To celebrate China Cultural Heritage Day, observed this year on the 11th of June, the Cultural Affairs Bureau is offering a wide variety of public activities and benefits, among them a concert by the Macao Orchestra at the Mandarin's House, a special lecture, additional docent services and free admission to attractions and exhibition venues. The exhibition and performance Genesis and Spirit – supported by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China and the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government and jointly organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and the China National Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage – includes the large-scale Exhibition of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Macao Forum, the Performance of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Ruins of St. Paul's and the Demonstration of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage – Thangka Painting and Wood-Block Printing at the Mandarin's House. The three part presentation aims to increase public knowledge and awareness of the precious value China's Intangible Cultural Heritage and the conservation works being undertaken to protect it. To help residents play a more participatory role in cultural heritage, the Cultural Affairs Bureau has broadened the scope of its activities this year, with the opening ceremony to be held on 11th June. Centred on one of the major topics in the development of Chinese culture, China Cultural Heritage Day seeks to create a favourable environment for the protection of cultural heritage and to raise public awareness of the importance of its conservation. A regulation issued by the State Council of the People's Republic of China has declared the second Saturday in June China Cultural Heritage Day. This year, on 11th June, the entire nation will host a series of celebratory events revolving around the theme 'Cultural Heritage for a Better Life'. Genesis and Spirit exhibition, performance and demonstration at Macao Forum, Mandarin's House and Lou Kau Mansion This year, the Cultural Affairs Bureau has joined forces with the China National Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage to organise the exhibition Genesis and Spirit – Exhibition of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage. The opening will take place on the afternoon of 11th June at the Macao Forum, and the exhibition will run until 10th July. Reflecting the rich resources, uniqueness and fascinating quality of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage, the exhibition also features a special introduction to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Macao. Several performing groups will convene at 5:00pm on 11th and 12th June at the Ruins of St. Paul's to present Chinese folk dances from various regions. The performances will feature items inscribed on China's List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, among them the Dangshan Suona, the Left Foot Tune of Yi and the Farmers' Dance of China's Korean ethnic group. Demonstrations of the folk arts of Thangka Painting and Wood-Block Printing will be given at the Mandarin's House from 11th -15th June, presented by three renowned representative inheritors of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage. Niang Bem, Chong Defu and Gao Wenying will reveal to the public the surviving skills of the rare art forms of Thangka Painting and Wood-Block Printing. The Mandarin's house will also host the Macao Orchestra, for a heritage-themed performance titled Colours at 4:00pm on 11th June. Come listen as the various classic musical works complement the elegant environment of this historical mansion! The Shandong Folk Arts Show opens to the public from 31st May to 19th June at Lou Kau Mansion. Celebrated artisans Xu Xiuling and Qiao Zhenxia will demonstrate the arts of Lu Embroidery and Zhangqiu New Year's Prints, crafts that are unique to the region of the historic States of Lu and Qi. A free workshop on Zhangqiu New Year's Prints is available to the public at 3:00pm on 11th June. Interested parties are invited to register. Exhibition, lecture and docent services cater to variety of participants Jointly organised by the Historical Archives of Macao and the Statistics and Census Service, the exhibition How Many are We? runs from 11th June to 14th August, conveying information about the development of Macao over the last few centuries through data collected from Macao's census enumeration. In addition, the Historical Archives of Macao – Open Day, scheduled for 11th June, will allow the public to visit and learn from informative displays about the archive collection and techniques for the restoration of printed documents. In a special lecture, titled Analysis of Sense of Identity and Regional Characteristics Interpreted through Case Studies of Cultural Heritage Conservation, to be held at 3:00pm on 12th June at the Macao Museum Auditorium, the public can hear from Taiwanese expert Chiu Ruhua about the creation and significance of the cultural heritage communities in Taiwan and Japan as practical examples for cultural heritage conservation work. The lecture will be given in Putonghua (Mandarin). For reservations and enquiries, please call 8399 6424.
A free Tour of Heritage Library Buildings, organised by the Macao Central Library and designed for primary students and their parents, will run from 2:00pm to 6:00pm on 11th June. The tour takes participants to several Macao libraries that are undergoing conservation work and which form part of the city's cultural heritage, imparting them a better understanding of the libraries' historical backgrounds and the opportunity to experience the joy of reading.
The Night Tour of World Heritage Sites – Listen to Stories of the Old City, organised by the Macao Heritage Ambassadors Association, will provide free docent services on the evenings of 11th and 12th June, in a total of six sessions. Tour departure times are scheduled for 6.30pm, 7:00pm and 7.30pm. For online registration, please visit www.mhaa.org.mo. For enquiries please call 6238 6441.
Attractions offer free visits with complimentary shuttle bus service
Along with the free exhibitions, shows, performances, lectures and docent services already mentioned, several additional cultural heritage sites and exhibition venues will open to the public for free on 11th and 12th June. The Guia Lighthouse and Dom Pedro V Theatre will provide free docent services from 10:00am to 5:00pm, while the Macao Museum and the Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business will waive their admission fee. For the convenience of both residents and tourists, complimentary shuttle buses provided by the Cultural Affairs Bureau will link designated venues on 11th and 12th June. The buses will run every 45 minutes, from 11:00am to 5:00pm, between the Macao Forum, the Ruins of St. Paul's and the Mandarin's House (passengers alight near A-Ma Temple and walk to the House). For enquiries regarding China Cultural Heritage Day activities or registration for the Free Workshop on Zhangqiu New Year's Prints to be held at Lou Kau Mansion, please call the Cultural Affairs Bureau hotline on 8399 6699 or visit www.icm.gov.mo. 2011 China Cultural Heritage Day Activities
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