The Sculptural Art of Chinese Coins

Chinese Cultural Centre, 50 East Pender
A rare opportunity to appreciate the art of Chinese coins

June 11 – July 5, 2005, To-Yick Wong Gallery

11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, with the exceptions of public holidays

The history of Chinese coinage remains one of the most important chapters in China’s cultural history. Through the study of the coins, people come to appreciate the histories of Chinese social systems, politics, military affairs, economy, civilization, folk culture and traditions, technology and craft. It is thus said that all the changes in history are reflected in the coin.

As a nation with a long history of civilization, China ranks among the first to use coins for trade. It has over ten thousand species of coins that were used in different eras and areas, of which close to 70 items belong to the earliest inventions in the world. In terms of both variety and invention, no other country comes close to the Chinese ingenuity.

Furthermore, once taken out of circulation, coins can assume extrinsic values that will inflate with time and scarcity. They become collectible or treasured items. For example, early silver coins in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911 A.D.) and the Republic (since 1911) have now become rare and gained enormous value.

Vancouver collector, Ken Yee, has a passion for the Chinese heritage. He is the founding member of the Vancouver Chinese Coins Collector Association, as well as the former Chair of The Modern Chinese Coins Committee. In addition to his rare collection of rare Chinese ink sticks of the Ming (1368-1644 A.D.) and Qing dynasties which he loaned to the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum in July 2004 for a popular exhibition attended by hundreds of spectators, he is also an ardent collector of Chinese coins. The Museum will now present a selection of over 80 species of his collection in a special exhibition of “The Sculptural Art of Chinese Coins” from 11 June to 3 July, 2005. It will be a rare opportunity to appreciate how Chinese calligraphy, sculpting and minting combined to form the art of the coin.

For further enquiry, please call 604-658-8880.