People visit the Sanxingdui cultural artifacts that are on display for the special exhibiton "Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan" at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Sept 29, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
Visitors to the special exhibition featuring Sanxingdui relics at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Friday said that they were amazed by the cultural artifacts dating back thousands of years, adding that the exhibition transported them back into time with a multimedia immersive experience.
Magnus Lam Qiu-heng, who studies at Pui Kiu Middle School on Hong Kong Island, was one of those captivated by the bronze artifacts. He was particularly impressed by the ancient carving techniques.
The multimedia presentation of the Sanxingdui culture has fascinated visitors with a vibrant and vivid retelling of how these archaeological relics were excavated and preserved
“It is amazing to see that such exquisite bronzeware even existed about 5,000 years ago,” Lam said, adding that he will go back and dig into the Sanxingdui culture.
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“Being at present is quite different from seeing these objects online or on TV, as being at the scene makes me feel that Chinese traditional culture is extensive and profound,” Lam continued. He said he will visit the exhibition again with his friends and family members as it is rare to see such treasures of deep history in the city.
The special exhibition – named Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan, and which will run till Jan 8 – highlights recent archaeological discoveries at Sanxingdui in Sichuan province, and features 120 bronze, jade, gold and pottery objects dating to 2,600 to 4,500 years ago.
The Sanxingdui culture is representative of the ancient Shu civilization that originated in the Sichuan Basin thousands of years ago. The 120 priceless exhibits, mainly loaned from the Sanxingdui Museum and the Jinsha Site Museum in Sichuan, will be displayed in four sections depicting the art, urban life, belief systems, and origins of the Shu civilization. Among them are 23 pieces classified as Grade-1 national treasures, including a bronze head with a gold mask and the stand of a bronze tree.
Some of the artifacts, such as bronze heads, mythical creatures, eye-shaped objects, dragon-shaped objects, a hybrid tiger-dragon figure, as well as a jade rectangular stand with an animal face and phoenix-bird motifs, are being displayed outside Sichuan for the first time.
People visit the Sanxingdui cultural artifacts that are on display for the special exhibiton "Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan" at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Sept 29, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
Ardent art lover Isaac Cheng has long been a regular at HKPM. Still, he was impressed and said the exhibit was well worth a second visit.
Friday is also the Mid-autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese festival when families get together to celebrate. Cheng said being at the West Kowloon Cultural District, where the museum is located, at this special occasion is a rare experience.
Cheng said time has interlaced at WKCD as the cultural district is relaxed and modern while the exhibition has taken visitors back to the Bronze Age.
Angela Mou shuting brought her 12-year-old son to the exhibition to explore and broaden the young boy’s horizons.
Having arrived in the city via high-speed train from Shenzhen on Thursday evening, the pair had completed a long-wanted tour at the HKPM. The multimedia used to showcase the artifacts also impressed them. They said they plan to stay in the city for more events, in particular the fireworks display on National Day at Victoria Harbour that is being staged after five years hiatus.
People visit the Sanxingdui cultural artifacts that are on display for the special exhibiton "Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan" at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Sept 29, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
People visit the Sanxingdui cultural artifacts that are on display for the special exhibiton "Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan" at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Sept 29, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
People visit the Sanxingdui cultural artifacts that are on display for the special exhibiton "Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan" at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Sept 29, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
People visit the Sanxingdui cultural artifacts that are on display for the special exhibiton "Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan" at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Sept 29, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
Tina Yan, who is studying for a postgraduate degree in the city, also came to admire the cultural relics. She was particularly impressed by the gold mask, which is so thin that the technology used to make is still something of a mystery.
READ MORE: High-profile exhibition opens at Hong Kong Palace Museum
The multimedia presentation of the Sanxingdui culture has fascinated visitors with a vibrant and vivid retelling of how these archaeological relics were excavated and preserved.
Wu Shengyi and Wei Jingtong, who are also studying at Pui Kiu School, were also fell for the immersive experience brought by the multimedia.
They believe that by hosting Chinese culture exhibitions, Hong Kong, a diverse city, will attract more collectors and visitors from various places around the world.
