<p><div>In discussing the early history of Hong Kong one often mentions the development of the western part of Hong Kong Island. The subject would naturally lead on to a discussion of the brothels and prostitutes that flourished in the west part of Shek Tong Tsui. In early Hong Kong, brothels were legal. The government allocated special areas in which they could operate. Shek Tong Tsui was at that time a high-class red-light district. Both customers and prostitutes had to follow a set of rules in their transactions. The brothel business brought prosperity to many business, such as that of food establishments, entertainment, beauty salons, fashion houses and transportation. Obviously, these brothels exerted a great influence on early Hong Kong society. Mr. Cheng Po Hung has expended great effort in the study of this particular aspect of history, collecting many valuable photographs. The University Museum and Art Gallery of HKU has compiled the results of his research into this book.</div></p>

Early Prostitution in Hong Kong

Arts & Photography

Cheng, Po Hung

Photography & Video

HKU Museum and Art Gallery

<p><div>The pursuit of knowledge and wisdom by ancient Chinese scholars manifested itself in various forms beyond the imagination of people in today's society. At the time when ancient scholars' "ears are shut to what goes on outside the window and are single-mindedly focus on the classics", the ideal state of their austere existence was the pursuit of intellectual enlightenment and spiritual fulfillment. One can imagine, any objects in their studios would reflect only their simple but elegant taste. The exhibition "Enlightening Pursuit" features over 150 scholar's objects that have been assembled by Mengdiexuan over years. It is a collection based on personal preference for simplicity, love for certain art form and designs. The article and all the entries in this catalogue are written by Professor Sun Ji.</div></p>

Enlightening Pursuits: Scholar’s Objects from the Mengdiexuan Collection

Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions

A Brush with Irony: Paintings by Wan Qingli

Individual Artists

<p>This book is the catalogue of the exhibition, “Pottery Sculpture by Pan Bolin”. This exhibition includes examples of Pan Bolin’s recent work such as historical figures, scenes from operas, daily life, legends, and animals. Pan Bolin, born in Shiwan, is one of the most prominent artists working today. He studied at the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, as well as the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Pan’s style is unique. He addresses the clash of Chinese and Western culture, and topics such as garbage collectors, and other figures that have fallen into oblivion, yet he endeavours to infuse into his works a creative spirit unseen in the past.</p>

Pottery Sculpture by Pan Bolin

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Pan, Bolin

Antiques & Collectibles

<p><div>Between 1978 and 1979, Professor Jao Tsung-i lectured at École Pratique des Hautes Études in France. During this period, he studied extensively the Dunhuang manuscripts taken to France and discovered that the scrolls contained sketches on their ends and on the back of the manuscripts. He thoroughly studied these sketches and later he researched the same type of line drawing on the Dunhuang manuscripts housed in the British Museum. His finds were published by the École française d'Extrême-Orient in a book entitled The Line Drawing of Dunhuang. This was the first publication in this field, in which Professor Jao demonstrated using firsthand material showing this form of early Chinese human figure painting, a field that has long been neglected. This work also presented precious information on paintings during the Tang Dynasty. The book was first launched in Chinese and French. Its rarity led Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole, HKU to republish this academic work in Chinese, English and Japanese. These new editions are illustrated with Professor Jao's sketches in Dunhuang style.</div></p>

The Line Drawing of Dunhuang

Jao, Tsung-I

Drawing

<p>The “Mountains Ablaze” exhibition presents the history of late-Qing period China (1839–1911) through the lives of eighty-seven significant personalities who have, until recently, been both politically and culturally unpopular. In the century since the 1911 revolution, it has been possible to take a more objective view of the achievements of this group of foreigners who were closely identified with cultural imperialism, officials who served in the Qing court, scholars who were considered faithful to classical culture and literature, and yimin (loyalists) who were considered to have opposed both the Republican revolution and the Communists. On display are valuable artefacts on loan from Mr Soong Shu-kong, offering insights into the recent history of East-West cultural exchange. The exhibition includes examples of Chinese painting, calligraphy, personal correspondence, books, and scholars’ objects. Many of the exhibits are on display for the first time and are published in this two-volume catalogue authored by Mr Soong.</p>

