28^th September 2011

Driven by his passion and mission to promote peace and harmony, Dr. Paul Kan, Chair of Champion Technology Group and a renowned collector and dedicated connoisseur will highlight the theme of “Peace” and “Harmony” at the upcoming exhibition, which showcases his collection of agarwood and related artifacts. Among the extraordinary exhibits are the perfumes and perfume bottles that Dr. Kan has collected from all over the world, narrating the history and development of perfume in an aromatic manner. The exhibition, jointly presented by Chinese World Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), and sponsored by A Better Tomorrow, Chinese Literature Foundation and World Cultural Relics Protection Foundation, Champion Technology Group, Kantone and Digital Hong Kong, will be held at Hong Kong City Hall Low Block Exhibition Hall from 13^th to 30^th October 2011 as one of the highlights of the “World Cultures Festival 2011 – Enchanting Arts of Asia” presented by the LCSD.

A captivating fragrance is worth a thousand words; and a perfume is capable of telling one's unique charm in a subtle way. Perhaps this is the reason why it has remained a favourite of people century after century. The word “perfume” is derived from Latin “per fumum”, meaning “through the smoke”. In ancient times, people burned incense, purifying their minds through ascending smoke so as to please the gods, thereby delivering their wishes and praises to Heaven. In retrospect, the wearing of fragrance to please others has been a common practice since antiquity. The use of perfumes began in ancient Egypt over 4000 years ago. The so-called “perfumes” in the old days were actually pure fragrance oils, and were treasures of the nobles and various religions. The subsequent heydays of ancient Greece and ancient Rome also boosted the popularity of perfumes and aromatics. In the 16 th century, the perfume culture was first introduced to France when Catherine de Meidici, the Pope's niece, married the French Emperor Henry II. Her perfumer further established the first perfume store in Paris, marking the beginning of the French perfume culture. The French royal family had always been obsessed with aromatics. Legend has it that when Louis XVI was escaping with his queen, Marie- A ntoinette, the queen continued to wear her favourite perfume, Le Sillage de la Reine, which carried a unique and strong fragrance. They were thus identified and arrested, and eventually executed. Pure fragrance oils were initially exclusive for royalties and later became popular in Europe with the birth of the less expensive perfumes containing alcoholic solvents.

Visitors can find a range of classical perfume bottles in the exhibition, alongside various priceless items of incense and spices. As early as 4000 years ago, ancient Egyptians already stored perfumes and incenses in containers made of alabaster. However, it was not until 1500 BC when glass was invented that glass perfume bottles were produced. Not only are French perfumes world-renowned, their delicately designed perfume bottles, too, are standalone works of art. Carrying multifarious designs, exquisite materials and artistic beauty, perfume bottles make ravishing apparels of perfumes, and bijou perfume bottles in particular have become accessories that follow ladies everywhere.

Dr. Paul Kan, Chair of Champion Technology Group, remarked, “This year's exhibition ‘Peace and Harmony – The Divine Spectra of China's Fragrant Harbour , with 108 A loes of Sacred Scripture and Related Artifacts' is staged as one of the programmes of the World Cultures Festival 2011 – Enchanting Arts of Asia. Culture defines humans from animals; a human race without culture is no different from beasts. I hope to spread the message of ‘Gratitude, Sharing and Permanency'. It is with these three motifs that I stage this exhibition to examine the beauty of this timeless treasure with you. We can all enjoy this aromatic peace and harmony with the same gratitude, sharing and permanency, and be inspired by the true essence of wisdom, peace and harmony.”

The exhibition “Peace and Harmony – The Divine Spectra of China's Fragrant Harbour with 108 Aloes of Sacred Scripture and Related Artifacts” is part of the “Peace and Harmony” series. Previous exhibitions include “Peace and Harmony – The Divine Spectra Avalokitesvara from Tibet, China, with 108 pieces of Avalokitesvara and related artifacts” in 2007, followed by “Peace and Harmony: When East Meets West – a new perspective on Matisse from Dunhuang” and “Peace and Harmony – The Divine Spectra of Manjusri enshrining the Wisdom of China with 108 pieces of Manjusri and Related Artifacts” in 2009. “Peace and Harmony” has remained the core message for cultural exchange and integration as a means to reach utopia.

