This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Min Chiu Society, Hong Kong's premier art collecting organization. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Museum of Art, they present “Engaging Past Wisdom: Min Chiu Society at Sixty-five,” exhibiting over 400 sets of precious Chinese artifacts, marking their largest exhibition to date.
The museum uses innovative methods to present China's 5,000-year history, allowing visitors to travel through time and experience profound Chinese heritage.
The society was founded in 1960 by collectors passionate about Chinese culture. Lawrence Chan Wing-tat, chairman of the Min Chiu Society said: “Collectors from Shanghai and Beijing moved to Hong Kong, bringing with them a rich collection. They regularly gathered to display their treasures, enjoy tea, and discuss art – a tradition that continues to this day."
Members include bankers, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals who value the preservation and research of artifacts. The society also holds talks, publishes research findings, and donates to public museums.
HKMOA and the society have collaborated for years, holding an exhibition every five years. “The exhibition connects antiquity with modernity, including five sections, with carefully arranged exhibits. For example, a jade dancer pendant, a Ju Ming Tai Chi sculpture and a Lalan painting are placed side by side,” HKMOA Curator Hilda Mak Wing-Man said.
Chan shared his first acquisition – a wucai “hundred boys” jar from the Qing Dynasty. “It was initially misjudged as a work from the Ming-Qing 'transitional period,' but later research confirmed it to be a masterpiece from the Shunzhi period, which became the starting point for my research on Ming and Qing porcelain," he said.
Anthony Cheung Kee-wee, vice chairman of the Min Chiu Society, shared a Hu jar with the inscription "Zhou x,” a treasure once in the collection of the Qianlong Emperor. The jar is simple yet exquisite.
“HKMOA deliberately juxtaposed it with Emperor Yongzheng’s porcelain. Their similar shapes echo the theme of engaging past wisdom,” Cheung said.
The exhibition is held until January 14, 2026. Free entry for museum pass holders.
