China: Journey to <strong>the</strong> East Seen in pr<strong>of</strong>ile, <strong>the</strong> horse’s mouth is agape as if it has just been pulled up short. In <strong>the</strong> saddle, <strong>the</strong> small, solid figure <strong>of</strong> a soldier turns to <strong>the</strong> viewer. Resplendent in armour and helmet, his face is fearsome, <strong>the</strong> eyes narrowed and <strong>the</strong> lips firmly set. He strokes his beard as if contemplating which few, carefully selected, words he should use in rebuke. This, it is clear, is a man <strong>of</strong> action. Meet Guan Yu, a great general and Chinese hero who was later deified and worshipped. He appears on a ro<strong>of</strong> tile, made in north China during <strong>the</strong> Ming Dynasty some time between 1490 and 1620. According to traditional Chinese belief, ro<strong>of</strong>s are platforms <strong>of</strong> communication between <strong>the</strong> world <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> living and spirit realms. Consequently, <strong>the</strong>y were decorated to ward <strong>of</strong>f evil, as well as attract blessings and good fortune. This curious artefact is just one <strong>of</strong> more than 100 that <strong>the</strong> British Museum is sending on tour around England from 2009 to 2011, in a fascinating and free exhibition – China: Journey to <strong>the</strong> East. The British Museum holds <strong>the</strong> nation’s finest Chinese collection, and this will be <strong>the</strong> largest loan <strong>of</strong> Chinese material that it has ever made in <strong>the</strong> UK. However, as Jessica Harrison-Hall, curator <strong>of</strong> Chinese ceramics at The British Museum, as well as curator <strong>of</strong> this exhibition, explains, “While <strong>the</strong>se artefacts form <strong>the</strong> core <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> exhibition, each museum will add its own collection or show items borrowed from local institutions. So, every venue will feature extra, different and exciting objects.” China: Journey to <strong>the</strong> East is a CHINA NOW legacy project and has major support 54 Issue 1 2009 <strong>BP</strong> MAGAZINE from <strong>BP</strong>. In addition, it has received funding from <strong>the</strong> National/Regional Museum Partnerships Education Programme 2008- 2009, a joint initiative between <strong>the</strong> Department for Culture, Media and Sport and <strong>the</strong> Department for Children, Schools and Families. <strong>BP</strong>’s involvement in <strong>the</strong> exhibition and tour came as <strong>the</strong> result <strong>of</strong> CHINA NOW being formed to promote Chinese culture. Running in <strong>the</strong> six months up to <strong>the</strong> 2008 Olympic Games, it grew to be <strong>the</strong> largest festival <strong>of</strong> Chinese culture ever to take place in <strong>the</strong> UK. <strong>BP</strong> has substantial interests in China. It first operated <strong>the</strong>re in <strong>the</strong> early 1970s and, currently, has a total investment <strong>of</strong> more than $4.5 billion. Indeed, <strong>the</strong> company is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country’s leading foreign investors. The timing <strong>of</strong> China: Journey to <strong>the</strong> East is important. “One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> aims <strong>of</strong> CHINA NOW was to create a legacy,” explains its chief executive <strong>of</strong>ficer, Simon Heale. “We wanted <strong>the</strong> British public – and especially children – to learn more about China long after <strong>the</strong> festival was over. This exhibition will achieve just that.” <strong>BP</strong> sought to channel support for CHINA NOW through one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> four major arts and cultural institutions with which it has strong relationships. Via The British Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Royal Opera House and Tate Britain, <strong>the</strong> company aims to make <strong>the</strong> best in arts and culture accessible to as many people as possible. “Around <strong>the</strong> same time that CHINA NOW was in development, The British Museum also presented a proposal for a touring exhibition,” explains Des Violaris, <strong>BP</strong>’s director <strong>of</strong> UK arts and culture. “The exhibition would be on China and included a substantial educational programme, enabling it to reach many more people. It was one <strong>of</strong> those serendipitous moments when a perfect solution, which will work for everyone, presents itself.” Neil MacGregor, director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> British Museum, was especially pleased to find an enthusiastic partner, as he explains, “China’s history is one <strong>the</strong> world needs to know, now more than ever before. China: Journey to <strong>the</strong> East will give UK audiences an insight into China’s cultural achievements over <strong>the</strong> past 3,000 years to <strong>the</strong> present day.” The exhibition’s launch announcement was made during Chinese New Year 2008 at Mass appeal: so many people attended The British Museum’s CHINA NOW festival in 2008 that it had to close its doors to <strong>the</strong> public for <strong>the</strong> first time in its history. <strong>the</strong> start <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CHINA NOW festival, in a »
“One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> aims <strong>of</strong> CHINA NOW was to create a legacy. We wanted <strong>the</strong> British public – and especially children – to learn more about China long after <strong>the</strong> festival was over. This exhibition will achieve just that.” Simon Heale Home wares: an abacus made <strong>of</strong> wood with porcelain beads (opposite top) made in Taiwan by Qian Haosun; an openwork cake made <strong>of</strong> pastry (opposite bottom) from <strong>the</strong> Xinjiang province, 8th century AD; a stoneware wine jar with ‘fahua’-style decoration (below), made in Shaanxi province, circa AD 1488-1505. <strong>BP</strong> MAGAZINE Issue 1 2009 55
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