Jiangsu shows heritage at carnival
Hong Kong people will soon witness a billion-dollar jade Chinese cabbage sculpture — when it leaves the mainland for the first time for a threeday festival of Jiangsu culture.
Co-organized by the Jiangsu provincial government, Federation of HK Jiangsu Community Organizations and Jiangsu Residents (HK) Association, the debut Jiangsu Cultural Carnival will be held in Victoria Park from April 20 to 22, with free admission.
The people of Hong Kong will also be able to enjoy Jiangsu’s theatrical performances, intangible cultural heritage exhibition and authentic delicacies from all around the province.
The highlight of the intangible cultural heritage display — the Chinese cabbage sculpture made from jade — is leaving the mainland for the first time, said Yiu Mau-lung, executive vice-chairman and secretary general of the Federation of HK Jiangsu Community Organizations, on Monday at a press conference to launch the carnival.
The treasure chest showcasing fine traditional handcraft techniques from Yangzhou, a city in Jiangsu, is worth billions of Hong Kong dollars, said Yiu. Insurance for the “cabbage” alone for this trip cost more than HK$1 million.
In charge of the intangible cultural heritage exhibition at this carnival, Yiu said the exhibition was not limited to jade sculpture. It will also include embroidery, paper-cutting and olive-stone carving.
“Jiangsu has a rich cultural heritage but Hong Kong people might not be familiar with all of them,” said Henry Tang Ying-yen, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the Federation of HK Jiangsu Community Organizations.
To promote Jiangsu culture, the organization has held a number of cultural events in Hong Kong, including a purple sand teapot exhibition last November.
But none of them showcased Jiangsu culture in such a comprehensive way, said Tang, also former chief secretary for administration.
He expected the number of visitors to reach five figures “but it’s hard to estimate as this is the first edition”, Tang added.
He also encouraged local gastronomes to join the carnival and try traditional Jiangsu delights. These include xiaolongbao, Chinese steamed bun, and jicai tuanzi — a dumpling stuffed with vegetables called shepherd’s purse.