The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) will launch its new exhibition "Reading & Re-reading: Chinese Painting and Calligraphy" tomorrow (June 26). Presented in three phases, the exhibition will feature around 60 selected sets of Chinese painting and calligraphy from the Xubaizhai Collection and other HKMoA collections in each phase. Themed "Reading and Re-reading", it invites visitors to revisit poems and artworks they once studied, reconnect with their childhood memories of learning, and engage in a deep dialogue between literary imagination and the aesthetics of calligraphy and painting.
 
     In the Chinese tradition, painting and calligraphy are inextricably linked to classical literature and philosophy. Sharing a common spiritual essence, poetry and painting blend seamlessly in subject, aesthetics and form - weaving together the philosophies of life with artistic expression. The exhibition brings together outstanding works from the Ming dynasty to the 20th century, organised in four thematic chapters: "Timeless Elegance", "The Way of the Gentleman", "Landscape Reveries", and "Sentimental Years". Each chapter is given a distinctive colour scheme, complemented by landscape, light, and shadow design, creating an immersive space for savouring literature and art. Visitors are invited to journey through the brushwork, contemplate the hidden messages within, and rediscover the timeless wisdom of the ages.
 
     The red section, "Timeless Elegance", centres on legendary literati of passionate spirit - Su Shi, Wang Xizhi, Cao Zhi, and Qu Yuan - revisiting their classic writings that have inspired countless artists throughout history. Highlight exhibits include 20th-century masters Zhang Daqian and Xu Cao's "Evening Cruise by the Red Cliff", which brings to life Su Shi's expansive and liberated spirit; Gu Yun's "Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion" from the Qing dynasty, which recreates the scene of "floating wine cups along a winding stream" among Eastern Jin literati; various interpretations of "The Rhapsody on the Nymph of the Luo River" by calligraphers and painters across generations, continuing Cao Zhi's aesthetic imagination; and Zhu Yunming's running script of the nearly 2 500-character "Encountering Sorrow" from the Ming dynasty, in resonance with Qu Yuan's spirit.
 
     The green section, "The Way of the Gentleman", celebrates the beauty of nature and its cultural significance, focusing on the plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and lotus - motifs frequently found in literati art that serve as vital symbols through which scholars express their innermost convictions. Featured works include Shen Shichong's "Transplanting a Plum Tree" from the Ming dynasty and Zheng Xie's "Bamboo and Rock" from the Qing dynasty.
 
     The blue section, "Landscape Reveries", represents the equanimity and steadfastness of the literati. Landscapes serve as vessels for a range of personal aspirations, expressing the joy of reading, the tranquility of seclusion, and the exhilaration of travelling through mountains and rivers. Highlight exhibits include Hua Yan's "Thatched Pavilion in the Soughing Pines" from the Qing dynasty and Huang Binhong's "Landscapes" from the 20th century.
 
     Lastly, the brown section, "Sentimental Years", spotlights the austere simplicity and the most intimate and moving scenes of ordinary life. Highlight exhibits include Ren Yi's "Two Geese" from the Qing dynasty, as well as late-modern artists Wang Zhen and Cheng Zhang's "Celebrating New Year's Day". This section also features an installation titled "Poetry in Motion: A Visual Experiment by Po Hung", presenting four animations based on well-known classical poems to engage younger visitors. Additionally, a specially designed reading space further invites visitors to savour 10 classical texts and draw life inspiration from the ancient literati.
 
     The HKMoA's Xubaizhai collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy was donated by the late renowned collector Mr Low Chuck-tiew in 1989. It encompasses masterpieces dating from the Six Dynasties through to the 20th century, with particular richness in the major painting schools of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
 
     The exhibition will be held at the Xubaizhai Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy on 2/F of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). Admission is free. For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/reading-and-rereading.html.

Ends/Thursday, June 25, 2026
Issued at HKT 17:40

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