‘Chinese Huayan Temple collection Han Dynasty portrait stone rubbing exhibition’ enters Nepal

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 27: The “Chinese Huayan Temple Collection Han Dynasty Portrait Stone Rubbing Exhibition”, jointly organised by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Chinese Huayan Temple and undertaken by Global Communication and Cooperation Company and Chongqing Ci Zhou Cultural Communication Company Limited was successfully held in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

The exhibition, which featured nearly a hundred high-quality rubbings, all from the collection of the Huayan Temple Museum, is the result of nearly 20 years of collection and research by the abbot of Huayan Temple, Daojian.

This exhibition marks the first cultural exchange exhibition by Huayan Temple and will help deepen cultural development and mutual learning between Nepal and China, as well as promote and deepen artistic exchanges and research between the two countries, according to Global Communication and Cooperation Company.

Portrait stones are carved architectural stones with images installed during the Han and Wei periods, representing a fine form of stone carving art.

These stones not only represent the peak of classical Chinese art before the Han Dynasty but also had a profound impact on later Han Dynasty art, occupying an important position in Chinese art history.

The Han Dynasty portrait stones depict various aspects of Han Dynasty’s political, economic, cultural, artistic, and social life, making them the most vivid images of Chinese Han culture and even Chinese civilization, known as an epic on stone.

Huayan Temple’s abbot, Daojian, sent blessings to the Nepali audience on-site through video and introduced the artistic value and collection significance of the Han Dynasty portrait stone rubbings.

He said, “Portrait stones are a unique cultural heritage in Chinese history, containing aspects of Han Chinese social life, mythology, and historical stories. Rubbings are a way to transform stone carving into movable works of art, turning three-dimensional art into two-dimensional art. I hope that through this batch of precious rubbings from the Huayan Temple collection, Nepalese audiences can have a close look at China’s unique humanistic art and historical heritage.”

Kishore Pandey, chairman of Saathi Nepal Travel and Tour Private Limited, highlighted the potentiality to attract more tourists from China, especially Buddhists to Nepal and boost relations through mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Stating that there are many places to visit and learn about Buddha in Nepal, he asked the Chinese to make a plan to visit Nepal.

“As a large number of Buddhists are in China, it is necessary to promote Nepal’s Buddhism in the world, including China. If it is promoted effectively, a large number of tourists can be brought from China,” he said.

Stating that he was the first person to bring a group of Chinese tourists to Nepal in 2001 for the first time, he said that he would play a crucial role to bring more tourists from China in the days to come.

A seven-member Chinese delegation arrived in Kathmandu on Monday to exhibit the Han Dynasty Portrait Stone Rubbing and visit various places of Nepal.

According to Pandey, the delegation plans to visit Lumbini, Halesi and other places.