This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr Louis Cha (Jin Yong). The Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) will stage the exhibition "A Path to Glory - Jin Yong's Centennial Memorial, Sculpted by Ren Zhe" from tomorrow (March 16). Renowned sculptor Ren Zhe brings 22 of Jin Yong's characters to life in unique representations to pay tribute to this heavyweight novelist. This exhibition is supported by Dr Cha’s family and Ming Ho Publications Corporation Limited and is the first authorised sculpture exhibition showcasing Jin Yong's classic martial arts characters. The exhibition will run until October 7 with free admission.
 
     Under the pseudonym Jin Yong, Dr Cha wrote 15 novels with over 1 400 characters, which were the collective memory of the Chinese people of Hong Kong and the world. The exhibition title "A Path to Glory" comes from a quote in "The Giant Eagle and its Companion", in which Guo Jing passed the chivalrous deed to Yang Guo and spoke of the imperative of a true hero along the lines of "To serve the country and the people is a path to glory". Sculptor Ren Zhe made use of his unique sculptural techniques, exquisite craftsmanship and visionary creativity to bring 22 of Jin Yong's well-known characters including Guo Jing, Huang Rong, Yang Guo, Xiaolongnu, Linghu Chong, Feng Qingyang, Zhang Wuji and Ren Woxing to life.
 
     The lively and spirited sculptures illustrated classic scenes from the novels as well as the martial arts skills of the characters. Highlight exhibits including a sculpture showing Guo Jing of "The Eagle-shooting Heroes" holding a bow in one arm and clasping the string with the other, displaying all the fearless ambition of the eagle-shooting hero; Huang Rong gracefully riding sideways on a Ferghana horse; Yang Guo of "The Giant Eagle and its Companion" having lost one arm, embracing his sword with the other; Xiaolongnu leaning lightly and effortlessly on a rope; and Xiao Feng, Xu Zhu and Duan Yu of "The Demi-Gods and the Semi-Devils" are in different postures, yet resonating with each other.
 
     The exhibition is also set alongside multimedia installations created by media artist Victor Wong (winner of the Best Visual Effects of the Hong Kong Film Awards) and his team, to lead visitors into Jin Yong's imaginary world of martial arts. Apart from the Thematic Gallery, the HKHM brilliantly makes use of different spaces of the museum to set up sculptures. For example, visitors can find Zhang Wuji from "The Heaven Sword and the Dragon Sabre" practicing his invincible martial arts at the entrance of the lobby; the Four Guardian Kings of the Ming Cult being shown in their fighting poses at the courtyard; and Feng Qingyang from "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" who lives in seclusion, standing proudly at the Grand Staircase of the museum.
 
     In addition to the 22 lifelike sculptures, the HKHM will also put on display a bust of Dr Cha donated by his family for the museum's permanent collection. This 60 centimetre-tall bust, sculpted by Ren Zhe and modelled on Dr Cha's image in his later years, will be displayed at the Jin Yong Gallery.
 
     The Jin Yong Gallery was established in 2017 with the support from Dr Cha, displaying more than 300 exhibits featuring the early career of Jin Yong, the creative process behind his martial arts novels and the impact the novels have had on Hong Kong's pop culture. The exhibits include a couplet handwritten by Jin Yong, manuscripts of the Serialised "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer", and special issues for TV adaptations. The Jin Yong Gallery, which is widely welcomed by the public and tourists, has received over 2 600 000 visitors since its opening.
 
     To tie in with the exhibition, a series of special programmes will be held by the HKHM. They include the set-up of a reading corner in the exhibition gallery where visitors can revisit the fascinating plots of Jin Yong's compelling works through enjoying the collections or audiobooks of Jin Yong's martial arts novels of the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) right after their visits to the exhibition. Other programmes include talks by renowned scholars to be held from April to June on Jin Yong and his world of martial arts, workshops "Martial Arts Secrets Resurface - Chinese Bookbinding" and "Shadow Heroes - Shadow Puppetry", and activity "Touring the fantastic martial arts world created by Jin Yong in Hanfu costume" specially arranged for museum pass holders. These can help audiences get further acquainted with Jin Yong's world of martial arts. The programmes also aim to let audiences know more about the Chinese culture embodied in the novels, including its history, literature, morals and values, and the influence of Jin Yong’s works on Chinese people.
 
     The exhibition is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), and jointly organised by the HKHM and Guyu Cultural Development Foundation. For details of the exhibition, please visit hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/exhibitions/data/renzhe.html, or call 2180 8188 for enquiries.
 
     This exhibition is one of the pre-programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024. The LCSD presented the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival last year to great acclaim. This year, the second edition features "Arts & Action" as its theme, taking audiences on a journey through time to explore the charm of Hong Kong’s pop culture. It encompasses both "Arts" (creative works) and "Action" (martial arts), an attempt to show the dynamic inheritance, diffusion, integration and breakthroughs within Hong Kong's pop culture.
 
     The event lineup offers a diverse range of formats including thematic exhibitions, film screenings, stage performances and outreach activities, and its rich content spans across literature, various art forms and martial arts, clearly showcasing how Hong Kong’s vibrant and diverse pop culture stands out from the rest. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.
 
     The exhibition is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has all along promoted Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public learn more about broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.
 
     Another exhibition of Ren Zhe, "A Path to Glory - Jin Yong’s Centennial MemorialD¡The World of Wuxia" will be on display at Edinburgh Place, Central, from March 15 to July 2, showcasing 10 sculptures of Jin Yong’s iconic characters. The exhibition is supported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau.

Ends/Friday, March 15, 2024
Issued at HKT 20:38

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