PolyU and HKPM host Stories of China Lecture by Palace Museum Director Dr Wang Xudong - “Dunhuang and the Palace Museum: The Fruits of Exchange and Mutual Learning among Cultures”

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) jointly organised the Stories of China Lecture on “Dunhuang and the Palace Museum: The Fruits of Exchange and Mutual Learning among Cultures” at the Jockey Club Auditorium, PolyU on 11 December. Dr WANG Xudong, Director of the Palace Museum, was invited to speak at the lecture and shed light on the protection and inheritance of Dunhuang and the Forbidden City. Approximately 600 guests, PolyU staff, students, alumni and members of the public joined the event to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

The lecture was attended by Ms Winnie TAM Wan-chi, Chairman of the HKPM Board; Prof. LEE Chack-fan, Vice Chairman of the HKPM Board; Dr Louis NG, Museum Director of the HKPM; Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; and Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU. Joined by Prof. HAN Xiaorong, Head of the Department of Chinese History and Culture, PolyU as a moderator, Dr Wang also engaged in discussion with two PolyU postgraduate students on the continuity and dissemination of Chinese culture.

In his lecture, Dr Wang discussed the formation, development and preservation of Dunhuang and the Palace Museum, and inspired the audience to embrace their cultural heritage with confidence. By fostering a more open-minded and inclusive appreciation of the outstanding achievements of human civilisation, it is hoped to cultivate a nation with strong cultural influence, safeguard humanity’s precious cultural heritage and strive towards building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Dr Wang served consecutively as the Deputy Director, Executive Deputy Director and Director of the Dunhuang Academy. He is now a Party Member of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Director of the Palace Museum. Dr Wang’s work focuses primarily on the conservation of caves, ancient mural paintings and earthen sites, as well as research into monitoring and early warning systems and preventive conservation of cultural heritage. He has presided over sixty conservation projects at nationally protected key cultural heritage sites, published more than thirty academic papers and six monographs as primary author, and has been granted numerous titles and awards.

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