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Gold has been a symbol of wealth and power since time immemorial, and it has a special commemorative meaning attached to 50^th anniversary. To celebrate the Golden Jubilee of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), the Art Museum and the Department of Fine Arts, CUHK are mounting a joint exhibition entitled ‘Radiant Legacy: Ancient Chinese Gold from the Mengdiexuan Collection‘ from 5 May to 27 October 2013. The exhibition will showcase some 300 Eurasian and Chinese gold artefacts selected from the Mengdiexuan Collection, Hong Kong. The exhibits span a period of over 3,000 years, dating from ca. 1500 BCE to 1700 CE. This ancient Chinese gold exhibition is the first comprehensive, systematic presentation of gold in ancient China held in a Hong Kong museum. 

When gold was introduced into China ca. 1500 BCE by non-Chinese peoples living to its north and west, it was an intruder in a society that valued jade and bronze as material indicators of rank and prestige. Gold’s arrival provided not just a new visual appeal, but also impetus for artistic, technical, and cultural dialogue between China and its neighbours. With the help of archaeological discoveries in China, Central Asia, and Russia, this exhibition will explore the meaning of gold in different cultural contexts, and the dynamic interactions among them over 3,000 years. 

This exhibition and the publication of its catalogue are led and coordinated by Prof. Jenny F. So, Professor of Fine Arts, and Guest-curator of this exhibition. The exhibition will be divided into three sections – ‘Gold in the Eurasian Steppes’, ‘Gold in the High Plateau’ and ‘Gold in China’ with details as follows: 

1. Gold in the Eurasian Steppes – begins with the arrival of gold personal ornaments along China’s northern borders (ca. 1500 BCE), its incursion into China, and impact on local production techniques, types, and decorations into the 6^th century CE.
2. Gold in the High Plateau – the highlight of this exhibition, rediscovers the previously unknown gold of the Tubo (or ancient Tibetan) culture, one of Tang-dynasty China’s main rivals in the 7^th and 9^th centuries, thus opens a new chapter in the history of gold in China.
3. Gold in China – reveals the ways in which gold was integrated and transformed into familiar Chinese artefacts from the 1^st to 17^th centuries. 

The exhibits are displayed accordingly, and fully illustrated by a 3-volume bilingual catalogue. 

In addition, a symposium cum opening ceremony of the exhibition will be held on 4 May. The symposium provides a platform for an international roster of scholars to exchange ideas, discuss and pursue potentials for future research and collaboration in the study of gold in China, thus the Hong Kong community can benefit from the updated scholarly research on this material. 

Members of the public are welcome to attend the symposium and admission is free. Details are as follows:

For further information of the exhibition and online registration of the symposium, please browse http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/ics/amm/B_fexhibit_G2.htm.