Following the success of the “River of Wisdom – Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival” exhibition in 2010, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is helping to bring two Grade 1 national heritage collections to the city as highlight events to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the HKSAR. One will feature the famous terracotta warriors and the other the Secret Garden of Emperor Qianlong.
The Trust has donated more than HK$21 million to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) to stage the two spectacular exhibitions. As sole sponsor with a donation of HK$15.4 million from the Trust, the exhibition “The Majesty of All Under Heaven: The Eternal Realm of China’s First Emperor” is being jointly presented by LCSD and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau. It will be staged at the Hong Kong Museum of History from 25 July to 26 November.
Today (13 June), the Club’s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Raymond Young, Director of the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau Zhang Tong, Dean of the Emperor QinShiHuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum Professor Cao Wei and Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Betty Fung announced the exhibition details at a press conference.
“The Club is very honoured to be the sole sponsor of this exhibition in celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the HKSAR,” Mr So said. “This exhibition allows the public to learn about the terracotta warriors, as well as to learn about Chinese culture and history in a new innovative way.”
The Club’s strong commitment to nurturing the city’s development was reflected in its staunch support of local arts and culture through its many donations. In the past decade alone, the Club had donated more than HK$1.3 billion in this area, which included funding the construction of the Academy for Performing Arts and the establishment of the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre. It has also supported various arts and cultural activities, including The Hong Kong Arts Festival and sponsoring the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra to perform at New York's legendary Carnegie Hall and setting up The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund to nurture talent. Furthermore, the Club also supports the four local activities being inscribed onto the third National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in China including the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival and Tai Hang Fire Dragon Parade.
“The Majesty of All Under Heaven: The Eternal Realm of China’s First Emperor” exhibition will showcase 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. The exhibition is expected to draw more than 400,000 visitors.
The Trust’s sponsorship also covers multimedia programmes that will take visitors on an amazing visual journey. Other projects designed to stimulate the public’s interest in Chinese history and culture include a series of educational, arts and community programmes focused on the terracotta warriors, with an animation/video design competition, a robot workshop and a summer youth programme that comprises design workshops, as well as a terracotta warrior-inspired fashion competition. Furthermore, the donation also covers free transportation for schools and social welfare organisations to join the exhibition.
The other exhibition being funded by the Trust’s donation of HK$6.1 million, “A Lofty Retreat from the Red Dust: The Secret Garden of Emperor Qianlong” will be staged at the Hong Kong Museum of Art from 22 June to 14 October. It will feature various exhibits selected from the Palace Museum in Beijing, in particular from the Qianlong Garden, which has long remained unknown to the public. Some exhibits have never left the Forbidden City before, to be displayed for the first time in Hong Kong. The exhibition will be complemented by various educational, arts and community programmes.
To further celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification with China, the Club will stage The Hong Kong Reunification Cup and The 18 Districts Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse on 1 July, highlighting the way that horse racing brings together all sectors of the Hong Kong community, just as that historic date in 1997 reunited Hong Kong people with their compatriots.
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.
|
The Cluba£á?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So says the Club is very honoured to be the sole sponsor of this exhibition in celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the HKSAR.
|
The Cluba£á?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (2nd left), Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Raymond Young (3rd right), Director of the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau Zhang Tong (3rd left), Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Betty Fung (1st left), Dean of the Emperor QinShiHuanga£á?s Mausoleum Site Museum Professor Cao Wei (2nd right) and Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History Susanna Siu (1st right) unveil details of the exhibitions at the press conference.
|
|
Guests pictured at the press conference.
|
Director of the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau Zhang Tong (left) and Dean of the Emperor QinShiHuanga£á?s Mausoleum Site Museum Professor Cao Wei (right).
|
