(Singapore, 19 Oct) “Journey Through Civilizations, an Encounter with Liangzhu”, 2024 Global Tour Singapore Special Exhibition, jointly organized by China Media Group Asia-Pacific Station, the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, the Liangzhu Archaeological Site Management Committee in Hangzhou, and the CMG Meta Museum, opened at the China Cultural Centre in Singapore.
More than 200 people attended the opening ceremony, including H.E Cao Zhongming, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Liu Thai Ker, the renowned Singaporean urban planner, Ho Chee Hin, CEO of “Business China” , SENG Han Thong, the former Member of Parliament of Singapore, XIAO Jiang Hua, Director of the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, Lee Huay Leng, Editor-in-Chief, Chinese Media Group of SPH, scholars, international students, representatives from the Singapore business community, Chinese enterprises, overseas Chinese and public.
A Millennia-Old Culture: Bearing History and Inspiring the Future
The Liangzhu culture, dating back 5,300 to 4,000 years, is one of the archaeological cultures of China’s Neolithic period and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2019. The Liangzhu site, located in the Yangtze River Basin on the south-eastern coast of the country, the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu (about 3,300-2,300 BCE) reveal an early regional state with a unified belief system based on rice cultivation in Late Neolithic China. The property is composed of four areas – the Area of Yaoshan Site, the Area of High-dam at the Mouth of the Valley, the Area of Low-dam on the Plain and the Area of City Site. These ruins are an outstanding example of early urban civilization expressed in earthen monuments, urban planning, a water conservation system and a social hierarchy expressed in differentiated burials in cemeteries within the property.
In his speech, H.E Cao Zhongming, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore expressed his gratitude to China Media Group for bringing the exhibition to Singapore. He hoped that through this exhibition in Singapore, a country that thrives on multicultural integration, the event would promote dialogue between civilizations. Against the backdrop of unprecedented global changes, this exhibition provides an opportunity to explore the concept of civilization and contribute to advancing human progress.
Ho Chee Hin, CEO of “Business China,” said in his speech that culture helps us find a common language in complex environments. The Liangzhu culture reflects China’s unique contribution to global civilization. From the theme “What Makes a Civilization,” he realized that culture’s value lies not only in preserving history but also in transcending time and space, inspiring the present, and connecting to the future.
Liu Thai Ker, 86, an internationally renowned urban planner known as the “Father of Singapore’s Urban Planning,” remarked that this exhibition offers Singaporeans a rare opportunity to appreciate 5,000 years of Chinese history and urban civilization. He noted that today’s well-planned architecture could become future monuments. As a Chinese-Singaporean planner, he felt inspired by the Liangzhu culture and hoped Singapore’s architects could draw inspiration from it to create timeless, aesthetically classical works that carry forward the gene of civilization.
Cao Yi, Director of China Media Group’s Asia-Pacific Station, noted in his speech that China and Singapore share deep cultural connections and a long-standing friendly relationship. Next year marks Singapore’s 60th anniversary and the 35th anniversary of China-Singapore diplomatic ties. He expressed hope that cooperation between China Media Group and various Singaporean sectors in areas such as news reporting, media events, and cultural tourism would continue to deepen, contributing wisdom and strength to fostering mutual understanding and building a shared future for humanity.
Xiao Jianghua, Director of the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, emphasized that the exhibition celebrates the long history of the Liangzhu culture and represents a significant cultural exchange project between China and Singapore. Hosting such an exhibition in a multicultural country like Singapore would enhance mutual understanding, respect, and appreciation between the two nations, playing an active role in strengthening China-Singapore relations.
After viewing the exhibition, SENG Han Thong left a message for the exhibition’s guest book: “5,000 years of civilization began with Liangzhu.” He told reporters that he was particularly impressed by the jade carvings of the Liangzhu culture. As Singapore is a place where Eastern and Western cultures converge, encountering Chinese culture here adds depth to Singapore’s cultural richness.
A Month-Long Singapore Exhibition
During the opening ceremony, Professor Luo Xiaoqun from the Liangzhu Museum in Hangzhou delivered a keynote speech titled “Tracing Liangzhu” and interacted with the Singaporean audience, sharing the archaeological discoveries from the Liangzhu site and the latest research on Liangzhu culture and its artifacts. A video produced by China Media Group on the Liangzhu culture was also played, showcasing the ancient history and unique charm of the culture to the guests and visitors.
The use of jade is one of the most significant features of Liangzhu culture, particularly in burial rites, with large jade objects such as the jade cong, jade bi, and jade axes. The special exhibition also displayed replicas of Liangzhu cultural artifacts, combined with multimedia presentations to introduce the Liangzhu cultural emblems and jade pieces. The exhibit provided a comprehensive introduction to the ancient Liangzhu city site, its surrounding hydraulic systems, agricultural tools, and primitive writing symbols, revealing that the Liangzhu site is both a testament to China’s 5,000-year-long civilization and a treasure of world heritage. An interactive zone invited visitors to experience jade carving through activities like coloring and etching, allowing participants to create cultural products with Liangzhu characteristics. This event offered local residents a grand celebration of traditional Chinese culture under the theme of “Liangzhu Civilization Meets Singapore.”
Meanwhile, over 40 paintings themed “Liangzhu Impressions,” created by art enthusiasts from various age groups in Singapore, were displayed alongside the special exhibition. After viewing the exhibition, young Singaporeans who participated in the themed art contest expressed their hope to visit the Liangzhu Museum in China and witness firsthand the lifestyle of the Liangzhu ancestors. Other visitors remarked that exhibitions showcasing such ancient civilizations are rare in Singapore, expressing a desire for more of such cultural events to be organized in the future.
This special exhibition will be open to the public at the China Cultural Centre in Singapore for one month starting from October 19. Established in 2015 and jointly inaugurated by the leaders of China and Singapore, the China Cultural Centre in Singapore serves as an important platform for showcasing and experiencing Chinese culture, as well as promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the people of China and Singapore.
