Works of ancient masters on display at Han Tianheng Art Museum
Print Edition
The Han Tianheng Art Museum is now hosting a special exhibition featuring artifacts from the study rooms of ancient scholars.
Stepping into the exhibition hall, visitors will feel like entering a literati’s study. Aside from a few Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) books, Song Dynasty (960-1279) paintings, and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) painting brushes, the space is furnished with a variety of inkstones, brush holders, pen holders, seals, water pots, floral arrangements and classic furniture pieces.
The highlight is an extraordinary 43-kilogram chicken-blood stone from Changhua, Zhejiang Province, a rare gem reputed to be seen only once in a century. Such stone ornamentation in the study room represents ancient scholars’ exquisite living and humanistic cultivation.
The majority of the exhibits are being displayed to the public for the first time. The prestigious lineup features Ming Dynasty scholar-artists such as Shen Zhou (1427–1509), Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), Xu Wei (1521-1593) and Dong Qichang (1555-1636).
A fan, embellished with 10 poems transcribed by Lin Huiyin (1904–1955), catches the attention of visitors. Lin was an outstanding female poet and architectural historian from the first half of the 20th century in China.
“This is one of the most contemporary pieces on display,” said Han Tianheng, the namesake of the museum. Han, born in 1940 in Shanghai, is one of China’s most respected living masters of seal carving, calligraphy and Chinese painting.
“Lin transcribed 10 classic poems carefully on the fan in the 1930s, making it a really unusual piece,” said the artist and collector.
The restoration of “Sanxi Hall,” a copy of Emperor Qianlong’s (1736–1796) study, is another highlight.
“Visitors are not allowed to step into the original study room in Beijing’s Palace Museum, but with this reproduction, you are able to feel the chamber’s charm through an immersive experience,” said Han.
Han has spent over half a year selecting and putting up the displays. The exhibition, which includes 505 pieces (sets) of calligraphy, painting and cultural artifacts, will remain open until November 18.
Visitors can see how traditional Chinese culture has fundamentally influenced literati since the Song Dynasty by viewing an array of treasures such as fan screens, thrones, incense and bonsai.
“Every family should have an ‘orchid room’ — a poetic term for a study room,” Han said. “We hope that more people can see the essence of our traditional culture and enrich our daily lives with it.”
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