Wanli came into this world on September 4, 1563, as Zhu Yijun. His parents weren’t exactly equals. His father was the Longqing Emperor of the Ming Dynasty—the 13th emperor of China.

The Wanli Emperor ranks among the most storied rulers in Chinese history. His nearly 48 years in power during the 16th century makes him the longest-reigning emperor in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The emperor’s crown, which was knotted with more than 500 gold threads, is among the highlights of the exhibition. Each thread is no wider than 0.008 inches, and the crown weighs about 1.76lb.