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Jointly presented by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and organised by the Hong Kong Museum of History and Art Exhibitions China, the "Heavenly Horse - The Horse in Chinese Art and Culture" exhibition will be held from July 16 until October 13 at the Hong Kong Museum of History.
Held to coincide with Hong Kong's hosting of the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, this exhibition brings together a wonderful variety of artefacts from a number of Mainland museums and offers visitors a rare opportunity to see them all under one roof.
The exhibition will feature approximately 60 artefacts from 28 heritage institutes in 14 provinces and autonomous regions. This is the first time that many of the artefacts will have been exhibited in Hong Kong, for example the Qin terracotta saddled horse, the gilt bronze steed and the post station pass from the Yuan dynasty. Visitors will also get to see two paintings that have rarely been put on display, including Zhao Mengfu's Yinma Tu from the Yuan dynasty and Giuseppe Castiglioneˇ¦s Yingjizi from the Qing dynasty. The Qing dynasty bronze horse head from Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer Palace in Beijing) will also be exhibited.
Horse and man have been connected in a fruitful relationship for some 6,000 years. Not only did man tame the horse, he also invented equipment for steering and riding this powerful animal and harnessing its potential. It is no exaggeration to say that the emergence of the domesticated horse changed the course of human history and development. The most powerful weapons on ancient battlefields, horses were also symbols of a nationˇ¦s power and prosperity. China has its own unique equine culture, one that has also made an important contribution to the history of the human race.
The admission fee for the exhibition is $20. Special admission on Wednesdays is $10. A half-price concession is available to full-time students, people with disabilities and senior citizens aged 60 or above.
The Museum of History is located at 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. It opens from 10am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays. It is closed on Tuesdays except public holidays.
For details, please visit the Museum of History's website at http://hk.history.museum or call 2724 9042.
Ends/Monday, June 23, 2008
Issued at HKT 21:54
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