A press conference as well as the first expert lecture of a series of activities was held at the China Cultural Center in Sydney on August 12 to introduce a TV show called The Door of Henan, China on HNTV. Attendants include Xiao Xiayong, Director of the China Cultural Center in Sydney (hereinafter referred to as the “Cultural Center”) and Director of the China National Tourist Office in Sydney, Wang Chunyang, Director of the Satellite Channel of Henan Television, Pang Xiaoge, chief editor of the Satellite Channel of Henan TV, and Barbara Ward, Deputy Mayor of Ku-ring-gai City in New South Wales, Chairman of the Australia-China Exchange Center Lin Jin Wen, renowned Australian collector Gregory Bickford, and Australian fashion designer, curator, and TV and radio host Ms. Claudia Chan Shaw and others from Chinese and Australian media including China News Service, People’s Daily Online and 2ac Australian Chinese Radio.
Xiao Xiaoyong said that The Door of Henan, China had come to Sydney in June 2018, found a number of precious collections, heard many touching stories, and therefore deeply experienced the profound influence of Chinese traditional culture in Australia. Through this Sino-Australian collection culture exchange activity and lectures of Yu Biao and other experts, we are expected to build a platform for the majority of collectors and antique lovers to exchange views, enjoy the charm and elegance of Chinese culture, improve their own cultural literacy and artistic attainments and enhance the level of appreciation and research. In this way, Australian people will have a better understanding of the splendid ancient Chinese civilization and culture.
Wang Chunyang said that since a series of cultural products such as Palace Banquet in Tang Dynasty and Pray (also known as Rhapsody on the Luo River Goddess) went viral in 2021, the Cultural Center has continuously attached significance to programs about “Chinese festivals” on HNTV, and extended China’s voice to the world on various platforms, which has exerted a positive impact on the spread of traditional Chinese culture in Australia and even the world. This activity is expected to further deepen the cultural cooperation between HNTV and Australian collection lovers, provide a platform for collectors to exchange and display their collections, and experience the ancient civilization.
Lin Jinwen believed that the Australia-China Exchange Center has always been committed to developing and promoting the exchanges and cooperation between Australia and China in fields of education, culture and economy. The introduction of The Door of Henan, China into Sydney co-sponsored by Henan TV and Australia-China Exchange Center is not only to appreciate treasures in Sydney and spread Chinese civilization, but also to provide an excellent exchange opportunity for the majority of collectors in Australia. Meanwhile, Gregory Bickford and Barbara Ward delivered speeches to express their congratulations on this event and were looking forward to the complete success of the Australia-China collection and culture exchange activity.
After the press conference, Yu Biao, one of the experts of The Door of Henan, China, gave a wonderful lecture called Collection and Appreciation of Modern Calligraphy and Painting, which was warmly welcomed by art lovers and collectors in Sydney.
Since its start in 2004, The Door of Henan, China on HNTV has always sticked to innovation. It not only seeks modern expression of classical culture from inherited civilization, but is also good at using mass participation, story-oriented and emotional processing to find simple expression of thick culture. This time, The Door of Henan, China comes to Sydney again, and the experts Zhao Qiang, Su Zhengao, Gao Mingli and Li Lifeng will deliver another four lectures on the appreciation of ancient paintings and calligraphy, bronzes, porcelain and jade at the Cultural Center on September 8th. They will give rigorous and vivid lectures and use profound academic skills to answer collectors’ questions and help improve the ability to appreciate collections and distinguish authenticity. In addition, there will be a two-day collection appraisal selection activity on September 9 and 10 at the Grange Gillett Artistic Center.