Liu Xiao Ling Tong (in red) will portray the character of Sun Wukong or the Monkey King in the upcoming 3D movie "Journey to the West." (Photo : Global Times)
Chinese and foreign visitors who would tour the Beijing Capital Museum would be treated to various artworks that revolve around the Monkey King, a character based on the Chinese novel “Journey to the West.”
The exhibit is timed with the opening on Feb. 8 of the Spring Festival with the Lunar New Year ushering in the Year of the Monkey. In presenting the monkey-themed exhibition, the museum would decode the animal’s culture roots in traditional Chinese culture, reported China Daily.
It would feature 40 paintings, antiques, stamps, calligraphy, artwork, utensils and 12 classic Monkey King pictures based on the novel.
Yang Dandan, the museum’s press officer, said that annually, the museum presents a special show that features one specific Chinese zodiac sign. He noted that “Cultural heritage and traditions encoded in the Year of the Monkey will be interpreted and highlighted.”
The exhibit, which opened on Tuesday and runs until March 13, arranged the items in three sections. The sectioning is based on the monkey’s divinity, nature and humanity, closely linked to how the “Monkey King” is depicted in Chinese traditional culture, said Mu Hongly, the exhibit designer.
There would be music and animation as integral part of the exhibit’s multimedia presentations as a component of its interactive section.
For Chinese who are not into the arts but love the “Monkey King,” the film "Monkey King 2" opens in several cinemas on Lunar New Year. The Hong Kong-Chinese fantasy film, shot in 3D, was directed by Cheang Pou-Sol in his comeback. Actor Aaron Kwok shed his villain roles and is the new lead actor of the movie, replacing Donnie Yen. He plays the role of Sun Wukong, the monkey with supernatural powers.
