HKMoA Unveils Major Exhibition of Ancient Paintings and Calligraphy from Three Prestigious Collections

2025-06-10 20:40 Last Updated At：20:48

HKMoA's new exhibition unveils and showcases three preeminent collections in Hong Kong for first time

The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) will launch the exhibition "The Pride of Hong Kong: Three Preeminent Collections of Ancient Paintings and Calligraphies" from June 11 to October 7, converging for the first time treasures from three world-class collections - Xubaizhai, established by the late renowned local collector Low Chuck-tiew; Chih Lo Lou, by Ho Iu-kwong; and Bei Shan Tang, by Lee Jung-sen, which are highly revered locally and internationally. Ninety-three sets of masterpieces from the Tang to the Qing dynasties will be exhibited, showcasing Hong Kong's golden age of collecting.

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HKMoA's new exhibition unveils and showcases three preeminent collections in Hong Kong for first time Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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HKMoA's new exhibition unveils and showcases three preeminent collections in Hong Kong for first time Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The exhibition, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is jointly organised by the HKMoA and the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Addressing the opening ceremony held today (June 10), the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, said that in the mid-20th century, Chinese national treasures were featured in a large quantity in Hong Kong. Foreign art dealers and collectors were highly enthusiastic to acquire these treasures. With the resolve to retain these embodiments of Chinese heritage on home soil, the three collectors were determined to collect ancient Chinese masterpieces. The three world-class private treasured collections, namely Xubaizhai, Chih Lo Lou and Bei Shan Tang, were thus built up. Moreover, the three collectors and their families donated their invaluable collections to the HKMoA and the Art Museum of the CUHK for exhibition and educational purposes, providing the public with the opportunity to appreciate Chinese painting and calligraphy. The three collectors and their families, committed to preserving and promoting Chinese culture, have demonstrated their honourable generosity.

Other officiating guests included Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the CUHK Professor Anthony Chan; the Chief Executive Officer of Bei Shan Tang Foundation, Ms Lillian Kiang; the Chairman of the Art Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Desmond Hui; and the Museum Director of the HKMoA, Dr Maria Mok.

The three preeminent collections stand out in distinctiveness. The Xubaizhai Collection covers the major Ming and Qing schools, fully epitomising the development of Chinese painting and calligraphy traditions. Highlight exhibits include Dong Qichang's "Landscape and Calligraphy in Running Script", "Illustrations for the Odes of Qi" attributed to Ma Hezhi, Zhang Feng's "Scholar by an Old Tree" and Luo Pin's "The Realm of Ghosts".

The Chih Lo Lou Collection, under the guiding collecting principle of "artist before his art", emphasises works from the Ming-Qing transition. Huang Daozhou's "Pines and Rock", Zhu Da (Bada Shanren)'s "Landscapes", Wu Bin's "Misty River and Piled Peaks" and Jinshi's "Poems and Essays in Running-cursive Script" are some of the highlight exhibits.

The Bei Shan Tang Collection, rich in both paintings and calligraphies spanning a number of dynasties, especially the Ming and Qing periods, is notable for its leading masters, while some of the works are rare or the only extant pieces by the respective artists. Highlight exhibits include Wen Zhengming's "Ci-poem for Xu Lin in Running Script", Tao Xuan's "Pavilion against Distant Mountains", and Wang Chong's "Loan Agreement in Running Script" and "Garden after Snow" during the Southern Song dynasty.

The HKMoA has also invited Hong Kong artist Yau Wing-fung to draw inspiration from the varied perspectives and stylised rocks and mountains in late Ming and early Qing painter Huang Xiangjian's depictions of his reunion journeys in the three preeminent collections, and to create two installations "To and Fro" and "Mirage Harmony", which retell the unique story of the distinctive landforms of Hong Kong's 18 administrative districts from a contemporary perspective.

