An exhibition of traditional arts and craftsmanship opened to the public free of charge on Dec 1 at the Century Hall of China Millennium Monument, the latest effort by German automaker BMW and its local joint venture to promote protection of China's cultural heritage.

The 14-day event held in collaboration with National Academy of Arts marks the fifth anniversary of the BMW China Culture Journey - a corporate social activity initiated by the automaker in 2007 - by showcasing various cultural treasures explored during the journey in the past five years.

Displays include lacquer ware from the ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi province, clay figurines from Huishan in Jiangsu province, Tibetan thangka art and ceramic sculptures from Dehua in Fujian province.

As well, some inheritors of intangible cultural heritage are demonstrating their skills at the exhibition. Zhang Juntao and Zhang Junli, seventh-generation makers of Kaifeng lanterns that carry their family name, showed the audience the process of making classic lanterns used in the Song Dynasty.

By following the instruction of skilled craftsmen, visitors can also try their hand at making traditional handicrafts such as Spring Festival woodprints and interior decorative wooden arch bridges.

"We hope the exhibition will better educate the public on the need and urgency of protecting traditional culture," said Wang Wenzhang, vice-minister of culture.

He also praised BMW's efforts, which "open up a new model for corporate citizens to take part in intangible cultural heritage protection".

The displays are part of the more than 120 tangible and intangible cultural heritage items that the BMW Culture Journey has explored in the past five years.

The caravans have journeyed to the ancient Silk Road in the northwest, the Grand Canal in the east, Gansu and Sichuan provinces in the west and Fujian and Guangdong provinces in the south, as well as the central provinces Shanxi, Henan and Hubei.

The exhibition is creatively integrated with the "five elements" in traditional Chinese culture - fire, wood, metal, water and earth - to represent the characteristics and significance of the routes each year.

The combined length of the journeys now total 12,000 km. The company donated more than 5 million yuan to 43 cultural heritage protection programs during the period.

"When we started in 2007, we wanted to initiate a journey to explore the old civilizations and to raise awareness of the endangered intangible heritage often forgotten in our modern lives," said Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd, the German carmaker's joint venture with its Chinese partner.

"As a company that aims to build strong roots here in China, we have been eager to learn more about the Chinese culture and contribute to the society."

Pan Gongkai, president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and vice-president of China Artists' Association, specially designed an art installation for the exhibition made up of 10,000 books. With the help of modern light technology, the device shows Pan's renowned Chinese paintings on the four seasons and his stone inscription calligraphy depicting the five elements.

The work is a vivid interpretation of the old Chinese saying "read widely and travel extensively", which encourages an open mind that is always ready to learn.

After the exhibition, the BMW Warm-Heart Fund will donate all the books to children in underdeveloped regions. The fund was established in 2008 for the carmaker to integrate its corporate social activities in the country.

(China Daily 12/12/2011 page19)