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CUHK and LCSD Jointly Present Hong Kong’s Two Greatest Collections of Yixing Zisha Stoneware
The Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) jointly present the exhibition ‘The Art and Culture of Yixing Zisha Stoneware’ from 11 April to 4 October 2015 at the Art Museum of CUHK. The exhibition features a rich combination of treasures from the CUHK Art Museum and the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. It demonstrates and explores the artistic achievement and the development of Yixing zisha stoneware, as well as its cultural significance and social impact. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition and take part in a variety of education programmes. Admission is free.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition has been held recently. The officiating guests include Mr. Winston Lo, Executive Chairman, Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd; Mr. Chien Lee, Chairman, Bei Shan Tang Foundation; Dr. Louis Ng, Deputy Director, Leisure and Cultural Services Department; Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK; Miss Eve Tam Mei-yee, Museum Director, Hong Kong Museum of Art; Prof. Jenny F. So, Director, Art Museum, CUHK; Mr. Christopher Mok, Chairman, Advisory Committee, Art Museum, CUHK, and Prof. Leung Yeung Sang, Director, Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK.
Zisha, literally ‘purple clay’, flourished in the mid-Ming dynasty and culminated in the works of master potters in the late-Ming. Besides its close tie with Chinese tea culture, zisha stoneware embodies the literati taste, reflecting the understated grace of Chinese culture in its exquisite craftsmanship.
‘The Art and Culture of Yixing Zisha Stoneware’ features 218 exhibits including 168 items from the Bei Shan Tang Collection of the Art Museum, CUHK and 50 items from the K.S. Lo Collection of the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. A fine and extensive selection of ware will be displayed, including teapots, archaistic vessels, elegant items for the scholar’s studio, and realistic sculptures. It will enable visitors to fully explore the beauty of zisha stoneware by Yixing master potters from the eighteenth century till nowadays.
Sponsored by the Bei Shan Tang Foundation and K. S. Lo Foundation, an education gallery will be set up as a complement to the exhibition to introduce the history, styles, characteristics and craftsmanship of zisha stoneware. It will provide visitors with an interesting interactive learning experience in understanding the art of zisha stoneware. In addition, a series of public education programmes will be launched, ranging through public lectures, guided tours, pottery workshops, family activities to tea tasting. For further information, please visit http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/ics/amm/.
In conjunction with the exhibition, an exhibition booklet covering 26 exhibit highlights is published. The Art Museum, CUHK is also proud to present the catalogue ‘The Bei Shan Tang Legacy: Yixing Zisha Stoneware’ which features the Bei Shan Tang Collection of Yixing stoneware. This bilingual catalogue with illustrations and essays will provide a comprehensive study of Yixing ware.
Details of the ‘The Art and Culture of Yixing Zisha Stoneware’ are as follows:
| Exhibition Period: | 11 April – 4 October 2015 |
| Exhibition Venue: | Gallery II & IV, Art Museum, CUHK, Shatin |
| Opening Hours of Art Museum: |
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 am–5:00 pm |
Dr. Raymond, Tang Man-leung, Curator (Chinese Antiquities), Museum of Art (right) and Ms. Lai Suk-yee Researcher (Yixing Project), Art Museum, CUHK.
Panelled square teapot Attributed to Shi Dabin Early 20th century H:11 cm, L:13.5 cm The Bei Shan Tang Gift Art Museum, CUHK
Shipiao teapot Qu Yingshao and Qiao Zhongxi Early 19th century H:7 cm, L:15.7 cm The Bei Shan Tang Gift Art Museum, CUHK
Square teapot with appliqué floral design made in Holland Early 18th century The K.S. Lo Collection Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
Elephant water dropper Attributed to Xu Youquan Early 20th century H:11.4 cm, L:13cm The Bei Shan Tang Gift Art Museum, CUHK
Lotus petal scoop Chen Mingyuan Late17th to early 18th century L:10 cm The Bei Shan Tang Gift Art Museum, CUHK
Pear-shaped teapot with inscription of “Yuxiang zhai” From the Geldermalsen shipwreck C. 1750 The K.S. Lo Collection Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
The Art and Culture of Yixing Zisha Stoneware
(From left) Prof. Leung Yeung Sang, Director, Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK; Miss Eve Tam Mei-yee, Museum Director, Hong Kong Museum of Art; Dr. Louis Ng, Deputy Director, Leisure and Cultural Services Department; Mr. Winston Lo, Executive Chairman, Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd; Mr. Chien Lee, Chairman, Bei Shan Tang Foundation; Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK; Prof. Jenny F. So, Director, Art Museum, CUHK, and Mr. Christopher Mok, Chairman, Advisory Committee, Art Museum, CUHK.
The officiating guests perform ribbon cutting for the exhibition ‘The Art and Culture of Yixing Zisha Stoneware’.
Mr. Xu Xiutang, Renowned Yixing artist, Master Craftsman of Chinese Handicraft delivers a public lecture.
The public lecture on zisha stoneware attracts 300 audiences.
