Hong Kong Museum of Art 香港藝術館 DesktopHong Kong Museum of Art 香港藝術館
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A Tale of Three Cities: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Export of Silk Products in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Overview

  • Date
    2023.09.08 – 2023.12.17
  • Venue
    Chinese Antiquities Gallery, 3/F
  • Fee
    Free

Jointly presented by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Government of the HKSAR, and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government

Jointly organised by the Guangdong Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and the Macao Museum 

China is the birthplace of silk, and was the first country to produce textiles made from silkworm cocoons. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, Chinese silk was already considered one of the most precious commodities exported from China through the overland and maritime trade routes. With the increased connectivity of the maritime trade routes during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chinese silk was shipped all over the world through the Greater Bay Area as an important mass commodity. The exhibition features 108 sets of exhibits from the three museums, presenting the landscape of the Greater Bay Area and silk production during the period. It also explores the connections between the three places and the story of cultural exchange between East and West through export silk.

The Hong Kong Museum of Art also collaborates with the Computer Aided Fashion Intelligence (CAFI) Research Group and digital fashion students of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on a virtual fashion show that combines new media technology with the creativity of teachers and students, allowing audiences to discover the silk exhibits from diverse angles.

 

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Audios

Playlist

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  • 700Exhibition Overview
  • The Chinese junk, <i>Keying</i>701The Chinese junk, Keying
  • Waterfall at Aberdeen, Hong Kong702Waterfall at Aberdeen, Hong Kong
  • Amacao703Amacao
  • The Whampoa anchorage704The Whampoa anchorage
  • Foreign factories in Canton on fire: beginning705Foreign factories in Canton on fire: beginning
  • Passenger boats entering Canton Customs706Passenger boats entering Canton Customs
  • Imperial paintings of tilling and weaving in the style of Jiao Bingzhen （selected)707Imperial paintings of tilling and weaving in the style of Jiao Bingzhen （selected)
  • White silk wallpaper with hand-painted flowers and birds708White silk wallpaper with hand-painted flowers and birds
  • “Chinoiserie” Room709“Chinoiserie” Room
  • Canton embroidered shawl with flowers and plants on beige silk710Canton embroidered shawl with flowers and plants on beige silk
  • Silver coins711Silver coins
  • Commemorative silk handkerchief for the first exhibition for promotion of industries712Commemorative silk handkerchief for the first exhibition for promotion of industries
  • European woman embroidering713European woman embroidering
  • Gambiered silk clothing714Gambiered silk clothing

Floorplan

Floorplan

Programme

“A Tale of Three Cities: Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area and Export of Silk Products in the Ming and Qing Dynasties” Talks

An Introduction to Silk Textiles

One of the greatest contributions of Chinese to world civilisation was the invention of silk. From ancient times, Chinese silk served as a tribute for the imperial court, as well as a popular luxury item overseas. In this talk, the speaker will introduce the history, weaving structures and characteristics of different types of silk such as ling (綾 twill damask), luo (羅 gauze), chou (綢 silk tabby), duan (緞 satin), brocade (錦), and kesi (緙絲 weft-woven silk tapestry) with objects of Chinese textiles drawn from the speaker’s private collection. She will also look at the art of embroidery exported from Canton during the Ming and Qing dynasties to uncover the cultural exchange between China and the West by examining the unique patterns and motifs on textiles.

Date︰2023.11.25（Saturday）
Time︰2:30 – 4:30 pm
Venue：Lecture Hall, B/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art
Speaker︰Ms. Lee Mei-yin (Museum Expert Adviser)
Language：Cantonese
Fee：Free admission
Seats：150

*Enrolment is not required. The Lecture Hall will be open for admission 15 minutes before the event commences. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

About the Speaker:
Ms. Lee Mei-yin is currently a Special Researcher at Dunhuang Academy, Vice-Chairman of the Friends of Dunhuang (Hong Kong), and Museum Expert Adviser of Leisure and Cultural Services Department. She specialises in the history of Chinese silk and Dunhuang art.


China’s Silk Exports in the Era of the Thirteen Factories of Canton (programme has ended)

China is the birthplace of silk. Throughout history, Chinese silk was exported from China on both overland and maritime trade routes connecting China to the rest of the world. During the Qing dynasty, the Thirteen Factories of Canton monopolized the export trade of silk, porcelain and tea. Silk, the second-most important export commodity after tea, came in a vast variety of types and styles for use in many ways. This talk will explore various Chinese export textiles and their role in East-West cultural exchange, focusing on the exhibits in the exhibition “A Tale of Three Cities”.

Date︰2023.10.28（Saturday）
Time︰2:30 – 4:30pm
Venue：Lecture Hall, B/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art
Speaker︰Dr. Bai Fang (Director of the Exhibition Centre of the Guangdong Museum)

About the Speaker:
Dr. Bai Fong obtained a PhD in History from Sun Yat-sen University. She is currently a researcher and Director of the Exhibition Centre of the Guangdong Museum. Her research focuses mainly on the Maritime Silk Road and China trade art in the 18th and 19th centuries.

 
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