Major exhibition China: Journey to the East at the Manchester Museum

24 Sep 2010

3,000 years of Chinese history and culture are explored in this major touring exhibition from the British Museum.

Exploring themes of play, technology, belief and festivals, food and drink, and language and writing, the exhibition opens at The Manchester Museum this weekend.

China has been a major influence on many parts of the world through trade and the movement of peoples. Chinese Diaspora communities form a vital part of the history of many other countries, including Britain. Manchester has its own thriving Chinese community and the city is home to the first true Imperial Chinese arch erected in Europe.

From the world's earliest porcelain to shadow puppets and wei qi (Chinese Chess). From picnics and coca cola to afterlife jam tarts and a pillow wishing everlasting peace, China: Journey to the East combines fantastic objects from the British Museum with stories from one of the world's fastest growing economies. Complementing the displays will be photos and mementoes of modern day Wuhan, Manchester’s sister city in China.

Commenting about the exhibition, Curator of Living Cultures Stephen Welsh said,

‘China: Journey to the East presented us with the perfect opportunity to explore links with our colleagues at Wuhan Municipal Museum. It’s easy to see why the cities are sisters as they are both right in the centre of their respective countries, have a long industrial tradition and an umbrella is absolutely essential when you’re out and about. We all hope that the cultural bonds between the two cities will grow and flourish over years to come.’

During the exhibition, the Chinese Moon Festival and Chinese New Year will be celebrated with special events marking their importance in the Chinese calendar.

The exhibition will be on display at The Manchester Museum until 26 June 2011.