LCSD organises various activities to commemorate 100th anniversary of birth of Jin Yong (with photo)
　　This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr Louis Cha (Jin Yong). The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will organise various activities including large-scale exhibitions, talks, a creative writing event and music performances to commemorate this heavyweight Chinese martial arts novelist.
　　The Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) will first stage the “A Path to Glory – Jin Yong’s Centennial Memorial, Sculpted by Ren Zhe” exhibition from March 16 to October 7 to showcase a series of sculptures, created by renowned sculptor Ren Zhe, of 22 well-known characters of Jin Yong’s novels. The exhibition also sets alongside captivating 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. A reading corner is set up 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. This exhibition is one of the pre-programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024.
Furthermore, Dr Cha’s family has donated a bust of Dr Cha for the HKHM’s permanent collection. This 60cm-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 permanent exhibition at the Jin Yong Gallery displays more than 300 sets of exhibits featuring the early career of Dr Cha, the creative process behind his martial arts novels and the impact of his novels on Hong Kong’s pop culture.
Another exhibition of Ren Zhe, “A Path to Glory – Jin Yong’s Centennial Memorial．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.
To tie in with the exhibitions, a series of special programmes will be organised by the HKHM. They include talks by renowned scholars to be held from April to June on Jin Yong and his world of martial arts, the “Martial Arts Secrets Resurface – Chinese Bookbinding” and “Shadow Heroes – Shadow Puppetry” workshops, and the “Touring the fantastic martial arts world created by Jin Yong in Hanfu costume” activity specially arranged for museum pass holders.
For more information about the exhibition and activities, please visit hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/highlights.html or call 2180 8188 for enquiries.
In support of the second edition of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival with the theme of “Arts & Action”, the LCSD will launch a series of martial arts-related activities from April. They include the “Arts or Action, Why Not Both? Classic Martial Arts Drama Costumes and Props Exhibition” to be held initially at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and subsequently at the HKHM, displaying 30 pieces of headpieces, costumes, and props from classic martial arts dramas, while the Chinese Orchestras “Martial Arts．Heroes” organised by the Music Office will present classic martial arts music. The LCSD has also invited renowned music producer Carl Wong to collaborate with pop singers and live bands, to present classics related to Jing Yong’s works and those composed by Joseph Koo and James Wong.
Starting from April, the HKPL will launch the Creative Writing Event cum Roving Exhibition on “Chivalrous Heroes: My Favourite Characters in Martial Arts Novels”, the “Exhibition on Dr. Louis CHA Collection”, a subject talk on Jin Yong’s works, and the “Taste of Jin Yong’s Novels” book exhibition, allowing members of the public to revisit the classics and feel the affection for martial arts. The “Literary Giant – Jin Jong and Louis Cha” collection launched on the Hong Kong Memory website of the library also showcases more than 200 digitised materials including news clippings, manuscripts, radio programmes, photos, audio clips and videos related to Jin Yong.
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.
