"Jin Yong Exhibition" unveiled in Shanghai (with photos)
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Delivering a pre-recorded speech at the opening ceremony, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said that Jin Yong has been the most popular writer in the Chinese community over the past 60 years, and added that the influence of "Jin Yong culture" on literary creation, entertainment and popular culture is far and wide.
Mr Lee said that Dr Cha was born in Haining in Zhejiang Provence, and had also lived and worked in Shanghai and therefore Dr Cha held an unshakeable bond with the East China region. He expressed the hope that visitors could take a closer look at the extraordinary life of Dr Cha and the patriotism enshrined in his novels in the exhibition.
Delivering a welcome speech at the opening ceremony, the Acting Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai (SHETO), Mr Kelvin Lo, said the exhibition is a signature event in the East China region to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and preparation took almost two years. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the completion of "The Deer and the Cauldron", which was the last martial arts novel written by Dr Cha. He added that Dr Cha had a far-reaching influence on Chinese literature development. With his in-depth knowledge, Dr Cha's novels were not only about martial arts, but also displayed the magnificent scenery of the country to readers, making a significant contribution to promoting the inheritance of Chinese culture. Mr Lo said he wished the exhibition could become an important bridge connecting Hong Kong and Shanghai on cultural exchange, and allow more young people to understand the renowned writer's contributions to novel writing and to the development of Hong Kong culture.
Mr Lo also expressed his gratitude to Dr Cha's family for their strong support for and valuable comments on the exhibition. He also thanked various departments from the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and the Shanghai Municipal Government, including the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government, the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and the Shanghai Library, as well as the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and Ming Ho Publications Corporation Limited for their assistance during the preparation of the exhibition.
In addition, Mr Lo said he was very grateful to various Hong Kong artists who had played classic roles in Jin Yong-related movies and television dramas, as they helped record promotional videos to support the exhibition. The huge support represented their respect towards Dr Cha.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government, Mr Zhang Xiaosong, offered congratulations on the great achievements of Hong Kong since its return to the motherland. He said he believed Hong Kong will further leverage its unique position, so as to further align with national development strategies and proactively integrate into national development under the leadership of the Central Authorities. He added that Shanghai and Hong Kong have strong bonds in terms of social and economic development. The co-operation between the two cities has kept on developing since the establishment of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Conference in 2003. He expressed the hope that the "Jin Yong Exhibition" could serve as an opportunity to strengthen the cultural exchanges and co-operation between the two cities.
Other officiating guests included the Chairman of the Shanghai Library Governing Board, Mr Lou Wei; Deputy Director General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government Mr Zhou Yajun; Deputy Director General of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism Mr Jin Lei; Vice Chair of the Administrative Office of the Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee Mr Tang Liyuan; Grand 2 Counselor of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Mr Zhou Qiang; and the Director General of the Shanghai Chinese Overseas Friendship Association, Ms Zou Fang. Representatives of various associations of Hong Kong residents and Hong Kong students in Shanghai were also invited to attend the opening ceremony. Zhang Jizhong, a noted director who has filmed numerous movies and television dramas of Jin Yong's works, also spoke on his relationship with Jin Yong novels via a pre-recorded video.
The scale of the exhibition, organised by the SHETO and co-organised by the LCSD, is tremendous. Occupying around 10 000 square feet, the exhibition showcases around 300 exhibits, including invaluable manuscripts, newsletters and magazines, early editions of Jin Yong's novels, photos and film posters, and some of Dr Cha's personal items, including stationery, stamps and a chessboard. Most of the exhibits are being shown in the Mainland for the first time, introducing the early career of Dr Cha, the creative process behind his novels, and the impacts the novels have had on popular culture. The Shanghai Library has also lent some rare exhibits including the examination papers of Dr Cha's grandfather, Mr Zha Wenqing, and the genealogy of the Cha's family, for displaying in the exhibition. Also, the exhibition is displaying artworks from various Hong Kong artists, including Dr Cha's daughter Edna Cha, renowned illustrators Lee Chi-ching and Wong Yuk-long, and cross-cultural artist Simon Ma, to pay tribute to Dr Cha. Interactive photo-taking spots and games have also been set up to reproduce classic scenes of Jin Yong's martial arts world.
During the exhibition, the SHETO will collaborate with the Shanghai Library to hold seminars to introduce Jin Yong's life and works. Students from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music will also conduct live performances of classic songs from Jin Yong movies and television dramas on-site during weekends. In addition, the SHETO also plans to organise a Jin Yong thematic film festival to present several Jin Yong-related movies. This series of activities aimes to show Jin Yong's achievements in culture and art through various aspects, so as to pay tribute to his literary greatness.
"Jin Yong Exhibition" is exclusively sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and is one of the initiatives supported by the HKJC's approved donation of $630 million to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, demonstrating that the HKJC is resolute in pursuing its purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of society, all in support of creating a stronger community together. The exhibition is open to the public from today to December 11 in Shanghai Library East and entry is free of charge. Members of the public may visit the SHETO's WeChat official account for advance booking and further details. Meanwhile, in order to meet the diverse needs of the public, citizens may also access an online exhibition, with some 30 highlighted exhibits displayed, in the SHETO's WeChat official account.
Ends/Friday, October 28, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:25
Issued at HKT 17:25
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