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
    2023.09.082023.12.17
  • 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.

 

Audios

Playlist

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Paused
  • 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