Ancient art of Shandong displayed

From left: Yumi Hogan, wife of Maryland Governor Larry Hogan; Xie Zhixiu, director of the Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau; Wang Shinong, director of the Shandong Provincial Government Information Office; and Jack Rasmussen, director and curator of the American University Museum, exchange gifts at the art exhibition Cultural Treasures from Shandong Province in the American University Museum on Tuesday. LIU XIAOXIAN / FOR CHINA DAILY

Ancient carved artworks from Shandong province are treasures of China's cultural heritage. On Tuesday, an exhibition featuring the artifacts opened in Washington.

"With this exhibition, we hope to expand cultural exchanges between China and America, as well as between Shandong and Washington," Xie Zhixiu, director of the Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau, said at a reception for Cultural Treasures from Shandong Province at the American University Museum in Washington.

"It is always good to have a friend coming from afar," said Xie. "I would also like to meet you in my hometown, Shandong province."

The reception marked the opening of the ancient Chinese pictorial stone rubbings exhibition, which is presented by the museum and sponsored by the Ren Foundation.

The exhibition is co-organized by the Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau and Shandong Provincial Government Information Office, featuring more than 60 kinds of ancient stone inscriptions from the province.

Stone rubbing, also known as inked squeeze, was a method the Chinese from the Qin and Han dynasties (BC 221-AD 220) used to make multiple copies of inscriptions. Rubbings played an important role in preserving the country's ancient culture.

"I think this (the exhibition) is unprecedented," Jack Rasmussen, curator of the museum, told China Daily. "I think they (Americans) will get excited about it, especially when you get close; you will see they are so beautiful, well-decorated … very, very impressive."

The artworks from Shandong province are treasures of China's cultural heritage, and have a high reputation in the world, according to the delegation from Shandong.

The collection of stone rubbings has been preserved by the Shandong Stone Carving Arts Museum. Founded in 1981, the museum is the first in China specializing in the stone carving art of ancient eastern China. It is also the first Chinese museum to hold an exhibition at the American University Museum.

Guan Guozhi, curator of the Shandong Stone Carving Arts Museum, told China Daily that American museums are welcome to hold exhibitions in China, saying it would "definitely be a good idea for further cultural exchanges".

At the end of the reception, the first lady of Maryland, Yumi Hogan, exchanged gifts with the Shandong and the university museum staff.

The exhibition will run from May 19-31 in the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center.

The stone rubbings also will be exhibited at the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, from May 21 to Aug 31.

Liu Xiaoxian in Washington contributed to this story.