A 300-page Commemorative Journal, “Peace and Harmony – The Divine Spectra of China's Fragrant Harbour: A Collection of 108 Aloes of Sacred Scripture and Related Artifacts”, is published to mark the launch of the exhibition. Featuring impressive images and detailed explanations of the exhibits, the Journal also expounds the different species and functions of agarwood as well as related arts and cultures, the history and development of various incense and spices and their respective products, and above all, Hong Kong's special tie with agarwood. A comprehensive account of “scent” and related stories is offered for the reader's appreciation of the wisdom of civilization.

“Peace and Harmony – The Divine Spectra of China's Fragrant Harbour with 108 Aloes of Sacred Scripture and Related Artifacts” exhibition

Exhibition Period:
　　　13^th - 30^th October, 2011

Time:
　　　10:00am to 8:00pm (13^th – 29^th October 2011),
　　　10:00am to 6:00pm (30^th October 2011)

Venue:
　　　Hong Kong City Hall Low Block Exhibition Hall

Admission tickets are available for free distribution. Please kindly refer to the website of “Peace and Harmony”: www.xiang-he.org for details or reach the 24-hour hotline 2898 6683 (Chinese World Cultural Heritage Foundation).

Dr. Paul Kan CBE, Com OSSI, Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, SBS, JP
Dr. Paul Kan is the Founder and Chair of three information technology companies (Champion Technology Holdings Limited, Kantone Holdings Limited, and DIGITALHONGKONG.COM) which are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Dr. Kan is also Chair of A Better Tomorrow; Chinese World Cultural Heritage Foundation; and World Cultural Relics Protection Foundation. He is a fervent supporter of the information technology industry and is currently Chairman of Hong Kong IT Alliance and Honorary Chairman of the Hong Kong Information Technology Industry Council. As an aficionado and connoisseur of art and culture, Dr. Kan is the Patron of International Foundation for Art Research; Member of Arts and Treasures Evaluation Committee, Ministry of Culture, China; and Executive Committee Member of Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation. Dr. Kan's contribution to the development of technology, arts and culture has received worldwide recognition. He has been appointed a Justice of the Peace by the Government of the HKSAR in 2006; awarded Commander of the most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2006; Commendatore dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta Italiana (Comm OSSI) by the Italian Prime Minister Hon. Romano Prodi in 2006; Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur by the French Government in 2007; and Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) by the Government of the HKSAR in 2009. In 2011, he was appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Hungary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macau Special Administrative Region.

About agarwood

Agarwood is known by various names in different cultures. In addition to “agarwood”, “agar”, “aloeswood”, “aloes”, “aloewood” and “aloe” in English, it is known as “chenxiang”, “chenshuixiang” and “shuichenxiang” in Chinese, “aguru” in Sanskrit, “oud” in Arabic and “gaharu” in Indonesian. As an extremely rare and precious aromatic natural resource, agarwood has won the epithet of “the King of Incenses”. The fragrance of agarwood mainly comes from aloewood oil (or agarwood resin). According to the perspective of current botany, agarwood is the resinous heartwood that forms in four families of trees, namely Thymelaeaceae (mainly in the genus Aquilaria), Burseraceae, Lauraceae and Euphorbiaceae. When a tree is infected by fungi caused by certain external factors, resulting in pathological transformation, it begins to produce and accumulate aromatic resin in response to such an attack. Agarwood is named “chenxiang” – which literally means “sinking incense” – in Chinese because some agarwood is so dense and hard that it sinks in water. Superior agarwood is very often a product of over a hundred years, among which Kinam is the best. Except for the supreme ones, the scent of agarwood is usually not noticeable under normal circumstances, but once the wood is burnt, an intense aroma will emit and linger over a long period. Such fragrance varies according to numerous factors including tree types, places of origin, climate, and the quality of water and soil.

“Peace and Harmony – The Divine Spectra of China's Fragrant Harbour with 108 Aloes of Sacred Scripture and Related Artifacts” exhibition Website: www.xiang-he.org

Personal website of Dr. Paul Kan: www.paulkan.com

“World Cultures Festival 2011 – Enchanting Arts of Asia” Website: www.worldfestival.gov.hk