Organised by the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, the Chongqing Municipal Development Committee of Culture and Tourism, and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, coordinated by the Center for Ethnic and Folk Literature and Art Development of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, and co-organised by the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, the exhibition “Splendid Colours - Embroidery Art Exhibition from Chongqing and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region” was inaugurated today (11 February) at the Tap Seac Gallery. The opening ceremony was officiated by the Acting President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Cheang Kai Meng; the First-Level Inspector of the Chongqing Municipal Development Committee of Culture and Tourism, Xing Jun; the Director of the Center for Ethnic and Folk Literature and Art Development of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, Lan Jing; the Director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Division of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Luo Jing; and the Member of the Executive Committee of TDM, Cheang Kong Pou.

Embroidery is one of the most representative traditional arts of the Chinese nation. With a profound historical heritage and rich artistic creativity, different ethnic groups in different regions have formed artistic embroidery with distinctive styles. The Acting President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Cheang Kai Meng, said in his speech that the exhibition features a selection of intangible cultural heritage embroidery from Chongqing and Xinjiang, allowing residents and tourists to learn about the unique folk cultures of both regions and deepen their understanding and appreciation of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, jointly promoting the outstanding traditional Chinese culture.

The exhibition is part of the series of activities celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Horse, organised by Cultural Affairs Bureau, featuring a selection of 154 pieces/sets of embroidery works from Chongqing and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, showcasing four types of embroidery techniques including Shu embroidery from Chongqing, wedding embroidery from Wuxi, Miao embroidery from Youzhou, and “Xilankapu” (traditional brocade woven by Tujia people), as well as three types of embroidery techniques by the Uyghur, Kirgiz and Kazakh peoples from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The abovementioned embroidery techniques have been inscribed as national or municipal representative intangible cultural heritage. The exhibited works are created by intangible cultural heritage inheritors and masters of arts and crafts, showcasing the exquisite elegance of southern embroidery and vibrant colours of northern embroidery. These embroidery works are not only technically accomplished and diverse in style, but also rich in ethnic cultural heritage. Their materials, motifs and colour embody the aesthetic sensibilities and creativity passed down through generations, expressing people’s aspirations for and pursuit of a better life. The exhibition features live demonstrations of embroidery techniques by intangible cultural heritage inheritors, interacting with the public and creating a good atmosphere for the exhibition visit.

A number of intangible cultural heritage inheritors will present embroidery demonstrations at the exhibition venue at 10am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 4:30pm on the first day of the exhibition period (12 February). Each demonstration will last approximately one hour. In order to allow the public to have a better understanding of the embroidery techniques from Chongqing and Xinjiang, the Chongqing Shu Embroidery Workshop and the Xinjiang Embroidery Workshop will be held on 7 and 8 March, at 10am and 3pm, respectively, at the Activities Room of the Xian Xinghai Memorial Museum, located at No. 151–153, Rua de Francisco Xavier Pereira. Instructed by intangible cultural heritage inheritors, the workshops will guide participants to create their own embroidered works. The workshops are free of charge and will be conducted in Mandarin. Each session is limited to 16 participants, and is open to residents aged 16 or above. Registration can be made through the “Activity Applications” of the Macao One Account (activity.mo.gov.mo/activity-h5/activity-list-web) from 10am on 12 February. Each applicant can register for one session only. If the number of registrants exceed the quota, selection will be made by a random draw. Successful applicants will be notified by SMS.

The exhibition “Splendid Colours - Embroidery Art Exhibition from Chongqing and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region” will be held from 12 February to 15 March at Tap Seac Gallery. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 7pm, including on public holidays. Admission is free. During the exhibition period, guided tours are available in Cantonese at 3pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays and in Mandarin at 4:15pm from 17 to 19 February (from the first to third day of the Chinese New Year).

For more information about the exhibition and workshops, please visit the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s website at www.icm.gov.mo, or contact IC through tel. no. 2836 6866 during office hours.