President and CEO of the Canadian Museum
of Civilization (CMC) Victor Rabinovitch 'dotting' the eyes of the
lion at the opening ceremony of the Chinese treasure exhibition in
Canada. Photo taken on Thursday, May 10, 2007. [Photo:
Xinhua]
Canadians will have the chance to savor China's rich cultural
heritage at an exhibition to open Friday featuring some of China's
most precious artifacts.
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"Treasures from China," to be shown at the Canadian Museum of
Civilization (CMC), will display China's long history through a
chronological setting of artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic
and Neolithic ages, through to the end of imperial rule in
1911.
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The exhibition will feature a dazzling array of 120 objects,
including jade carvings, lacquerware, paintings, calligraphy, silk
textiles, ceramics and items fashioned from bronze, gold and
silver.
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The variety of the artifacts, selected by the National Museum of
China (NMC) under an exchange agreement with Canada, reflects the
depth of China's artistic genius and the breadth of its social and
cultural history, said CMC President and CEO Victor Rabinovitch on
Thursday.
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The display is expected to set several new records. Most of the
objects had never before traveled outside China due to their
cultural significance, 23 of which are listed in China as First
Class artifacts, the highest classification an artifact can
enjoy.
One of the objects to be put on display is a stone tool crafted
by human hands half a million years ago, and will also set a new
record as the oldest human artifact ever shown at the CMC.
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Some objects are abroad this time only because the NMC is
undergoing renovation, and they may never travel aboard again, said
Dong Qi, deputy president of the NMC.
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This will be the first time that Chinese artifacts are displayed
in Canada in a systematic and comprehensive way, Dong said, adding
it will surely promote Canadians' understanding of China's history
and culture.
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Rabinovitch expected that the exhibition, which is scheduled to
run till Oct. 28, would draw as many as 150,000 visitors, pledging
the CMC will try its best to satisfy visitors' curiosity.
(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2007)
