In this row the VIP guests and hosts carry a flower in the lapel. Then Mr. Lau Si Io, Mayor of Macau in his speech, followed by Vice-Director Suen of the Henan Cultural Department and finally the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The visit begins with the Mayor leading the VIP guests. I was asked to take General Park from Korea to view the Korean display. Then the General and the Korean Consul meet Mr. Robert Hughes of Keichodo, and contributor to the Japanese Swords Section.

Our director with the VIP Korean guests.  Visitors to the exhibition looking around

Some views of the Chinese jade burial knives, and bronzes that explain the shapes of weapons that appear in the steel period, which is not confined to swords.

Following the geographical clockwise movement departing from China, here are displays of the Korean swords of different periods. Bronze age, and Joseon. They are separated in the display by sword shapes.

View of the Japanese section with the many steps of the forging process, a visual tutorial made by Ono-Yoshimitsu, plus the display of katana, naginata, yari, tsuba and yoroi. Then, it is the Kamakura period katana in tachi mountings.

Robert Hughes, nihon-tô collector and contributor, Guido Schiller, Curator of the Japanese section and contributor, and in the last picture, Roger Robertshaw, also nihon-tô collector and contributor. By viewing the nihon-tô section one can see the caliber of these three gentlemen collections.

The two first pictures of the Continental South East Asian swords were taken before the glass was closed, thus allowing for a no reflection view.

At the entrance, the public is confronted with an installation that shows a very desolated scene of the aftermath of a battle, hence symbolically portraying a very ancient use of weapons. The sides of the photograph have been purposely blurred for focusing on the  main issue. The nine sticks show the introduction to the Art of War by Sun Tzu.

AFTER OPENING PICTURES

It is common practice at the Macau Museum of Art to put our guests at ease and take group photos with them. The last one on the right is Mr. director taking a picture with us.

With director Suen from Henan, Eunice and Marjorie, Staci and Longquan smith, Zhou Zheng Wu, and Museum staff enjoying themselves.

Victoria n friend. We with Communications Museum staff. Meeting Mr. and Mrs. Robertshaw. Meeting my daughter's colleague.

CONFERENCES MAY 13

On May 13, 2006 the Macao Museum of Art presented two conferences related to the theme, one by Professor Lin Zhi Long from Taiwan and collector who delivered a very lively conversation in Mandarin, followed by Longquan smith Zhou Zheng Wu, who spoke about Swords of Longquan.