The cultural fair to be held in Shenzhen will not be just about business. A range of art treasures, including calligraphy, paintings and sculptures, will be on display.

The masterpieces on show will include works by renowned ancient and modern calligraphers and painters such as Chen Hongshou, Zheng Banqiao, Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, Li Keran, Zhao Puchu and Guan Shanyue.

Also on display will be bronze heads of the tiger, pig, ox and monkey, which were part of the 12 zodiac sculptures in a 19th century water clock at the Yuanming Palace, or the Old Summer Palace. The 12 sculptures were looted by invading British and French troops in 1860.

The pig head returned to China after it was purchased from the United States for 6 million yuan (US$720,000) in 2003. In 2000, the Beijing-based Poly Group bought the heads of the ox, tiger and monkey for more than 30 million yuan at an auction in Hong Kong and returned them to the Chinese mainland.

Eight precious gold sculptures, which the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily described as State treasures, will also go on public display for the first time and be auctioned on the sidelines of the cultural fair.

The eight sculptures are made of gold and precious stones, featuring ornaments woven with hair-like gold threads. The pieces took more than 20 descendants of imperial handcraft masters six years to finish. Their estimated total value is 450 million yuan, according to the newspaper.

The auction will also include calligraphy and paintings of ancient and modern artists, jade and curio collections as well as oil paintings.

(Shenzhen Daily October 25, 2004)