Album Reconstructing the Wonder Rooms of History Actors, Spaces, Testimonies by Beatriz Puente-Ballesteros Professor Li Ping has devoted his life to the understanding of Chinese Historiography and its role in the construction of Chinese modernity. With his contribution to The Galleries he aims to arouse the critical thinking of students daily walking through this transcultural space of learning. Choi Chun Heng (Cai Chuanxing) is an outstanding Macau artist who committed himself to the revival of The Galleries in order to cultivate the awareness of modern student generations for Chinese calligraphy. Behind each character there is art as well as culture representing a long history of more than two thousand years that should not be overshadowed by globalization, he says.
Dafengtang. The atelier of Mr. Choi reminds us of an inspiring Cabinet of Curiosities. It is located in a heritage building of over one hundred years of history in the Saint Lazarus District of Macau, a paradigmatic space of East-West interactions and exchanges. Yang Jianzheng is one of the students of Mr. Choi and has actively participated in the reconstruction of The Galleries. She describes Mr. Choi s unique calligraphic style as a melody to be listened by the soul. She is convinced that this music will also reach the students of the University of Macau.
See on the left side Zhou Xiaolei, PhD student in History, who with his own body tried to block the doors and thus prevent the typhoon Hato s hiting The Galleries. On the right side see the three History undergraduate students Han Qijin, Lam Fong Iong and Zhang Yi who did the meticulous work of preparing each of the one hundred lanterns that eventually were hung by Professor Beatriz Puente-Ballesteros. Han Qijin and Lam Fong Iong about their reasons to engage with the reconstruction project of The Galleries: It is an amazing project. Transplanting the pattern of a picturesque Kunstkammer into a modern university is already super fascinating. Not to mention that it includes rare historical sources of various types and in distinct languages, showing how extensive and profound our human history is and displaying how meaningful and brilliant the interactions between cultures were and still are.
Zhang Yi explains that this project make me feel that our department is just like a big family. The Galleries also show the importance of learning from sources for the understanding of Macau, a true crossroad between East and West. Our city is so magical, we should love it and care for it well. Zhou Xiaolei together with Sherry Guo, both PhD students of Professor Tang Kaijian, are the saviours of The Galleries. In an absolutely heroic manner they managed to prevent major damages. Asking them about their motives to do so, Sherry Guo responded: At that moment, in fact, I didn t think about it, but seeing the lanterns flying around I realized that we should try to block the door to prevent the destruction of The Galleries. We all know that you invested all your time and energy into The Galleries. I think I just did what anyone would have done in that situation. Zhou Xiaolei, as a man who lived in Guangdong Province, is perfectly aware of the severe consequences of typhoons, but he had never experienced anything like Hato. Therefore, without hesitation, I run to close the doors. In fact, it was an instinctive action. After all this, we all cherish that The Galleries are still alive, as our common treasure.
Professor Puente-Ballesteros is holding one of Choi s artworks. In her view, the new design of The Galleries includes two different spaces for inspiring the academic community: The Lantern Hall, as shown above, and The Bamboo Forest. The bamboo bends, but never breaks. This metaphorical meaning has been appropriated by the West and has become highly representative of what had happened to The Galleries. They were bent by Hato, but thanks to the corporative efforts of students, academics and artists, The Galleries have stand up again and are continuing to shine brilliantly. The new spirit of The Galleries: Sources, Voices, Histories.