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“Amazing Clay: Masterpieces from the Ceramic Collection of CUHK Art Museum”, an overview of treasured ancient ceramics
The Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is currently presenting the exhibition “Amazing Clay: Masterpieces from the Ceramic Collection of CUHK Art Museum”. Members of the public are welcome to visit.
This exhibition features over 100 carefully selected pieces from the Museum’s collection, from Neolithic pottery to ceramics from the Ming and Qing dynasties, covering a period of over 7,000 years. The curatorial team aims to provide a comprehensive showcase of the history and cultural significance of Chinese ceramics, providing tangible material that can be used for university teaching and allowing visitors to gain insights into the development of ancient civilisations and history through the lens of ceramic artefacts. Highlights include a Neolithic pottery vase with a painted wave design, a pillow in the shape of a reclining child, a mallet vase with celadon glaze, a blue-and-white plate with lotus pond scene from the Yuan dynasty, and a set of cups with a chicken design in doucai painted enamels.
As a university institution, the Art Museum has been acquiring the ceramics as one of its primary collecting interests since it was founded in 1971, and attaches great importance to using the collection effectively and appropriately. In addition to collecting artefacts with research value to facilitate academic study, as well as for in-house projects, it has established an archive of specimens from different periods for teaching purposes. Thanks to generous support and donations over the years, the Museum has been able to build up a remarkable collection of ceramics. At this special exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to explore over 100 carefully selected pieces, which represent a stunning overview of the history and the cultural significance of Chinese ceramics from the perspectives of technology, culture and inter-civilisation exchange.
At the same time, the Art Museum is also running the special exhibition “Celebrating the Year of the Dragon”, featuring over 50 objects from the Museum’s collection to explore the iconography of the dragon in ancient Chinese art against the socio-cultural contexts of different times.
Exhibition details
Amazing Clay: Masterpieces from the Ceramic Collection of CUHK Art Museum
Period: |
From 2 February 2024 |
Venue: |
Gallery II, CUHK Art Museum |
Opening hours: |
Please visit the Art Museum’s website |
Enquiries: |
3943 7416 |
Please download exhibition photos from https://bit.ly/42dli1L.

Poster for the exhibition “Amazing Clay: Masterpieces from the Ceramic Collection of CUHK Art Museum”

Pottery vase with painted wave design
Neolithic, Majiayao Culture, Majiayao Phase (c. 3100-2700 BC)
Acquisition of Art Museum Development Fund
Acc. no.: 1993.0266

Earthenware tower with green lead glaze
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220)
Gift of Friends of the Art Museum
Acc. no.: 1993.0100

Tea bowl with “hare’s fur” striations on a black ground
Jian ware, Fujian province
Song dynasty (960-1279)
Gift of Bei Shan Tang
Acc. no.: 1999.0506

Pillow in the shape of a reclining child
Cizhou type ware, northern China
Jin dynasty (1115-1234)
Gift of B.Y. Lam Foundation
Acc. no.: 1980.0085

Mallet vase with phoenix handles and celadon glaze
Longquan ware, Zhejiang province
Southern Song to Yuan dynasty (13th century)
Gift of B.Y. Lam Foundation
Acc. no.: 1980.0081

Plate with lotus pond scene in underglaze blue
Jingdezhen ware, Jiangxi province
Late Yuan dynasty (c.1320-1368)
Gift of Friends of the Art Museum
Acc. no.: 1985.0121

Five cups with chicken design in underglaze blue and overglaze enamels
Daqing Yongzheng nian zhi mark
Jingdezhen ware, Jiangxi province
Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period (1723-1735)
Bequest of Mr. Ho Paak
Acc. no.: 1988.0087

Brush holder with flower-and-bird design in famille rose enamels
Daya zhai, Tiandi yijiachun and Yongqing changchun marks
Jingdezhen ware, Jiangxi province
Qing dynasty, late Tongzhi to early Guangxu period (1873-1908)
University purchase
Acc. no.: 2001.0444