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Friday, June 18, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY Telling the story of nation’s past, present and future The Hong Kong is putting the finishing touches on next year’s planned opening of the facility, which aims to bridge Chinese culture and world civilizations. Luo Weiteng reports from Hong Kong. Oline See more by scanning the code

acked by the motherland, said. The superstructure has all backgrounds and areas of exper- and national identity among the rooted in Hong Kong and the elements required to turn the tise, the Hong Kong Palace Muse- mainland youngsters. In Hong imbued with a global Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao um knows how to use the right lan- Kong, however, Chinese history Project leader relishes vision of showcasing the Greater Bay Area into an exchange guage to tell the compelling story has taken a back seat and been Bnational treasures from ’s hub for culture where East meets of the nation’s time-honored art incorporated into liberal studies , the landmark Hong West, as well as a world-class tour- and culture,” he said. “Such inter- since the handover. The local edu- unique opportunity Kong Palace Museum will take the ism destination. pretation, from a cross-disciplinary cation system, with scant atten- Hong Hong Special Administrative The target, jointly promulgated or interdisciplinary perspective, tion being paid to Chinese history, Region a step closer to the lofty in December by the Ministry of can help eliminate misunderstand- has been criticized as a failure and By LUO WEITENG in Hong Kong at the China Pavilion of World Expo goal of forging a dialogue between Culture and Tourism, the O¨ ce of ings and misperceptions of China been mainly responsible for today’s [email protected] 2010 Shanghai China — made its way Chinese culture and global civiliza- the Leading Group for the Devel- and Chinese culture.” youth problems. to Hong Kong. The three-week-long tions, said Louis Ng Chi-wa, the opment of the Guangdong-Hong The aim is also in line with the “The Hong Kong Palace Museum For Louis Ng Chi-wa, it’s a once-in-a- exhibition attracted nearly 1 million museum’s director. Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area museum’s aspiration to be one of is well-placed to be an integral part lifetime opportunity to be at the helm viewers. “Many of the viewers were just Construction work on the long- and the People’s Government of the world’s leading cultural institu- of the ongoing curriculum reform,” of the city’s high-profi le cultural project reluctant to leave,” said Ng. awaited museum proceeded at a Guangdong Province, also aims to tions, “committed to the study and Ng stressed. — the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The exhibition’s success testifi ed to steady pace despite a crisis of con- cement Hong Kong’s unique status appreciation of Chinese art and Having met more than 140 Ng, who had been deputy director the sheer power of technology to con- fi dence from the triple whammy of as a global cultural metropolis and culture, while advancing dialogue schoolmasters recently, he found of the Leisure and Cultural Services nect the public with time-tested heri- geopolitical storms, social unrest tourism hub. among world civilizations through that the pressing issue facing Department since 2014, was appoint- tage in a more engaged way, he said. As and the coronavirus pandemic. It Ng said Hong Kong has made international partnerships”, Ng the local education community ed the museum’s director by the West the coronavirus pandemic has forced will be a fi tting tribute to the 25th big strides over the years in nurtur- said. is a lack of resources. The Hong Kowloon Cultural District Authority artists and curators to adapt to the digi- anniversary of the handover when ing ties with cities in the Greater While the coronavirus pandemic Kong Palace Museum could in 2019. tal age, the smart use of multimedia the museum opens in mid-2022. Bay Area in the trade, fi nance and has battered cities across the globe provide a wealth of teaching In his new post, Ng is fully involved technology will be the focus of future Hailed as the fi rst mega project legal sectors. “The time is now ripe and bred discrimination and preju- materials, especially digital in the planning of the mega collabora- exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace named after the Palace Museum to extend collaboration to develop- dice, the museum is on a mission to ones. These materials would not tive project that will feature Chinese art Museum. in the nation’s capital, Beijing, the ing art and culture,” he said. promote inclusiveness, resilience only let teachers and students and cultural artifacts from the imperial Although the museum has not Hong Kong Palace Museum rep- Hong Kong, in fact, has har- and engagement in a more pro- actively engage in the study and collections of the 600-year-old Forbid- revealed details of its opening exhibi- resents the living embodiment of, nessed the Greater Bay Area’s fi nest found way. appreciation of Chinese heritage den City — the residence of emperors tions yet, the appearance of images on and a milestone in the deepening minds and impeccable strengths to but also help them cultivate their of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and its website, including China’s oldest cultural ties between the HKSAR foster the region’s culture and cre- More than just a museum cultural consciousness and foster Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) that houses surviving paper painting, Five Oxen, and the Chinese mainland, Ng told ate a globally competitive cluster of Ng said the museum has yet to a cultural identity. more than 1.8 million historical works traditionally attributed to Tang Dynasty China Daily in an interview. metropolises. come up with a realistic set of The museum director is also of art — and Chinese and international (618-907) politician and painter Han Such collaboration, including admission fees, as he would not trying to borrow artifacts from