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Freer Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. 🏛️🌸

Also known as the Gallery of Asian Art, you might sometimes see it labeled as the Sackler Gallery on maps—don’t worry, they're connected and located near the Washington Monument. No reservation needed, and admission is free! Honestly, so many museums in D.C.—both public and private—are free, which is amazing. After visiting the National Gallery, I took a break on a park bench and met a real-life "Snow White" squirrel! 🐿️✨ She jumped down from a tree nearby, paused for a few seconds to look at me as if asking why I didn’t share my bread—I’d love to, but feeding wildlife isn’t allowed! I snapped a quick photo from afar; at first glance, I almost thought she was a little white fox. Freer visited China four times during his life and was one of the first Westerners to explore the Longmen Grottoes. So, if you remember the empty caves in the Longmen’s Binyang Cave—well, some treasures ended up far from home. Even more heartbreaking than Longmen is the Xiangtangshan Grottoes. Earlier this July, I visited the Xiangtangshan Caves in Handan, Hebei—both the northern and southern sections. As royal Northern Qi dynasty caves, the Buddhist sculptures are exquisitely carved with distinct Northern Dynasty features. Coming to the Freer Gallery was a pilgrimage of sorts for me. As Chairman Mao once wrote, “After drinking the waters of Changsha, I now eat Wuchang fish.” For me, it was: “Just after visiting Xiangtangshan in Handan, now I’m at the Freer Gallery in Washington.” These treasures from the Xiangtangshan Grottoes, separated by an ocean, have finally “reunited” in my phone’s photo gallery. I’m sorry I can’t bring you back home, but I hope one day these artifacts can return to their homeland. The serene expression on the Buddhist head has a calming, comforting power—it's a rare masterpiece with top-tier artistry. The Bodhisattva’s S-curve posture is especially graceful, as if swaying gently toward you. I’ve seen quite a few Buddha statues, but this "Cosmic Buddha" was a first for me—carved with intricate stories of the Buddha across multiple worlds, reminiscent of the T-shaped silk painting from the Mawangdui Han Tomb. The complexity of patterns, the precise layout, and the multitude of figures had us completely captivated. Plus, it was less crowded than the National Gallery—what a joy! A Black museum staff member seemed puzzled by our excited gesturing as we admired the art… The gallery also holds a large collection of jade artifacts, especially jade cong and jade dagger-axes, which instantly reminded me of the "First Chinese Dragon" made of turquoise I saw at the Erlitou site—truly stunning! It’s said the gallery also has a copy of "Nymph of the Luo River" but unfortunately, it wasn’t on display this time. Something to look forward to next visit! For now, here’s a consolation image of a Dunhuang scroll sold by Abbott Wang. There’s also the stunning Peacock Room 🦚—filled with blue-and-white porcelain and guarded by a dedicated security officer. Honestly, with pieces displayed so openly, you can’t help but worry one might go missing… Have you visited the Freer Gallery? What moved you the most? Share below! 👇 #WashingtonDC #FreerGallery #AsianArt #ArtLovers #MuseumFreeEntry #CulturalHeritage #ArtAndHistory #DCTravel #SculptureArt #JadeCollection #BuddhistArt

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Freer Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. 🏛️🌸

Also known as the Gallery of Asian Art, you might sometimes see it labeled as the Sackler Gallery on maps—don’t worry, they're connected and located near the Washington Monument. No reservation needed, and admission is free! Honestly, so many museums in D.C.—both public and private—are free, which is amazing. After visiting the National Gallery, I took a break on a park bench and met a real-life "Snow White" squirrel! 🐿️✨ She jumped down from a tree nearby, paused for a few seconds to look at me as if asking why I didn’t share my bread—I’d love to, but feeding wildlife isn’t allowed! I snapped a quick photo from afar; at first glance, I almost thought she was a little white fox. Freer visited China four times during his life and was one of the first Westerners to explore the Longmen Grottoes. So, if you remember the empty caves in the Longmen’s Binyang Cave—well, some treasures ended up far from home. Even more heartbreaking than Longmen is the Xiangtangshan Grottoes. Earlier this July, I visited the Xiangtangshan Caves in Handan, Hebei—both the northern and southern sections. As royal Northern Qi dynasty caves, the Buddhist sculptures are exquisitely carved with distinct Northern Dynasty features. Coming to the Freer Gallery was a pilgrimage of sorts for me. As Chairman Mao once wrote, “After drinking the waters of Changsha, I now eat Wuchang fish.” For me, it was: “Just after visiting Xiangtangshan in Handan, now I’m at the Freer Gallery in Washington.” These treasures from the Xiangtangshan Grottoes, separated by an ocean, have finally “reunited” in my phone’s photo gallery. I’m sorry I can’t bring you back home, but I hope one day these artifacts can return to their homeland. The serene expression on the Buddhist head has a calming, comforting power—it's a rare masterpiece with top-tier artistry. The Bodhisattva’s S-curve posture is especially graceful, as if swaying gently toward you. I’ve seen quite a few Buddha statues, but this "Cosmic Buddha" was a first for me—carved with intricate stories of the Buddha across multiple worlds, reminiscent of the T-shaped silk painting from the Mawangdui Han Tomb. The complexity of patterns, the precise layout, and the multitude of figures had us completely captivated. Plus, it was less crowded than the National Gallery—what a joy! A Black museum staff member seemed puzzled by our excited gesturing as we admired the art… The gallery also holds a large collection of jade artifacts, especially jade cong and jade dagger-axes, which instantly reminded me of the "First Chinese Dragon" made of turquoise I saw at the Erlitou site—truly stunning! It’s said the gallery also has a copy of "Nymph of the Luo River" but unfortunately, it wasn’t on display this time. Something to look forward to next visit! For now, here’s a consolation image of a Dunhuang scroll sold by Abbott Wang. There’s also the stunning Peacock Room 🦚—filled with blue-and-white porcelain and guarded by a dedicated security officer. Honestly, with pieces displayed so openly, you can’t help but worry one might go missing… Have you visited the Freer Gallery? What moved you the most? Share below! 👇 #WashingtonDC #FreerGallery #AsianArt #ArtLovers #MuseumFreeEntry #CulturalHeritage #ArtAndHistory #DCTravel #SculptureArt #JadeCollection #BuddhistArt

Washington
National Museum of Asian Art
National Museum of Asian ArtNational Museum of Asian Art