China’s Influence on American Culture in the 18th and 19th Centuries
18至19世纪中国对美国文化的影响

In the early years of the United States’ independence, China was a critical trade partner. The early commerce between the Qing (1644–1911) government and the United States is known as “The Old China Trade.” While silk and tea were in greatest demand, other items were eagerly sought as well, including a wide variety of lacquer, ivory, and silver wares, porcelain, textiles, fans, furniture, and paintings in Western style. In celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of U.S.-China trade, this exhibition showcased sixty-six trade wares that illustrated the variety and high quality of Chinese works that found their way to America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.