“A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people,” said the Indian nationalist Mahatma Gandhi, and his view is shared throughout China.
On March 14, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced it had, under the auspices of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), launched the Chinese Culture Promotion Office (CCPO). Two new museums would also be established and teachers would be trained to help “spread the seeds of Chinese culture”. The undersecretary for culture, sports and tourism, Raistlin Lau Chun, guided by national imperatives, said the CCPO would enhance peoples’ national identity and “cultural confidence”. This would be achieved through community engagement, multifaceted activities concerning Chinese history and culture, livestreaming through a dedicated website and collaborative exhibitions, with a Chinese Culture Festival being arranged annually (starting this year).
Earlier, in 2021, President Xi Jinping had spoken about the “four types of confidence”, telling the public to be confident in the country’s development path, theory, institutions and culture. He urged everyone to uphold cultural and historical confidence, and ensure the “creative transformation and innovative development” of fine Chinese traditional culture. The CCPO’s creation will help realize his hopes.
Although culture is promoted in various ways, museums are often in pole position. A visit to a museum can provide crucial insights for the public, bringing history to life through contact with tangible artifacts. Hong Kong is blessed with an abundance of museums, both public and private, some large and some small.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board energetically promotes the museums, highlighting their unique characteristics and varied activities for international audiences.
The LCSD operates 15 museums and two exhibition spaces, each with a unique focus. Two museums are run by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (a statutory body created by the government in 2008).
For example, the Hong Kong Museum of Art is the city’s main art museum, with over 17,000 items, while the Hong Kong Museum of History tells visitors all they need to know about the Hong Kong story, and much else besides.
The Hong Kong Science Museum is a “must” for students and the scientifically minded. It provides educational and interactive experiences on scientific and technological developments, many of which are eye-openers. The museum promotes connectivity not only within Hong Kong, but also with the wider region.
A visit to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin is always worthwhile, and the LCSD has placed a remarkable focus on popular culture, design photography, and Cantonese opera.
In 2022, the Hong Kong Palace Museum in Kowloon opened with great fanfare. It is committed to studying and appreciating Chinese art and culture and seeks to advance knowledge of world civilizations through global partnerships. It is a collaborative project between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum in Beijing and was funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (HKJC), which donated HK$3.5 billion ($450 million) for its establishment.
It undoubtedly benefits Hong Kong to have a substantial number of successful private museums, and they can often dovetail with their public counterparts
On a smaller scale, the Hong Kong Police Museum, on the Peak (Coombe Road), has recently been revitalized and makes the best use of the latest technologies. It comprises four galleries (including one on serious crime and another on triad societies), and visitors are introduced to the Force’s history, development and duties. It is fascinating for anyone interested in the impact of policing on the city’s evolution, from 1842 onwards.
Apart from the public museums, there are approximately 35 private museums, and they complement the LCSD’s museums neatly, sometimes by filling gaps. Some private museums are making a profound contribution to the city’s cultural heritage, and they deserve every encouragement.
In 2020, the then-secretary for home affairs, Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, outlined official thinking on private museums. He told the Legislative Council that, from a cultural policy perspective, the “government also welcomes the establishment of private museums, which are conducive to the pluralism and diversity in the cultural ecology of Hong Kong”. This was well received by private collectors, and the policy has since evolved.
Thus, when the Museum of Hong Kong Literature opened in Wan Chai on May 27, it was warmly welcomed in official circles. It displays the city’s literary heritage and seeks to pursue communication between litterateurs and the public. At the opening ceremony, the chief executive, John Lee Ka-chiu, said the government attached great importance to spreading Chinese culture and developing Hong Kong as a hub of cultural and artistic exchanges between China and the rest of the world. The museum is funded mainly by the HKJC, whose vice-chairman, Martin Liao Cheung-kong, said he hoped it would “showcase the rich face and cultural heritage of Hong Kong literature to the public and visitors”.
Moreover, on Sept 8, it was announced that the GuWei Museum, also private, was about to open. It will display items spanning seven categories, including Chinese export porcelain from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The collection of 700 artifacts belongs to a husband-and-wife team, Pauline and Franco Cutrupia, and the latter said, “We hope to be part of the movement to promote cultural activities here.”
However it is not always easy to establish a private museum, unless perhaps it is minuscule. The Cutrupias, for example, have reportedly purchased two whole-floor properties at Wong Chuk Hang’s Global Trade Square as a base, one of over 9,000 square feet and the other of 2,000 square feet. Their financial outlay has been considerable, and they have also invested in premium display cases from Italy (of a type used in the Palace Museum). They plan to charge adults HK$50 for admission (with concessions for some people), which is lower than the Palace Museum’s admission fee of HK$70 (before any concessions).
Although Franco Cutrupia told the media (Sept 9) that he was unaware of government funding being available to private museums, he said he hoped this could be forthcoming, given the ongoing emphasis on cultural development.
However, according to the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (the bureau), the situation is healthier than people realize. The bureau said private museums are not only welcome, but could seek funding from the bureau itself, as well as from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust. It also emphasized that private museums were “conducive to the pluralism and diversity in the cultural ecology of Hong Kong”, which was exactly what private collectors wanted to hear.
As things stand, the only private museum in receipt of regular government funding is the Maritime Museum at Central Pier No 8. Having helped to establish the museum in 2013, the bureau now provides an annual subsidy of up to HK$10.4 million, plus a maintenance subsidy of up to HK$4.2 million. Whereas half the museum’s funding comes from the government, 25 percent derives from the venue itself, with the remainder coming from donations and sponsorships.
It undoubtedly benefits Hong Kong to have a substantial number of successful private museums, and they can often dovetail with their public counterparts. Indeed, the legislator, Ma Fung-kwok, who has a particular interest in cultural issues, has explained how a vibrant private sector can ease the financial burden placed on the authorities in fulfilling their objective of becoming the “East-meets-West center for global cultural exchange”, as envisaged by the central government.
Ma also pointed out that the government alone could not achieve this, and collaboration was essential. He called for an accreditation framework for private museums, assistance in finding suitable spaces, and tax incentives for donations. He envisaged an environment in which anybody thinking of opening a private museum would be fully incentivized, and this would be no bad thing.
After all, Hong Kong has private collectors with myriad interests, and the future of their treasures is often uncertain. When they are displayed in exhibitions or elsewhere, their artifacts invariably attract considerable public interest, including among the young. This is unsurprising, as their collections are often an important part of the city’s (and thus the country’s) cultural heritage.
As public museums — whose space is limited — may be unable to accommodate private collections, there is a real risk they could, notwithstanding cultural significance, be lost to future generations. This would be tragic, as they often cry out for preservation. An obvious solution is for the government to do everything possible to encourage the private sector. If this requires it to be more flexible when considering requests for support from private museums, so be it.
However, before supporting a private museum, the government must always exercise due diligence, as public funds are involved. That said, if it is obvious that a proposed museum will be professionally managed, attract public interest, possess items worth preserving, enhance cultural standing, and complement the LCSD’s museums, it should be given every encouragement. By fully supporting both the public and private sectors, the government can positively advance Hong Kong’s cultural ambitions, and this, as President Xi emphasized, is in the national interest.
The author is a senior counsel and law professor, and was previously the director of public prosecutions of the Hong Kong SAR; he is also the vice-president of the Hong Kong Collectors Society.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
