaxing Museum. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

The imperial edict on display in Jiaxing Museum. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

The imperial edict which was written in language of Manchu on display in Jiaxing Museum. [Photo/cnjxol.com]