Showcase of artefacts dating back thousands of years

(From left) Nik, Zeng and Tan looking at a tea pot a from the Qing dynasty.

AN EXHIBITION of Chinese artefacts, including some from the Neolithic era, is being held at the Asian Heritage Museum (AHM) in Universiti Malaya until Sunday.

Talks by experts on how to identify fakes are also scheduled daily at 11am and 3pm.

AHM media advisor Azmi Anshar said the story of the collection could be traced to Limahong, a Chinese pirate from the 17th century.

In a bid to escape prosecution by Chinese authorities, the pirate fled to the Philippines. His ships, laden with stolen treasure, were said to have sunk during a battle at Lena Shoal in the Philippines.

In 1997, a salvage operation by an American treasure hunter saw the entire stock being brought to Malaysia with 28 pieces from the collection donated to the National Museum.

In 2015, AHM sought the expertise of Beijing National Museum artefacts authenticator Wang Zhong Xin to verify a dozen pieces from the collection.

One attention-catching piece is a squatting jade figurine from the era of Hongshan culture dating from 4700 BC to 2900 BC.

AHM Group chief executive officer Tan Kok Khen said the aim of the exhibition was to promote the arts, cultural heritage and goodwill between Malaysia and China.

The exhibition was organised with exhibition company Juyi Group of Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

A 2,000-year-old jade burial suit and a mushroom-shaped tea pot from the Qing dynasty form part of the pottery and paintings collection.

Juyi chief executive officer Zeng Xiuwen said the show was a reflection of the friendship and goodwill shared by the two countries, which can be traced back to the 15th century when Admiral Cheng Ho plied the sea routes to do trade in South East Asia.

“When Chinese tourists visit Malaysia and see their artefacts on display, I am sure they will feel a sense of pride,” said Zeng.

From a collector’s viewpoint, historical prominence, journey and origin are highly valued in the world of Chinese artefacts.

World Youth Festivals Management founder Datuk Nik Azmi said this exhibition has its own story to tell.

He urged those in the creative field to research and capture the exploits of Limahong and explore the possibilities of making a movie on him.

Also present at the event were AHM coordinating advisor Hamidon Taib.