Tomorrow sees the opening of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Ancient Civilisation of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties in Henan Province exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History. Solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, it is the first in the General History of China Series of exhibitions organised by the Hong Kong Museum of History. Featuring over 150 sets of precious artefacts, including some classified as grade-one national treasures, it will provide a vital insight into a formative period of China’s history during its earliest dynasties.

Today’s (2 April) opening ceremony was officiated by Cheuk Wing-hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government; Huang Dongsheng, Director-General of the Henan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism; Kevin Yeung, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government; Dr Ren Wei, Director of the Henan Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage; Lin Zhan, Deputy Director of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Ann Kung, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Ma Fung-kwok, Chairman of the Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports; Zhang Deshui, Deputy Director of Henan Museum; Professor Douglas So, Chairman of Museum Advisory Committee; Vincent Liu, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services of the HKSAR Government and Ng Chi-wo, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Museum of History.

Club Steward Ann Kung said the Club was honoured to support this exhibition, which will showcase the essence and influence of Chinese civilisation through precious cultural relics and a series of public education activities. The Club is committed to promoting arts, culture and heritage in Hong Kong in alignment with the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which supports the development of Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. This exhibition is one of the activities under the Chinese Culture Promotion Office, which aims to help citizens explore more about Chinese culture and build their cultural confidence.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Ancient Civilisation of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties in Henan Province exhibition will introduce the political, social and cultural landscapes, as well as the rituals and etiquette of the Three Dynasties, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the Central Plains civilisation. It will feature over 150 sets of exhibits, including large and complete sets of bronze ware, jade ware, pottery, bone ware, oracle bones and bamboo slips from the Wangchenggang site in Dengfeng county, the Wadian site in Yuzhou city, the Erlitou site in Yanshi district, Zhengzhou Shang City, the Yinxu site in Anyang city, the Dongzhou Wangcheng ruins in Luoyang city, and the various states of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

A series of Club-supported educational activities will help visitors learn more about the Three Dynasties civilisation. These include guided tours, expert talks, and workshops. An educational corner equipped with interactive activities and immersive installations will provide supplementary information and enhance the visitor experience, especially for young people. Learning kits will also be distributed to primary and secondary schools to support classroom education. The exhibition opens tomorrow and runs until 8 July. For further details, please visit https://hk.history.museum/en/web/mh/exhibition/The-Ancient-Civilisation-of-the-Xia-Shang-and-Zhou-Dynasties-in-Henan-Province-Exhibition.html.

Sports and Culture is one of the priority areas of the Club’s Charities Trust. The Club will continue to support a wide range of arts and cultural initiatives citywide and support the Central Government’s vision of developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as outlined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series is a partnership between the Club and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Launched in 2012, it has brought world-class exhibitions to Hong Kong, enabling visitors to appreciate masterpieces from different places, times and cultures. The exhibitions are complemented by a variety of education and outreach activities to describe the historical and cultural context. Recent exhibitions include Joan Miró - The Poetry of Everyday Life and Titian and the Venetian Renaissance from the Uffizi.

The Club’s support for The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series, like all of its charity donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate employment, tax and charity support for the community.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2022/23, the Club returned a total of HK$35.9 billion to the community. This included HK$28.6 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$7.3 billion in approved charity donations.  The Club is Hong Kong's largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s top ten charity donors.