Hong Kong - Between the seventh to nineteenth centuries, Chinese society was dominated by a class of literati whose tastes influenced the development of Chinese art.  These intellectuals favored fine decorative objects that required a high degree of cultural expertise to appreciate, which embodied the refinement of the scholarly arts and accoutrements.  Enlightening Pursuits: Scholar’s Objects from the Mengdiexuan Collection, at the University of Hong Kong Museum.

Objects for the scholar's studio are traditionally represented by the “Four Treasures of the Studio” - writing brush, ink stick, inkslab, and paper.  They also include desk utensils and accessories such as brush-holders, brush-rests, brush-licks, wrist-rests, water-jars, water-droppers, brush-washers, ink and seal-paste boxes, paper-weights, as well as decorative items such as censers, trays, tables, eccentric boulders and rockworks, as well as precious wooden boxes.  These objects reflect the scholar's aesthetic realm and elegant taste.  Yet the relationship between the two is not simply one of utility as the objects also imply a spiritual self-identification.  It is this feature that endows Chinese scholar's objects with profound meaning.

The exhibition features over 150 Chinese scholar objects selected from the Mengdiexuan Collection, dating from the Tang dynasty (618-907) to the early twentieth century.  Viewers can have a glimpse of antiquity, unique design, fine materials, and the symbolism of these scholar arts.  They represent not merely objects for use but also sources of inspiration of the Chinese literati in past centuries, which have become highly regarded representations of Chinese cultural heritage.  A fully-illustrated catalogue will be published to coincide with the exhibition.  On exhibition until 30 September 2006.