UK gallery shedding light on Chinese culture's past and present

Unusual inventions

The gallery also has displays of some achievements of Chinese researchers at the University of Manchester, including a firefighter's jacket developed by Professor Li Yi, who is based in the Department of Materials, and his team.

Sitch explains that one of Li's specialties is the design of clothing that can monitor the health of the person wearing it. The jacket on display can monitor the heartbeat of the firefighter wearing it and raise the alarm if that person is overcome by the heat.

Visitors can also see photos of Chinese people who are important to the gallery, and photos of people who are connected to exhibits. There are also photos of members of Manchester's Chinese communities.

In addition to reflecting China now and the Chinese people who live in the city today and who have contributed to the gallery, the photos, as Sitch puts it, also help to make a direct connection between visitors and the wider community.

For Sitch, one of the things the gallery is anxious to do is "tell our visitors that China is not fixed in the past".

"Many people may have a kind of outdated or stereotypical idea of what China is. In fact, when I visited China in 2018 for the first time, I was astonished at how modern China was," he says.

He adds that it was astonishing to travel on trains that moved at 300 kilometers an hour, to cities replete with modern facilities, subways, parks and gardens.

"It was a revelation to me. But perhaps more importantly, I was deeply touched by the kindness, hospitality and civility of ordinary Chinese people, whom I met on a number of occasions."

The gallery was opened in late 2022 with support from the Lee Kai Hung Foundation, after five years of preparations that included several trips to China by Sitch, who has been with the Manchester Museum for 18 years.

To Sitch and his team, the gallery is a significant addition to the cultural attractions of Manchester and aims to reinforce the city's strong connection with China. He adds that it has been gratifying to see the number of Chinese visitors increasing substantially since its opening.

Sitch says he is still expecting more from the facility, with cultural events on topics including tai chi, calligraphy and Chinese cuisine having already been held to make the most out of the space.

"It will bring together a range of intimate objects reflecting personal lived experiences," he says. "At the heart of the gallery, there will be space for gathering and activity — a community hub for Manchester's many Chinese groups and societies."