From tomorrow until 26 November, the public will have the opportunity to appreciate the famous terracotta warriors and cultural relics of the pre-Qin period and Qin dynasty at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust-sponsored “The Majesty of All Under Heaven: The Eternal Realm of China’s First Emperor” exhibition being held at the Hong Kong Museum of History.
The exhibition, sponsored exclusively by the Trust with a donation of HK$15.4 million was opened today (24 July) by Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li, Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR Li Gang, Vice-Minister of Culture and Director of State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the People’s Republic of China Li Xiaojie, Director-General, General Office, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR Ma Zhangling, Director of Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau Zhao Rong as the officiating guests.
As one of the highlight cultural events to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the HKSAR, the exhibition is being jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau. The Trust also provided sole sponsorship to the LCSD to put on the current exhibition covering the secret garden of Emperor Qianlong. Both sponsorships totalling over HK$21 million follow the success of the “River of Wisdom – Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival” exhibition in 2010.
Dr Li said, “We are very proud to be the sole sponsor of this exhibition to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the HKSAR. We hope this will give Hongkongers an understanding of the Qin dynasty and help them further appreciate the heritage of rich Chinese culture.”
On show at the exhibition are 120 items of cultural relics of the pre-Qin period and Qin dynasty including 20 terracotta figures and rarely seen Qin dynasty jade and gold ornaments. Amongst them about 40 per cent are Grade 1 relics and this will also be the largest number of terracotta figures ever exhibited in the city. Complementing the exhibits are six multimedia programmes using advanced technology. Apart from strengthening the interactive exhibits, these programmes take the visiting public on a more exciting visual journey to learn the history, culture and stories behind the terracotta figures. The exhibition is expected to draw more than 400,000 visitors.
In addition to the exhibition, the Trust’s funding also covers four public art programmes – “The Terracotta Warrior Inspired Design-Animation & Video Design Competition”, “Discover Design 2012”, “The Terracotta Warrior Robots Workshop” and “Fashiona£į”±Terracotta Warriors Inspired Fashion Design Competition” – which aim to inspire the creative thinking of students and the public and enhance their understanding of the terracotta figures. The donation also enables the LCSD to offer free transportation for schools and registered non-profit-making organisations to visit the exhibition.
The other Trust-funded exhibition with a donation of HK$6.1 million, “A Lofty Retreat from the Red Dust: The Secret Garden of Emperor Qianlong” at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, features 93 items of painting and calligraphy, furniture, mural paintings, architectural elements and religious art from the Palace Museum in Beijing, in particular from the Qianlong Garden. The exhibition is open to the public until 14 October 2012.
Hong Kong Jockey Club has been a staunch supporter of arts and culture in the city since 1960s, having donated over HK$1.75 billion in the past 20 years alone for both hardware and software projects. Its legacy includes the establishment of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, support for the Hong Kong Arts Festival for 40 years, as well as being the sole sponsor of the hugely popular “River of Wisdom – Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival” in 2010. For this year alone, the Trust has supported the 20th Edition of Le French May and its Picasso exhibition, The Hong Kong International a cappella Festival and the 12-month Jockey Club a cappella Education Programme, and funded the four local traditional festivals that are inscribed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world's leading horse racing organisations but also a world top 15 charitable organisation and Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.6 billion in 2011. It is also a major taxpayer, Hong Kong's single largest by far, generating over HK$15 billion a year for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious, with more than 23,000 members. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.
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Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li hopes that the exhibition will give Hongkongers an understanding of the Qin dynasty and help them further appreciate the heritage of rich Chinese culture.
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Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li (1st left), Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam (4th left), Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central Peoplea£į?s Government in the HKSAR Li Gang (4th right), Vice-Minister of Culture and Director of State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the Peoplea£į?s Republic of China Li Xiaojie (3rd left), Director-General, General Office, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Peoplea£į?s Republic of China in the HKSAR Ma Zhangling (3rd right), Director of Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau Zhao Rong (2nd right), Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing (2nd left) and Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Betty Fung (1st right) officiate the ceremony.
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Photos 3, 4
The officiating guests take a preview of the multimedia programmes in the exhibition.
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Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li (front row, 4th right), Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam (front row, 2nd right), the Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (back row, 2nd left), Director of Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau Zhao Rong (front row, 3rd right) and Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Betty Fung (back row, 1st left) tour the exhibition.
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Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li (3rd left), Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam (centre), the Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (1st left), Vice-Minister of Culture and Director of State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the Peoplea£į?s Republic of China Li Xiaojie (3rd right), Director-General, General Office, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Peoplea£į?s Republic of China in the HKSAR Ma Zhangling (2nd right), Director of Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau Zhao Rong (2nd left) and Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Betty Fung (1st right) pictured in front of the exhibits.
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Photos 7, 8
Exhibits featured in the exhibition.
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