Hong Kong Heritage Museum Launches Exhibition on Ming Furniture and Contemporary Artistic Chairs

Hong Kong Heritage Museum showcases Haven Collection's Ming furniture and modern artistic chairs

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) is staging the "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24) to April 12 next year. Guest-curated by renowned local designer and artist Mr Freeman Lau, the exhibition showcases a series of Ming furniture treasures from local collector and owner of the Haven Collection, Dr Lau Chu-pak, paired with artistic chairs from the HKHM's collection as well as iconic works of modern furniture design. It explores the profound influence of Ming furniture as a cultural symbol of China and its ongoing dialogue and transformation within contemporary design.

Addressing the opening ceremony held today (May 23), the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Culture), Miss Eve Tam, said that Ming furniture embodies the profound wisdom of traditional Chinese design. Crafted from exquisite materials, with clean silhouettes and elegant forms, it fully exemplifies the spirit of Chinese craftsmanship. Through a unique perspective that juxtaposes past and present and pairs East and West, this exhibition illustrates how contemporary designers draw inspiration from Chinese cultural heritage, using upcycled materials and new technologies to reinterpret traditional craftsmanship in the modern era.

Other officiating guests included Legislative Council Member and Museum Expert Adviser for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Professor Lau Chi-pang; Dr Lau; Mr Lau; and the Museum Director of the HKHM, Mr Brian Lam.

The exhibits generate in-depth conversations between the past and the present. The craftsmanship on display ranges from traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery to cutting-edge 3D-printing techniques, with materials ranging from precious Chinese rosewood to eco-friendly upcycled resources. Highlights include a horseshoe armchair crafted from precious Chinese rosewood (huanghuali), distinguished by its clean and elegant silhouette - a form that embodies the ancient Chinese principle of "round heaven and square earth". Another highlight is a grand-scale alcove bed made of Chinese southern elm. It features an enclosed chamber space, inviting visitors to closely observe the refined daily life of women from ancient noble families.

In parallel with the traditional furniture, the exhibition also features guest curator Mr Lau's curated selection of modern furniture, including the iconic "CH24 Wishbone Chair" by renowned Danish modern designer Hans J Wegner, alongside creative works by local designers and artists. Among them is "Golden Blossom", a 3D-printed flower table by artist Victor Wong that features carvings of exquisite floral motifs, symbolising wealth and harmony. The "Yuan Chair", designed by Koren Sin and Kirin Leung, takes the Chinese drum stool's simple form and reinterprets it with a twist of modern parametric style. These design works reveal contemporary interpretations of traditional Chinese furniture by designers from Hong Kong and abroad.

The exhibition will be held at Function Place, 1/F of the HKHM. Admission is free. It is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series by the LCSD. A series of talks will be held during the exhibition, inviting audiences to explore the craftsmanship and design of Ming furniture and to examine how Chinese culture is deeply rooted in everyday life and has shaped the evolving aesthetics of everyday objects over the past century. For details of the exhibition and activities, please visit hk.heritage.museum/en/exhibitions/wow2_furniture.html.

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is staging "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II — East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is staging "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is staging "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24). Photo shows the "Yuan Chair", designed by Koren Sin and Kirin Leung, which takes the Chinese drum stool's simple form and reinterprets it with a twist of modern parametric style. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is staging "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24). Photo shows "Golden Blossom", a 3D-printed flower table by artist Victor Wong, which features carvings of exquisite floral motifs, symbolising wealth and harmony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is staging "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24). Photo shows the iconic "CH24 Wishbone Chair" by renowned Danish modern designer Hans J Wegner. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is staging "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24). Photo shows the grand-scale alcove bed made of Chinese southern elm, the largest exhibit on display, which features an enclosed chamber space inviting visitors to closely observe the refined daily life of women from ancient noble families. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is staging "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition starting from tomorrow (May 24). Photo shows a horseshoe armchair crafted from precious Chinese rosewood (huanghuali), distinguished by its clean and elegant silhouette - a form that embodies the ancient Chinese principle of "a round heaven and a square earth". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The opening ceremony of the "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition was held today (May 23) at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM). Photo shows local collector and owner of the Haven Collection, Dr Lau Chu-pak (centre), guest curator Mr Freeman Lau (first right), and the Museum Director of the HKHM, Mr Brian Lam (first left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The opening ceremony of the "WoW! Hong Kong Design Series II - East-West Design Reflections: Haven Collection's Ming Furniture and a Century of Chair Play" exhibition was held today (May 23) at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM). Photo shows the officiating guests: the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Culture), Miss Eve Tam (centre); Legislative Council Member and Museum Expert Adviser for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Professor Lau Chi-pang (second left); local collector and owner of the Haven Collection, Dr Lau Chu-pak (second right); guest curator Mr Freeman Lau (first left); and the Museum Director of the HKHM, Mr Brian Lam (first right), at the opening ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DH convenes 14th Meeting of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards

