Recent Chinese Exhibits in Vancouver
Just in the past month, two major Chinese exhibits have opened in Vancouver. Both are of great interest to me and I hope to get a chance to see them. The first is a science and technology exhibit at Science World. Science World is a science museum similar to the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing, but not as big. It is also the home of an Omnimax Theatre where the is shown on the inside of a large dome.
The second exhibit is about jade. It is being shown at the Vancouver Museum. The museum is the home to exhibits about local history and artifacts, but this time they are hosting this international exhibit from the People's Republic of China. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a Han Dynasty suit made completely of jade.
Below are descriptions of the exhibits as advertised by Science World and the Vancouver Museum. Pictures are courtesy of Science World and the Vancouver Museum.
At Science World British Columbia |
China! 7000 Years Of Innovation
Science World ushers in the Year of the Snake with a magnificent seven-month celebration of 7,000 years of Chinese discovery. This spectacular festival will showcase Chinese arts, science and culture and will be an exciting reflection of British Columbia's multicultural diversity and the importance of the Pacific Rim to our community.
The major focuses of this 7,000-square-foot exhibition are four revolutionary discoveries that changed the world: paper making, gunpowder, movable type printing, and the compass. Also highlighted will be Chinese inventions and innovations in astronomy, bronze casting, mechanics, weaving and embroidery, ceramics, architecture, agriculture, handicrafts, and traditional Chinese medicine. Rich in content and diversified in style, the exhibition features hundreds of items, including many valuable historical relics and exquisite replicas of cultural antiquities.
A highlight of China! will be magnificent demonstrations by Chinese artists and technicians, who will bring to life the great inventions showcased in the exhibition. Visitors will stand in awe as such skills as bronze casting, manual paper making, traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, stone stele rubbing, seal engraving, woodblock water-colour printing, brocade weaving, and batik are performed right before their very eyes.
Jade: The Ultimate Treasure of Ancient China
This international travelling exhibit is one of the largest and most spectacular ever to be seen outside the People's Republic of China. This breathtaking collection showcases 120 historical jade artifacts dating from the Neolithic era (5th millennium BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Jade can appear in all the colours of the rainbow and the Chinese have revered its Confucian virtues for centuries. Imbued with symbolism, jade was considered to be the stone of Heaven and was valued more highly than gold by Chinese Emperors. For the rulers of China, jade was not only a reflection of beauty, but it was believed to be a symbol of wealth and authority, making Jade, the Ultimate Treasure of Ancient China.
The highlight of this collection of priceless treasures is the magnificent jade burial suit of Princess Dou Wan of the Han Dynasty (2nd Century BC). Created from 2,156 individually carved jade plates, it is estimated that it would have taken an expert jadesmith of the time more than ten years to complete.
The Vancouver Museum is proud to present, Jade, the Ultimate Treasure of Ancient China from January 31st until April 29th. Witness the evolution of a civilization and appreciate the artistic achievements of humanity in this "not to be missed" exhibition.
Organized by the Canadian Foundation for the Preservation of Chinese Cultural and Historical Treasures in partnership with the China Cultural Relics Coordination Centre, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and the National Gallery of Canada. Supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program.