"Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" exhibition opens (with photos)

     The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road", co-organised by the Development Bureau (DEVB), the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, was held today (August 15). Featuring artefacts discovered from Nanhai I, an ocean-going merchant ship, and relevant artefacts from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, the exhibition showcases the role of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on the Maritime Silk Road.

     The opening ceremony was officiated by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; Deputy Director of Art Exhibitions China Ms Zhou Yu; the President of the Guangdong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Ms Cao Jin; and the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr Cheang Kai-meng.

     Nanhai I was a merchant ship of the Southern Song dynasty. Its shipwreck was salvaged in 2007 and is the most complete ancient ocean-going merchant ship discovered through archaeological excavation to date. A large collection of artefacts was discovered from Nanhai I, mainly porcelain, bronzeware, ironware, gold, silverware, lacquerware and woodenware. The quantities, shapes, craftsmanship and forms of the artefacts are rare among the archaeological finds of the Southern Song dynasty. Archaeologists believe that Nanhai I might have sunk along the maritime route from Guangdong to the South China Sea in the 10th year of the Chunxi reign (1183) of the Southern Song dynasty or shortly afterwards.

     Among the 255 items of exhibits are artefacts discovered from Nanhai I, including a brown glazed jar with four lugs and stamped with the Chinese characters "Chun Xi Shi Nian" (i.e. the 10th year of the Chunxi reign) from the Nanhai kiln; a qingbai glazed foliated bowl with stamped plum blossom pattern from the Jingdezhen kiln; a green glazed ogee-shaped foliated dish with incised lotus pattern from the Longquan kiln; a necklace with gold chain and rhinoceros horn-shaped cone ornaments; and a gem-set hollow gold bracelet. Also on display are relevant exhibits unearthed from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, including the bottom fragment of a qingbai glazed bowl with inked Chinese characters "Gong Shi" (i.e. envoy) from the Hutian kiln of the Song dynasty from the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace in Guangzhou; a yellowish-green glazed jar with six lugs and dragon pattern of the Song dynasty from the site of the former Sacred Hill in Hong Kong; and a blue-and-white kendi with elephant head shaped spout from the Jingdezhen kiln of the Ming dynasty from the site of St. Paul's College in Macao.

     The exhibition will run at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, from tomorrow (August 16) to February 12 next year. Admission is free. A short video about the preparation of the exhibition is available on the website of the Antiquities and Monuments Office of the DEVB (www.amo.gov.hk/en/news/index_id_153.html?year=2024).  
 
Ends/Thursday, August 15, 2024
Issued at HKT 18:00

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn (second right); Deputy Director of Art Exhibitions China Ms Zhou Yu (second left); the President of the Guangdong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Ms Cao Jin (first right); and the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr Cheang Kai-meng (first left), officiating at the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, giving a speech at the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows Deputy Director of Art Exhibitions China Ms Zhou Yu, giving a speech at the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr Cheang Kai-meng, giving a speech at the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn (first left); Deputy Director of Art Exhibitions China Ms Zhou Yu (second left); and the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr Cheang Kai-meng (first right), touring the exhibition.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows a brown glazed jar with four lugs and stamped with the Chinese characters "Chun Xi Shi Nian" (i.e. the 10th year of the Chunxi reign) from the Nanhai kiln, discovered from Nanhai I, an ocean-going merchant ship of the Southern Song dynasty.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows a qingbai glazed foliated bowl with stamped plum blossom pattern from the Jingdezhen kiln, discovered from Nanhai I, an ocean-going merchant ship of the Southern Song dynasty.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows a green glazed ogee-shaped foliated dish with incised lotus pattern from the Longquan kiln, discovered from Nanhai I, an ocean-going merchant ship of the Southern Song dynasty.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows a necklace with gold chain and rhinoceros horn-shaped cone ornaments discovered from Nanhai I, an ocean-going merchant ship of the Southern Song dynasty.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows a gem-set hollow gold bracelet discovered from Nanhai I, an ocean-going merchant ship of the Southern Song dynasty.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows the bottom fragment of a qingbai glazed bowl with inked Chinese characters "Gong Shi" from the Hutian kiln of the Song dynasty discovered at the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace in Guangzhou.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows a yellowish-green glazed jar with six lugs and dragon pattern of the Song dynasty discovered at the site of the former Sacred Hill in Hong Kong.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition entitled "Launch from Greater Bay Area: Nanhai I Shipwreck and the Maritime Silk Road" was held today (August 15). Photo shows a blue-and-white kendi with elephant head shaped spout from the Jingdezhen kiln of the Ming dynasty discovered at the site of St. Paul's College in Macao.


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