News

Chinese jades return from blockbuster exhibition

(1 March 2005)

A collection of over a dozen rare Chinese burial jades, of which some are more than two thousand years old have returned to Durham’s Oriental Museum.

They had been on to Glasgow’s prestigious Burrell Collection featuring in a show, entitled ‘One Million Days in China’ which attracted 200,000 visitors during its eight-month run, and became the most successful exhibition ever to be staged there.

Jade has long been prized in Chinese culture for its lustrous beauty. They were used in burials because it was believed they had preservative powers which could stop the body from decomposing after death. The display provides an astonishing connection with the remarkable world of ancient China.

Kevin McLoughlin, Deputy Curator said, “We are delighted to have been on of the only two museums invited to lend objects to this world-class exhibition. While it has been fabulous to have treasures from our collection admired by almost a quarter of a million museum-goers in Scotland, it is great to have them back in the North East and to be able to display them once again to local people.”

ends

photo-call@ 11.00 am Thursday 3rd March

For further information: Kevin McLoughlin, Deputy Curator The Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, Durham DH1 3TH Tel 0191 334 5694 WEB www.dur.ac.uk/oriental.museum Open Mon–Fri 10am-5pm Weekends 12-5pm