The Department of Health (DH) today (July 14) convened the 14th Meeting of the International Advisory Board (IAB) on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS) to review the reference standards for 16 types of Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) commonly used in Hong Kong, and to discuss the future development of the HKCMMS. Over 60 experts from the Chinese Mainland, overseas and Hong Kong attended the meeting.

Since 2002, the DH has been implementing the HKCMMS project in phases to develop standards for commonly used CMM in Hong Kong to ensure their safety and quality.

In his opening remarks, the Director of Health and the Chairperson of the IAB, Dr Ronald Lam, said, "One of the key initiatives of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) under the DH is the implementation of the HKCMMS. With the publication of the Volume 12 of the HKCMMS, standards for 357 types of CMM have been established so far. They have become widely recognised international reference standards for Chinese medicine testing and certification, thereby promoting the high-quality scientific development of Chinese medicine. In addition, the work of GCMTI is closely aligned with national priorities. The National 15th Five-Year Plan made it clear that we need to 'advance the inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine' and 'promote the integration of Chinese and Western medicine'. It also calls for us to 'strengthen the conservation and utilisation of Chinese medicine resources', 'improve the quality of Chinese medicine, and build up and strengthen the Chinese medicine industry'. These are exactly the goals that the HKCMMS Project is helping to achieve - by setting rigorous quality standards for CMM and conducting applied research and development on testing methods that underpin the entire industry, establishing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as a bridgehead for the global expansion of Chinese Medicine."

Dr Lam emphasised that the success of the HKCMMS project depends on the active collaboration of stakeholders across different sectors. He expressed his sincere appreciation to the four research partners attending the meeting, commending their dedicated contributions to advancing the project's research efforts. They were the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the China Medical University. He also thanked the Government Laboratory for conducting inter-laboratory verification studies. Dr Lam emphasised that these collaborations are crucial for establishing a rigorous and solid scientific foundation for the HKCMMS and gaining international credibility. The DH is also deeply grateful to the National Medical Products Administration, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission for their continuous valuable advice and support in developing the HKCMMS. To align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan to advance the inheritance, innovation and high-quality development of Chinese medicine, expand and promote Chinese medicine culture, the DH will continue to steadfastly promote the development of Chinese medicine and better integrate into and serve the overall national development.

The two-day meeting brought together experts from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as representatives from research institutions, the DH and the Government Laboratory of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The 16 types of CMM commonly used in Hong Kong that were discussed at the meeting included Bambusae Caulis in Taenias, Pyrolae Herba, Natrii Sulfas, Dichroae Radix, Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma, Cynanchi Atrati Radix et Rhizoma, Jasmini Flos, Tinosporae Caulis, Inulae Flos, Haematitum, Lasiosphaera seu Calvatia, Vespae Nidus, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Aconiti Kusnezoffii Folium, Meliae Cortex and Tripterygii Wilfordii Radix.

Previous editions of the HKCMMS can be accessed at the website of the Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office of the DH.

DH convenes 14th Meeting of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DH convenes 14th Meeting of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DH convenes 14th Meeting of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases