National treasures unveiled at CUHK Art Museum
Rare rubbings of Song dynasty in new exhibition launched with English catalogue
6 October 2025
CUHK Art Museum presents “National Treasures in CUHK: Rare Rubbings of the Song Dynasty donated by Bei Shan Tang”, open to the public from 23 September to 28 December. The exhibition features 20 Song dynasty rubbings from the Bei Shan Tang collection, shown alongside more than a dozen calligraphy and paintings spanning the Yuan to Qing dynasties.
The display traces how these delicate ink impressions inspired generations of literati, shaping Chinese calligraphic traditions through seven centuries of artistic conversation – from antiquity to imperial China’s final golden age.
This exhibition is divided into three sections – Stelae of the Han and Tang Dynasties: The Evolution of Calligraphy from Ancient Scripts to Classical Styles (2nd-9th centuries); The Lanting Preface from the Collection of the Southern Song Grand Councillor You Si: A Dialogue Across Time (12th-13th centuries); Model Calligraphies Engraved in the Song Dynasty: The Canonisation of the Calligraphies of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi (10th-13th centuries).
Ink rubbing
Each leaf 25 x 17.6 cm
Collection of Art Museum, CUHK
Acc. no.: 1973.0678
Gift of Lee Hysan Estate Company Limited
In the academic field, there is a scarcity of English-language publications on rubbings. Alongside this exhibition, the CUHK Art Museum has also published the catalogue National Treasures in CUHK: Rare Rubbings of the Song Dynasty donated by Bei Shan Tang. This English catalogue fills a gap, enabling international researchers to gain deeper insights and fostering greater research interest in Chinese rubbings. The publication, available at the Museum’s bookshop and online store, will promote academic exchange and advance the study of rubbings worldwide.
CUHK holds the distinction of being Hong Kong’s first institution with collections inscribed in China’s “National Catalogue of Precious Ancient Books” (國家珍貴古籍名錄). Its holdings represent the preeminent assemblage of such cultural treasures among local higher educational institutions. The new exhibition follows the resounding success of the 2023 exhibition “Rare Rubbings of the Song Dynasty” (宋拓魅力：碑帖珍本特展), co-organised by CUHK and the Palace Museum, Beijing and sponsored by the Bei Shan Tang Foundation.
“National Treasures in CUHK: Rare Rubbings of the Song Dynasty donated by Bei Shan Tang” exhibition
Exhibition period: 23 September to 28 December 2025
Venue: Gallery 3, Art Museum, CUHK
