Exhibitions help forge closer cultural links between HK and mainland

Tam Mei-yee, director of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, says the events make Hong Kong a platform for the Palace Museum artifacts to make their global debut.

Connections between the Beijing Palace Museum and Hong Kong can be traced back to the time when Hong Kong philanthropist Ronnie Chan helped the Beijing museum reconstruct the Jianfugong Garden, which was burned down in 1923.

Chan then continued to sponsor other renovations within the Forbidden City.

For the ongoing renovation of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, his fund has donated 100 million yuan ($14.8 million), and this was followed by donations by other philanthropists from Hong Kong.

Other organizations in Hong Kong are also linking up with the Beijing Palace Museum.

For example, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is a regular sponsor of the Beijing museum's exhibitions.

The Beijing Palace Museum, besides introducing cultural relics to Hong Kong, is also helping it boost its global cultural links.

Last week, a two-day summit co-organized by the LCSD and the Beijing Palace Museum was held in Hong Kong. It was Hong Kong's first such summit.

Cheung says: "With our unique geographical position as a cultural hub where East meets West, Hong Kong is committed to assuming the role of super connector by acting as a platform for professional exchanges among overseas museums and institutions on heritage conservation and museum practices."