Know thy neighbour: Chinese icons on display at capital’s museum

Two-day exhibition of eight eminent personalities of China goes up at Pakistan Museum of Natural History.

ISLAMABAD: Moving on from those oft repeated Pak-China friendship slogans, the Chinese embassy has made an effort to educate Pakistanis about their native personalities who have contributed in various fields.

Black and white pictures along with literature of eight eminent Chinese figures were plastered on the walls of the Pakistan Museum of Natural History on Tuesday evening for a two-day display.

The Chinese embassy, while signing numerous MOUs, aims to create awareness among the public about China through such initiatives. The eight icons of culture whose work is on display have contributed in the fields of politics, ideology, economics, society, culture, science, technology and medicine in China during the 20th century. With each of them having Museums under their names in Beijing, their contribution is a source of enlightenment for Chinese today.



Those on display include Song Qingling, a political worker, journalist and leader, Li Dazhao, co-founder of the Communist Party of China in 1921, Lu Xun, a leading figure of modern Chinese literature, Guo Moruo, author, poet, historian and archeologist, Mao Dun, a Chinese novelist and a cultural critic, Lao She, writer, novelist and dramatist, Xu Beihong, painter and Mei Lanfang, a theatre artist.

“If you went to a primary school in China, you would know these people and the work they have done” said Peoples Republic of China Ambassador Sun Weidong. Weidong said the idea behind the initiative is for Pakistan to learn more about the history of China. Moreover, he hoped that similar exhibitions consisting of Pakistan’s eminent figures would be organised in China.

Three curators from museums dedicated to these individual Chinese figures were part of the delegation visiting Pakistan. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Nan Chen, curator of the Lu Xun Museum, said she was ecstatic to see the response of the Pakistani audience. “They are interested to learn about China and we are also interested to learn about Pakistan,” said Chen, who is visiting Pakistan for the first time.



Pakistan Museum of Natural History Director General Javed Akhtar said the informative exhibition is likely to showcase in other cities of Pakistan to achieve maximum exposure.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2013.