Hong Kong Museum of History to introduce ancient Chinese civilisation by showcasing invaluable cultural relics of Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties from Henan (2.4.2024)
2.4.2024

In collaboration with the Chinese Culture Promotion Office, the Hong Kong Museum of History (HKMH) will launch the first large-scale exhibition of the General History of China Series, "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Ancient Civilisation of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties in Henan Province" exhibition. It will be open to the public from tomorrow (April 3), showcasing over 150 sets/items of cultural relics, of which 33 sets/items are grade one national treasures and about 40 sets/items are on display outside Henan Province for the first time. They include large and complete sets of bronze ware, jade ware, potteries, bone ware and oracle bones, from the collections of the Henan Museum as well as a dozen other museums and cultural institutions in the province. The exhibition allows members of the public to learn more about the ancient civilisation and history of China. Admission to the exhibition is free and the exhibition period will run until July 8. The opening ceremony of "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Ancient Civilisation of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties in Henan Province" exhibition was held today (April 2). Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Director-General of the Culture and Tourism Department of the Henan Province, Mr Huang Dongsheng; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mrs Ann Kung; the Director of the Henan Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, Dr Ren Wei; the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Lin Zhan; the Chairman of the Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports, Mr Ma Fung-kwok; the Deputy Director of Henan Museum, Mr Zhang Deshui; the Chairman of Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Douglas So; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; and the Museum Director of the HKMH, Mr Ng Chi-wo. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Cheuk said that promoting and preserving Chinese culture is of great significance and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government had all along attached great importance to it. The Working Group on Patriotic Education to be set up soon would mobilise the strength of the Government, business sector and community to further deepen patriotic education in a holistic manner. The exhibition that opened today marks the inception of the General History of China Series, one of the flagship programmes of the Chinese Culture Promotion Office. Through showcasing the invaluable cultural relics of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, the exhibition revealed the political, social, rituals and etiquette, and cultural landscapes of the three dynasties, thereby enabling the general public to systematically learn about the long Chinese history and context of Chinese culture. He said the exhibition includes many grade-one national treasure. The bronze wares on display are the proven examples of the advanced development of patriarchal system, ritual and musical cultures, metallurgy, and Chinese characters, by the forebears of the Chinese nation several thousand years ago. The accomplishments have made us as Chinese today all profoundly amazed and proud. Highlight exhibits include multiple items from Henan Museum's collection, such as bronze jue (wine vessel) from the Xia dynasty; bronze square ding (food vessel) with animal mask and nipple patterns from the Shang dynasty and "Fu Hao" gong (wine vessel) with cylindrical foot; and a jade face cover dated to the Western Zhou. This face cover comprises 58 jade pieces, arranged based on the facial structure of a person, for sewing onto silk fabrics and placed over the face of the deceased during burial, as ancient people believed that jade could prevent the body from decaying. Exhibits also include a boar-head-shaped lid of a pottery vessel from the Xia dynasty from a collection of Zhengzhou Municipal Institute of Archaeology, and "Fu Yi" jiao (wine vessel) from the Western Zhou from a collection of Xinyang Museum. The exhibition is supplemented with multimedia programmes to introduce oracle bone divination, bronze casting techniques and major cities' remains of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. An interactive zone is set up outside the exhibition gallery to enable visitors to learn and understand the dazzling ancient civilisation of the three dynasties, as well as their connection with modern daily life through fascinating displays, interactive games and animation. To complement the exhibition, the Hong Kong Public Libraries has set up a reading zone outside the gallery, where they have specially selected numerous collections and e-books on various topics such as the cultural relics of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, archaeological discoveries, historical stories, myths and biographies. These resources enable members of the public to learn about China's longstanding history, origins and development, and encourage extended reading though online resources. During the exhibition period, a rich array of fringe programmes will be held at the HKMH, including free public performances and sharing by the Huaxia Ancient Music Orchestra of the Henan Museum scheduled for April 3 and 4 from 3pm to 4pm. Members of the public can learn about Chinese musical instruments and enhance their understanding of the ancient music culture of the Central Plains through the introduction by members of the orchestra. In addition, a forum and a lecture series will be organised to lead members of the public to explore the latest archaeological discoveries of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties and the world of ancient Chinese bronzes in the Henan Province. A forum titled "Heavenly Mandate Mysterious Bird: Latest Archaeological Discoveries of Shang Dynasty in Henan Province " will take place on April 21 from 2.30pm to 5pm. It will feature presentations by Ms. Li Suting, Researcher of Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, Mr Huang Fucheng, Researcher of Zhengzhou Municipal Institute of Archaeology, and Mr Liu Yanjun, Director of Anyang Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology. In addition, the inaugural session of the lecture series, titled " Love and Revenge in the World of Ancient Chinese Bronzes: Fu Hao and Wangzi Wu" will be held on April 13 from 3pm to 5pm. The lecture will be delivered by Professor Lam Weng Cheong, Associate Professor in the Department of History and Department of Anthropology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Admission to the above lectures are free on a first-come, first-served basis. Both the forum and the lecture series will be delivered in hybrid mode. In addition, a series of public workshops will be organised during the exhibition period, including Viewing Side by Side: Bronze Square Zun 3D Paper Model-making, to be held on Sundays in April. A series of short videos which introduce historical figures and important cultural aspects from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties (including Mencius' mother, the Duke of Zhou, oracle bone inscriptions and bronzes) will be produced and uploaded to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) Edutainment Channel at www.lcsd.gov.hk/edutainment/en/academy/page_2421.html . This is the first exhibition in the General History of China Series, launched by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office in collaboration with the HKMH. Subsequently, the HKMH will stage exhibitions every year on historical relics of significant periods in chronological order. The series will conclude in 2029 with an exhibition celebrating the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China. An exhibition on the cultural relics of the Qin and Han dynasties in Guangdong will be launched next year. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound culture of China. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html . This exhibition is jointly presented by the LCSD and the Henan Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, jointly organised by the HKMH and the Henan Museum, solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, and in collaboration with the Chinese Culture Promotion Office. The Hong Kong Museum of History is located at 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui. For more information on the exhibition and its fringe programmes, please visit hk.history.museum/en/web/mh/exhibition/The-Ancient-Civilisation-of-the-Xia-Shang-and-Zhou-Dynasties-in-Henan-Province-Exhibition.html , or call 2724 9042 for enquiries. Ends/Tuesday, April 2, 2024 Issued at HKT 21:32 NNNN