Mountains Ablaze: Foreign Devils and Chinese Patriots 1839–1911

History

Asia

<p>As part of The University of Hong Kong’s centennial celebration programme, the University Museum and Art Gallery presents an exhibition on early Hong Kong travel, from 1880 to 1939. In collaboration with an established collector, Benjamin W. Yim, the exhibition, with the participation and support of The Hong Kong Heritage Project, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited and Louis Vuitton, features over 100 exhibits. Vintage menus, cabin trunks, programmes, postcards, photographs, luggage labels, travel guides and brochures, together with other miscellaneous items associated with recreational activities, are on view. To give visitors a glimpse of Hong Kong’s pre-war colonial past, this exhibition, using travel as a theme, attempts to present impressions of Hong Kong as it would appear to European and American visitors arriving by ocean liner. The exhibition presents a number of late nineteenth century features in order to give visitors a realistic experience of what it was like to be in the city a century ago. This volume is the catalogue of the exhibition.</p>

Early Hong Kong Travel 1880–1939: The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, Benjamin W. Yim and Louis Vuitton Collections

Business & Money

Yim, Benjamin W.

Ho, Joan Yi-Hsing

Industries

<p>This is the catalogue of the exhibition, “The Multiplicity of Simplicity Monochrome wares from the Song to the Yuan dynasties”, held by the University Museum and Art Gallery, HKU. The Song dynasty (960-1279) saw a breakthrough in Chinese ceramics production. It was during this time that a number of famous kilns were established in different parts of China. The products from each kiln demonstrated a style of their own. Some of their innovative traditions were passed on to the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). Sponsored by the University of Hong Kong Museum Society and the Songde Tang, this exhibition features 118 pieces of ceramic wares from the University Museum collection as well as eight collections in Hong Kong. They are representative works produced by the well-known kilns in Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. All show rich variations of white, blue, green and black glaze colours. Evidently, the monochromes made from the Song to the Yuan dynasties are the result of a highly sophisticated ceramic technology. Most of the exhibits are displayed to the public for the first time. They are fully illustrated in this exhibition catalogue.</p>

The Multiplicity of Simplicity: Monochrome Wares from the Song to the Yuan Dynasties

Other Media

<p>This publication accompanies the University Museum and Art Gallery’s exhibition of traditional Chinese costumes, baby carriers and silver ornaments drawn from the collection of Mei-yin Lee. Elaborately embroidered costumes and baby carriers, most of which originate with the Miao, Dong, Shui and Zhuang ethnic tribes of the south-western Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan, and Guangxi are decorated with richly coloured, stitched and sewn ornamentations―and sometimes silver applications―indigenous to the particular culture and long-lived traditions they derive from. As some ethnic minorities lack a written script, the symbolism and colour-coding found in their textiles form a visual language that presents an important cultural and anthropological development and heritage still in practice today.</p>

Embroidered Identities: Ornately Decorated Textiles and Accessories of Chinese Ethnic Minorities

History & Criticism

?Ch'ing Cash is a monumental two-volume set detailing the history of Ch'ing cash coins. The first volume lists the development of Ch'ing cash, its manufacture, and the stages from ivory trial pieces to final product. Werner Burger has developed a novel way for numismatics to present the coins, arranging each coin by individual mint and year produced, which has led to several unexpected discoveries. The second volume contains the rubbings of more than 6,000 coins in 53 large foldout charts. Each coin includes a rarity index and number. In addition, Burger has compiled a list of all coins cast by every mint from 1736 until 1911.

Ch'ing Cash: Volume 1―Ch'ing Cash; Volume 2―Ch'ing Cash Year Tables

Burger, Werner

Economics

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