SASC
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vital proposal to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative. Macao and Tibet are essential builders of the Belt and Road Initiative. Although both significantly differ in geography, climate and cultural environment, Lingnan and Tibetan cultures are important parts of the excellent Chinese culture. These two places are closely connected because of their interdependent ethnic bond.
The Macao Museum of Art annually presents its highly anticipated exhibition of the Palace Museum’s collection. This year’s title is Golden Eminence: Treasures from the Palace Museum and the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. Located in Shitage, Tibet, the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is a significant historical site that represents Tibetan Buddhism’s Gelug lineage and the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lamas. The monastery is home to a substantial collection of ancient Buddhist treasures from Han and Tibetan ethnic groups across the Himalayas. These treasures bear witness to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of protecting the country and benefitting people, as well as the extraordinary wisdom of compassion and kindness. They reveal the glorious past and brilliant achievements of Tibetan Buddhist culture and art. In Tibetan Buddhism, the ‘great auspiciousness’ theme in Chinese expresses sincere greetings and blessings. The exhibition undoubtedly holds special significance for Macao, a city where different religions coexist and develop, as it possesses rich religious and cultural resources.
This exhibition brings together precious cultural relics from the collections of the Palace Museum and the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, including cultural relics of Tibetan Buddhism, the successive Panchen Lamas’ offerings to Qing emperors, and the court’s gifts to the Panchen Lamas. Through these treasures, we can gain a deeper understanding of the profound art and culture of Tibetan Buddhism and its great contribution to the unity of the Chinese nation’s multi-ethnic groups. Additionally, it unveils the importance of co-existence, exchange, inclusiveness and togetherness to the Chinese nation over many centuries.
I sincerely thank the Palace Museum, the Tibet Autonomous Region Cultural Heritage Bureau, and Tashi Lhunpo Monastery for their curation. I hope this exhibition allows Macao residents and tourists worldwide to better understand the exceptional wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism, the diversity and unity of the Chinese nation’s multi-ethnic groups, and the essence of long-standing, inclusive Chinese culture.
I wish the exhibition great success!
Ao Ieong U
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government