Unveiling Sichuan’s Secrets: The 2023 National Day Extravaganza
The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) proudly presents “Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan” from 27 September 2023 to 8 January 2024. This monumental exhibit, the result of collaboration between prominent Chinese museums and institutions, is graciously sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong).
The Treasures Beyond Sichuan: A First Glimpse Outside the Province
Highlighting recent archaeological finds from Sanxingdui, this exhibit brings 120 artefacts dating back 2,600-4,500 years, with many displayed beyond Sichuan for the first time. Among these, 23 are grade-one national treasures, with 18 borrowed from the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu. These include pieces from excavations as recent as 2022, and artifacts like the bronze heads, mythical creatures, and jade rectangular stand with animal face and phoenix-bird motifs.
Four Chapters: Narrating the Ancient Shu Civilisation
The exhibit unfurls in four thematic sections:
- Timeless Gazes: Dive deep into the expressive bronze heads, masks, and deity depictions, traversing timelines.
- Urban Life at Sanxingdui: Step into the Bronze Age metropolis of East Asia, exploring its architectural wonders and artisanal artefacts.
- Gods and Shamans at Sanxingdui: Delve into the spiritual world of Sanxingdui, exploring the cosmos from their viewpoint.
- The Origin and Inheritance of Sanxingdui: Trace back Sanxingdui’s roots and witness how cultures merged, embodying the “diversity in unity” ethos of Chinese civilisation.
Voices from the Heart
Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM, expressed his excitement for the exhibit: “The HKPM is thrilled to launch the especial exhibition ‘Gazing at Sanxingdui’ as a highlight of this year’s National Day holidays. We look forward to taking our audiences back to 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, to gaze at the magnificent civilisation of Sanxingdui and other parts of Sichuan and dive into the lives and cultural interactions among different regions and ethnic groups in ancient China. This exhibition also marks the debut of the HKPM’s ‘The Origin and Development of Chinese Civilisation’ special exhibition series, testifying to the HKPM’s mission of promoting the inheritance of the splendid Chinese culture. We sincerely hope that this exhibition will appeal to visitors from Hong Kong, the Mainland, and abroad, deepening their understanding of the formation and development of the 5,000-year Chinese civilisation, its continuity, inventiveness, unity, inclusiveness, and emphasis on peace and harmony, as well as its contributions to world civilisations.”
Echoing his sentiment, Tang Fei, Director of the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, remarked: “The precious cultural relics unearthed from the Sanxingdui and Jinsha sites represent the splendour of the ancient Shu material and spiritual civilisation, an important part of Chinese civilisation. These artefacts reflect the remarkable achievements of the civilisation developed in the upper Yangtze River region before the Qin dynasty. The ancient Shu civilisation had close connections with the civilisations in the Yellow River region and the middle and lower Yangtze River regions. This demonstrates the ‘diversity in unity’ configuration of Chinese civilisation, which is highly significant in the history of Chinese and world civilisations. We are looking forward, with great anticipation, to the presentation of these precious cultural objects at the Hong Kong Palace Museum to Hong Kong citizens as well as visitors from the Mainland and around the world. We aim to deepen visitors’ understanding of the historical value of the glorious ancient Shu civilisation, broaden the international impact of Chinese culture, and promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding among world civilisations.”
A Special Invite for the Golden Week Holidays
HKPM welcomes visitors with open arms during the Golden Week. While regular tickets will be priced at HKD150 for adults and HKD75 for concessions, they will also grant access to several thematic exhibitions. For those keen on ancient gold, the “Radiance” exhibition at Gallery 9 will remain open till 3 October 2023.
Tickets can be procured from multiple platforms starting 1 September 2023, including the HKPM website, West Kowloon Cultural District site, and other online ticketing partners.
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To elevate the experience, HKPM will be conducting scholarly programmes and public learning activities. These events will celebrate the last century of China’s archaeological accomplishments while fostering Hong Kong and Sichuan cultural exchanges.
