Southbound intellectuals have had a profound impact on the heritage and evolution of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong over the past century since the late Qing and Republican era. These Lingnan literati established schools and other educational institutions for nurturing talents, founded literary societies and poetry gatherings to facilitate literary expression and exchange, and celebrated the humanity and integrity of the traditional ideal Chinese scholar. They also launched newspapers and magazines and organised exhibitions to preserve and promote the traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. The rich and enduring legacy of the traditional Chinese classics, art, and literature followed the southbound journey of these intellectuals to Hong Kong and flourished in the city.

Tracing the footprints of twenty southbound intellectuals in Hong Kong, this exhibition displays their rare publications and manuscripts, photographs, as well as calligraphy and paintings, to showcase the Lingnan literati’s contribution to a century of Hong Kong education.