From Forbidden City to Cambridge Public Library: Artist Xiang Li’s Chinese Empress Paintings on Display
May 12, 2025 · Tripti Gore Chandorkar
Introduction
On the evening of May 8th, I had the pleasure of joining a warm, curious crowd at the Cambridge Public Library’s main branch for the opening reception of Xiang Li’s Traditional Chinese Watercolor exhibition, presented as part of AAPI Heritage Month.
As a member of the Xiang Li Art team, I stood proudly alongside Xiang herself, her daughter Fei, and our producer Adam, as we welcomed patrons into the vivid world of artist Xiang Li’s Chinese Empresses series—a dazzling display of watercolor originals and fine art prints gracing the vibrant red gallery walls of the library.
Chinese Empresses, unsung heroines—
Women seldom praised in the pages of history,
Now flowing with quiet grace from imperial past
into the hearts of the present.
When Art Speaks, Community Gathers
The evening was steeped with curiosity and warmth all around. It began with a panel discussion in the community room, where guests heard stories of Xiang Li’s early life as an artist in China, her unique access to the Forbidden City, and the artistic vision behind these powerful feminine portraits. I shared my own perspective on discovering her work and what it’s been like to help steward her vision into new spaces and audiences.
Fei brought a deeply personal lens to the conversation—speaking about growing up surrounded by her mother’s creative practice. Adam rounded out the discussion with insights into the production process and the storytelling ethos that runs through Xiang Li’s work.
After the talk, the audience moved into the main hallway gallery where the Empresses themselves took center stage. Watching people pause in front of each piece—pointing out the intricate details, the birds, dragons, flowing robes and quiet expressions—was pure magic! Xiang and Fei took time to talk to attendees, answering their questions with characteristic humility, knowledge and wisdom. In every conversation and glance, it became clear that Xiang Li’s true purpose was shining through: to honor the unsung heroines of imperial history—empresses whose strength, grace, and stories had long gone unrecognized.
One attendee turned to me and said, “We’re all just blown away by the depth and beauty of her work.” And truly, I feel the same about Xiang Li’s work.
The evening wasn’t just about art—it was about connection and community. We laughed, we learned, and we listened. Strangers exchanged reflections on history, women’s stories, and cultural preservation. Some even left with postcards and prints, wanting to take a piece of that energy home.
I left the library feeling filled up—with gratitude, with art, and with the sense that Xiang Li’s empresses had made their mark on yet another corner of the world.
Gratitude, too, that I get to play even a small role in this journey—supporting an extraordinary artist whose vision continues to move hearts, and standing beside Fei, my dear friend, as she brings her mother’s legacy into the light it so richly deserves.
If you’re in the Cambridge area this May, I hope you’ll stop by and see the exhibit. Let yourself linger. Let the empresses speak to you.
View event listing: Cambridge Public Library Event Page