exhibits from other leading institutions. Huang, has fueled hopes that some Fostering closer ties annual cultural cooperation meet- like to see the underprivileged or local collectors to give young Ng’s close working relationship with “treasure of treasures” could be sent to The HK$3.5 billion ($451 million) ings held over the past two decades marginalized being deprived of people a closer look at the real the Palace Museum in Beijing dates Hong Kong. collaborative project got off the and the training of cultural profes- the chance to visit the museum. objects in classes. Much work will back to 2007, when he was in charge of “I can only tell you that 20 percent ground in 2017 when President Xi sionals for museums, makes Hong “I firmly believe the Hong Kong be done by the school team set up the planning, management and hosting of the 880 national treasures to be dis- Jinping attended the signing cere- Kong a bigger part of the nation’s Palace Museum should serve as a by the educational department of of several Forbidden City-related exhibi- played at the initial exhibitions will be mony between the HKSAR govern- “dual circulation” strategy — an link between ordinary people, art Hong Kong Palace Museum, as tions in Hong Kong. rare Grade I objects,” said Ng. ment and Beijing’s Palace Museum economic development pattern and culture.” highlighted in the museum’s own “The most unforgettable exhibition State restrictions on lending arti- during his three-day visit to Hong that takes domestic development Beijing’s Palace Museum “Five-Year Plan”. was in 2007, when the original mas- facts to museums outside the Chinese Kong to mark the 20th anniversary as the mainstay, with domestic and has been at the forefront of the As one of the SAR’s iconic terpiece of the Riverside Scene at Qin- mainland have to be loosened so that of the city’s reunifi cation with the overseas development reinforcing nationwide guochao trend — the projects, he said the Hong Kong gming Festival was displayed in Hong rare exhibits from Beijing can stay in motherland. each other. rise of homegrown brands that Palace Museum will not only have Kong for the fi rst time to mark the 10th Hong Kong longer. But for conservation Its construction started in May Besides its role as a super con- weave Chinese cultural elements a zestful role to play in presenting anniversary of the handover,” recalled and security reasons, some of them can 2019 at the western tip of the West nector and a world-renowned into their design or branding. By the story of the nation’s past, Ng, who still remembered the great only be displayed once and have to be Kowloon Cultural District. The fi nancial pivot, Hong Kong boasts developing its own branded prod- present and future, but also work e™ orts made to have the classic Chinese shipped back to Beijing for storage for 40-hectare Cultural impeccable strengths in art and ucts, the capital’s Palace Museum for a more-inclusive and engaged scroll painting from the Song Dynasty at least three years, according to Ng. District, on the Victoria Harbor culture, as highlighted in the 14th has essentially turned one of the city by making a fresh start in (960-1279) by imperial artist Zhang Others may be allowed to be displayed waterfront, was created to help the Five-Year Plan (2021-25), which world’s most visited museums into tumultuous times. Zeduan exhibited in the city. in the Hong Kong Special Administra- city realize its dream of being a cul- projects the nation’s vision for a trendy consumer brand and a Three years later, the huge animated tive Region from six months to two tural magnet and an international social and economic development modern fashion phenomenon. Contact the writer at version of the national treasure — 30 years. arts destination. over the next half-decade. The Hong Kong Palace Muse- [email protected] times its original size, which was shown The list of artifacts on loan from Bei- Workers are expected to put the The grand national economic um would certainly have a simi- jing’s Palace Museum still requires the finishing touches on the project and social development plan lar merchandise plan in place, approval of the authorities there, but it later this year, with interior renova- pledges unwavering support for said Ng. While sourcing some might be ready by September. tion due to be completed by March developing Hong Kong into an cultural products from Beijing’s Having spent almost two years dis- and April 2022. exchange center for art and cul- Palace Museum, it will work with People intently cussing the list with the team of Bei- The countdown to the museum’s ture between the mainland and designers, international partner examine the jing’s Palace Museum, Ng said what planned opening in July 2022 has the world. museums and licensed brands to original piece needs to be seriously considered is not begun, with some 880 artifacts bor- As China strives to tell its story produce high-quality products of the Riverside the grade of the artifacts, but how to rowed from the Palace Museum in to a global audience in a more inspired by the exhibits. With the Scene at give a new contemporary interpreta- Beijing set to go on display at the dynamic, straightforward and expansion of online retail amid the Qingming tion of Chinese culture in a way that is opening exhibitions. It will be the understandable way, Ng said he pandemic, the museum will also Festival related to Hong Kong residents. largest number of exhibits on loan believes the Hong Kong Palace focus on e-commerce to reach out at the Hong The Hong Kong Palace Museum does from the Museum has a bigger part to play to a broader consumer base as part Kong Museum not intend to be a branch or replica anywhere outside the mainland. in the process. of its “go global” vision. of Art in 2007. of Beijing’s Palace Museum, he point- Integration and collaboration “Equipped with a dynamic team At the heart of the guochao trend PROVIDED TO CHINA ed out. It aims to become one of the are the names of the game, Ng of curators known for their diverse is the growing cultural confi dence DAILY world’s best museums.