Special Exhibitions: What's on in China?

If you happen to be in Hong Kong, Beijing or other Chinese cities over the summer, and would like to know more about the Chinese way of life and the dynastical legacies, you are recommended to visit the local museums.

Each of them collects and displays a lot of precious historic relics unique in their provinces but useful in understanding how Chinese culture diversifies and influences people's lifestyles and heritage.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Museum of History

"The Rise of the Celestial Empire: Consolidation and Cultural Exchange during the Han Dynasty" Exhibition

24 June 2015 - 5 October 2015

Featuring about 162 exhibits borrowed from major cultural institutions in Mainland, China, this exhibition specifically looks at a number of selected achievements of the Han Dynasty including the beginning of cultural exchanges on the Silk Road, the discovery of a jade suit sewn with gold thread usually worn by emperors and aristocracies at the time, and making Confucianism the foundation of traditional Chinese culture. One of the most interesting objects from this exhibition is a set of four naked pottery figurines. It is said that their relatively pleasant and happy faces are in contrast to the Terracotta sculptures. This is mainly because the Han period emphasized greatly happiness and prosperity and such values were reflected in the artefacts and facial expressions of the figurines belong to the dynasty. Details please visit here. 

Hong Kong Science Museum

"Western Scientific Instruments of the Qing Court"

26 June 2015 - 23 September 2015

This exhibition opens up the scientific and cultural exchanges between China and the West during the Qing Empire. The 120 exhibits are carefully chosen from the Western Science and Technology Collection of the Palace Museum, China to demonstrate how the Qing Emperors developed science, mathematics, astronomy and weapons in China and at the same time required help from foreign missionaries. Details please visit here. 

Beijing, China

A permanent exhibition which marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War was opened on 8th July 2015 in the Chinese People's Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall (also known as the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance against Japanese Aggression). The Museum was first established to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7th July 1987. The Marco Polo Bridge is also close to the site.

Details of the new exhibition please visit here (in Chinese) and here (in English). 

(By Rachel Long Lam)

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