Photo gallery: Rare ancient artefacts leave China for Singapore
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A piece of sail from a Song Dynasty merchant ship that is believed to have visited Singapore. The ship sank in Fujian 1277, it was preserved in mud and discovered in 1973. Archeologists found five species of shipworms that were traced to Singapore waters. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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A Yuan Dynasty standard weight carried by traders onboard merchant ships. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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A Qing Dynasty compass used by ships. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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The oldest artefact at the exhibition - A 3,300-year-old pottery from the Shang Dynasty (1300 BC) that was unearthed in Fujian in 2008. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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Stone carving of two Chinese fairies holding a Christian Cross on a lotus flower. It was carved in the Yuan Dynasty and showed early Christian influence in China. The carving was given the highest “First Class Cultural Relic” status under Chinese laws. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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A Ming Dynasty porcelain plate, one of five “First Class Cultural Relics” at the exhibition. Such porcelain is popular among collectors in Europe in the 16th and 17th century. They are known as Kraak porcelain which were believed to be named after the Portuguese ships (Carracks) that brought the porcelain wares from China to Europe. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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A calligraphy bestowed to the Thian Hock Keng Temple by Emperor Guang Xu of the Qing Dynasty in 1907. The words “Calm at the South Seas” carry two meanings: smooth and safe journey for seafarers, as well as peace and prosperity for Singapore. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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Hokkien philanthropist Tan Tock Seng’s signature on the land title deed issued by the British East India Company for the purchase on land to build the Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer Street. Mr Tan’s signature showed that the Chinese character for “Tock” in his name was written in a different Chinese character from what is widely-known now. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
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Land title deed of the Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer Street issued by the British East India Company in 1828. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
A piece of sail from a Song Dynasty merchant ship that is believed to have visited Singapore. The ship sank in Fujian 1277, it was preserved in mud and discovered in 1973. Archeologists found five species of shipworms that were traced to Singapore waters. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
A Yuan Dynasty standard weight carried by traders onboard merchant ships. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
A Qing Dynasty compass used by ships. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
The oldest artefact at the exhibition - A 3,300-year-old pottery from the Shang Dynasty (1300 BC) that was unearthed in Fujian in 2008. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
Stone carving of two Chinese fairies holding a Christian Cross on a lotus flower. It was carved in the Yuan Dynasty and showed early Christian influence in China. The carving was given the highest “First Class Cultural Relic” status under Chinese laws. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
A Ming Dynasty porcelain plate, one of five “First Class Cultural Relics” at the exhibition. Such porcelain is popular among collectors in Europe in the 16th and 17th century. They are known as Kraak porcelain which were believed to be named after the Portuguese ships (Carracks) that brought the porcelain wares from China to Europe. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
A calligraphy bestowed to the Thian Hock Keng Temple by Emperor Guang Xu of the Qing Dynasty in 1907. The words “Calm at the South Seas” carry two meanings: smooth and safe journey for seafarers, as well as peace and prosperity for Singapore. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
Hokkien philanthropist Tan Tock Seng’s signature on the land title deed issued by the British East India Company for the purchase on land to build the Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer Street. Mr Tan’s signature showed that the Chinese character for “Tock” in his name was written in a different Chinese character from what is widely-known now. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
Land title deed of the Thian Hock Keng Temple at Telok Ayer Street issued by the British East India Company in 1828. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE HOKKIEN HUAY KUAN
Five rare ancient artefacts are leaving China for the first time for an exhibition in Singapore this month. The Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan has brought them here for a three-month exhibition which opens at the Marina Bay Sands ArtScience Museum next week.
The clan is also displaying never-seen-before artefacts from its own collection, including its 1828 land title deed issued by the British East India Company.
