London debut for treasures from Shanghai

Chinese and British officials are pictured at the opening ceremony of the exhibit.

Song Chao, director of the Information Office of the Shanghai Municipality, grants a certificate to British singer Sarah Brightman. Brightman has become the official Shanghai 2010 World Expo Promotion Ambassador in Britain.

scene of the press conference of Shanghai Week in London

Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, answers reporters' questions at the press conference.

Zhu Yonglei, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, answers reporters' questions at the press conference.

The British Museum has celebrated the launch of Shanghai Week in London with the opening of "Treasures from Shanghai," a spectacular collection of 60 ancient Chinese jade and bronze masterpieces on show in Europe for the first time.

"This exhibition brings to London pieces of superlative quality rarely seen outside China itself," said the exhibition's guest curator Jessica Rawson.

"The Neolithic jades on display are astonishing, particularly those that feature fine designs of strange human-like figures, birds and monsters with large teeth."

She added: "The Shanghai Museum houses one of the world's greatest collections of Chinese art."

Chen Kelun, deputy director general of the Shanghai Museum, said the exhibition would provide "insights into the time-honored urban civilization and etiquette of China" and identify themselves with the theme of the World Expo to be held in Shanghai next year.

The month-long exhibition is another example of the British Museum's collaboration with China after the exhibition "First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army" in 2007.

Officials check the model of the China Pavilion.

A photographer takes photos on the model of the China Pavilion.

promotion posters on The Times

scene of the exhibition

Shanghai Week is designed to commemorate the increasingly close relationship between Britain and China, and showcase the heritage and culture of Shanghai as it prepares for the World Expo.

Other highlights include a seminar at the Victoria and Albert Museum entitled "From London to Shanghai: Inheritance and innovation - wisdom in urban development" and a photographic exhibition at City Hall - "Shanghai and Shanghai Exposition."

Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng and Boris Johnson, his London counterpart, sent congratulatory messages to Shanghai Week organizers.

Meanwhile, Sarah Brightman, who sang at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, has been named Shanghai 2010 World Expo Promotion Ambassador in Britain.