Chinese relics set for debut exhibition in Africa
26/3/2008 17:48
A selection of Chinese relics is to make its debut in Africa from the
end of March to celebrate the tenth anniversary of diplomatic relations between
China and South Africa .
The 'Treasures of China' exhibition will comrise
nearly one hundred valuable relics, including "Terracotta Warriors" excavated
near Emperor Qin's tomb in Shaanxi province and a delicate jade outfit sewn with
gold thread from King Liu Yan's tomb in Hebei province. The exhibition will run
for three months.
A large variety of original artifacts of bronze, jade,
porcelain, terracotta, silver and gold have been brought in Pretoria by eleven
art units from Hebei, Henan, Jiangxi and Shaanxi provinces in China.
Qian
Wei, a researcher for Art Exhibitions China, told Xinhua that nearly 40 percent
of the artifacts are among China's most treasured relics, perceived as China's
cultural and historical patrimony that represent some 4000 years of history and
culture, from the Shang dynasty to the Qing dynasty (from around 1300 B.C. to
1911 A.D.).
"Holding such an art exhibition is an initial attempt to export
Chinese culture to Africa, which means a lot to both China and Africa," Qian
added.
She also told Xinhua the Chinese government has taken out insurance
worth more than 300 million yuan (about US$42 million) for the relics to be
exhibited, and the South African National Cultural History Museum in Pretoria
has undergone renovations in order to step up security for the event.
The
exhibition is jointly held by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of
China and the Ministry of Arts and Culture of South Africa. Liu Bingzhong, a
Chinese counselor to South Africa, said a similar exhibition of South African
relics will be held in China this year.
Xinhua
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