The exhibition will be held at the Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, the Wu Guanzhong Art Gallery and the Jingguanlou Gallery on the fourth floor of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). Admission is free. Sponsored by Bei Shan Tang Foundation, the exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue and an international academic lecture series. Scholars from the region and overseas will deliver talks on appreciating Chinese paintings and calligraphy, as well as the history of Chinese art collections in various places. For details of the exhibition and related activities, please visit the website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/the-pride-of-hong-kong.html.

The exhibition is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series.

Government Task Forces Mobilize $3.8 Billion Fund for Wang Fuk Court Fire Relief Efforts

Government announces updates on follow-up work on Tai Po fire

The three task forces set up by the Government for the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po - the Task Force on Investigation and Regulation, the Task Force on Emergency Support and Fund-Raising, and the Task Force on Emergency Accommodation Arrangements - are making full efforts to follow up on the support, relief, and investigation work related to the incident. Details are as follows:

Financial and welfare support

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For the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, established by the Government, donations received are about $3.5 billion as of noon today (December 17). With the start-up capital of $300 million from the Government, the fund's total has now reached around $3.8 billion. The fund will be used to assist residents in rebuilding their homes and providing long-term and sustained support.

The Government earlier announced that a living allowance from the Support Fund will be provided to each affected household, and the amount has been increased from $50,000 to $100,000. As of today, 1 917 cases have been processed. In addition, the Government will provide families of each deceased victim with a token of solidarity of $200,000, as well as $50,000 to cover funeral costs. As of today, a total of 134 cases have been processed. The allowance will be disbursed in phases.

Social workers from the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have been in contact with more than 1 980 affected households, providing the "one social worker per household" follow-up service to more than 4 900 residents. The SWD will maintain liaison with the affected households to provide all necessary assistance while fully supporting the relief work of the Government.

Accommodation support

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As of this morning, a total of 632 residents are staying in hotel rooms through the co-ordination of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, and 548 residents are staying in youth hostels/camps. Another 3 439 residents are currently living in transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau, units from the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) or Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun.

Currently, there is still an abundant supply of more than 1 000 units that can provide affected residents with longer term accommodation. The transitional housing and HKHS projects in different districts can altogether provide around 400 units at the moment. Besides, Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun and Runway 1331 at Kai Tak can provide a supply of around 900 units.

Besides, the Housing Bureau and the Transport Department have been working closely with the operating organisations and public transport service providers to deploy additional vehicles and manpower to support affected residents who have been admitted into transitional housing and HKHS projects in various districts and to cater for residents' commuting needs. Among the projects, an additional residents' service (RS) NR540 to and from Good House in Tai Po and Tai Po Market Station, as well as shuttle bus services connecting Good House, Tai Po Centre and Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital have been launched; the existing RS NR50 to and from Trackside Villas in Tai Po and Tai Po Market Station has been enhanced; a supplementary RS NR976 has been introduced connecting The STEP in Yuen Long and Tai Po Market Station.

Relief supplies and donations

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Thesupplies donation online platform, established by the Government and the information technology sector, continues to operate, facilitating the registration of supplies donations from organisations and the public. The Government has so far received over 1 900 registrations, of which approximately 30 per cent were submitted by organisations, whereas the others were contributed by the public. The various registered donation items include food and beverages, clothing, daily necessities, bedding, and electrical appliances. The Government is actively assessing residents' actual needs through the relevant policy bureau, government departments, and service organisations for the matching of donated supplies in order to distribute appropriate items in phases to places in need. So far, over 25 000 donation items covering various categories have been distributed to different places. The matching and distribution of supplies will continue.

Regulation and inspection work

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The Independent Checking Unit of the Housing Bureau and the Housing Department will continue to deploy manpower in Wang Fuk Court to assist the removal of items such as scaffolding and protective nets at some of the affected buildings so as to facilitate the evidence collection by the Police.

HKMoA Unveils Major Exhibition of Ancient Paintings and Calligraphy from Three Prestigious Collections

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