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A modern temple of ancient art: Exploring the CUHK Art Museum’s new annex

11 July 2025

Visitors to CUHK in recent months may have been struck by the presence of an angular structure perched halfway up the slopes. This is the Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion of the University’s Art Museum, opened in March to huge fanfare. Its first exhibition: “Transcending Transience: Art and Culture of Late–Ming Jiangnan”, an assemblage of 193 items from museums around the world, offers a keyhole glimpse of life south of the Yangtze during the late Ming dynasty.

For this month’s photo feature, we lead readers inside this new annex on a journey through antiquity and modernity, contrasting the bright open space with the venerable secrets it holds within its tranquil halls.

Photos: CUHK Art Museum

The new Pavilion was designed by award-winning Hong Kong architect Rocco Yim Sen-kee, who has created a structure in harmony with the lush greenery and hilly terrain of the CUHK campus.
Of note in the new Pavilion is the spacious new Lee Hysan atrium, which contains a café, a museum shop, and room for talks and performances.
The wide steps of the grand staircase guide the visitor towards the exhibition space…
… where a collection of artefacts from the late Ming dynasty, such as porcelain dishes and embroidery albums, silently await discovery in the new Harold and Christina Lee Gallery.

Left:
Yuhuchun vase with cranes and deer in underglaze blue
Mark of Jiajing period, Ming dynasty
Dated 1552
Jingdezhen kiln, Jiangxi
Height: 25.2 cm; diameters: 7 cm (mouth) & 8.2 cm (foot)
Collection of Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Gift of Mr. Anthony K. W. Cheung
Acc. no.: 2024.0451
© Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Photo: Tang Ming Leung

Right:
Dish with the scene from Dream of Qiantang in underglaze blue
Chongzhen period (1628 – 1644), Ming dynasty
Jingdezhen kiln, Jiangxi
Height: 6.5 cm; diameters: 33.3 cm (mouth) & 19.2 cm (foot)
Collection of Shanghai Museum
© Shanghai Museum
Photo: Lu Cheng, Xue Haobing

Ewer with floral design in gold and wucai enamels
Jiajing period (1522 – 1566), Ming dynasty
Jingdezhen kiln, Jiangxi
Height: 27 cm; diameters: 5.9 cm (mouth) & 8.1 cm (foot)
Collection of Shanghai Museum
© Shanghai Museum
Photo: Lu Cheng, Xue Haobing

Wang Guan (ca. 1575 – after 1631)
Seal with the Chinese characters “Ziyong Sanren (Carefree Man)”
Late Ming (ca. 1550 – 1644)
Qingtian stone
Height: 1.58 cm; length: 3.54 cm; width: 3.55 cm
Collection of Shanghai Museum
© Shanghai Museum
Photo: Lu Cheng, Xue Haobing

Zhao Zuo (ca. 1562 – after 1620)
Autumn Mountains without End after Huang Gongwang (detail)
Dated 1619
Handscroll, ink and colour on paper
28.3 x 424.2 cm
Collection of Shanghai Museum
© Shanghai Museum
Photo: Lu Cheng, Xue Haobin

Rectangular box with scene of a reception
Inscription of Zhang Wencan
Late Ming to early Qing (17th century)
Red lacquer with basketry panels and painted with lacquer and oil colours
Height: 10.8 cm; length: 70.5 cm; width: 26 cm
Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving
Acc. no.: 2015.500.1.62a, b
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

White jade box with orchids
Mark of Lu Zigang
Dated 1561
Height: 2.1 cm; mouth diameter: 4.5 cm
Collection of Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Gift of Bei Shan Tang
Acc. no.: 1995.0640
© Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Photo: Tang Ming Leung

Zhang Hong (1577-after 1652)
Zhi Garden (one of the leaves)
Dated 1627
Album of 8 leaves (another 12 leaves in the collection of
Los Angeles County Museum of Art), ink and colour on paper
32 x 34.5 cm each
Collection of Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Asiatische Kunst
Acc. no.: 1988-463a-h
© Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Asiatische Kunst

The exhibition is spread out between both old and new wings of the museum, and visitors flit freely between the two.

At the Summer Fest on 28 June, participants take part in a workshop to create ink art postcards.

Kunqu artist Eugenia Cheung Ching-man, an alumna of the School of Journalism and Communication, gives a performance during the Summer Fest.

The group Chillday x Emily perform during the Summer Fest, attracting visitors young and old.

The CUHK Art Museum exhibition “Transcending Transience: Art and Culture of Late–Ming Jiangnan” runs until 20 July, and is open to the public free of charge.