To tie in with "The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia" exhibition, the Hong Kong Museum of History has produced a fully illustrated catalogue to introduce the history of ancient Mesopotamia. This catalogue explores significant episodes of ancient Mesopotamian history from 3500 BC to 539 BC – the birth of cities in Sumer, the powerful military empire of Assyria and the development and legacy of cosmopolitan Babylon. Supplemented with detailed descriptions, this catalogue will let you understand the wonders of ancient Mesopotamia.

The Hong Kong Museum of History has published a booklet to supplement "The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia" exhibition.  Featuring 45 highlight exhibits and 26 articles, this booklet will provide readers with a better understanding of the significant episodes of ancient Mesopotamian history.

To tie in with "The Majesty of All Under Heaven: The Eternal Realm of China's First Emperor" exhibition, the Hong Kong Museum of History has produced a fully illustrated catalogue to introduce the history of Qin, the construction and cultural relics of the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang as well as China's policy on the conservation of national large-scale sites of Qin Culture. The catalogue not only contains rich information on the Qin culture, but also helps enhance the readers' understanding of Qin's cultural development through detailed descriptions, illustrations and drawings.

The Hong Kong Museum of History has published a booklet to supplement "The Majesty of All Under Heaven: The Eternal Realm of China's First Emperor" exhibition. Featuring 15 articles and images of the highlight exhibits, the booklet briefly discusses the history of Qin, the construction and cultural relics of the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, as well as China's policy on the conservation of national large-scale sites of Qin Culture.

In conjunction with the "Hong Kong Currency" exhibition, the Hong Kong Museum of History produced this catalogue to illustrate the development of Hong Kong's coinage and paper money from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Included in this catalogue are images of early coinage and notes, as well as the bauhinia coins and the 2010 banknote series in circulation in Hong Kong today. Our currency bears silent witness to the changes that have taken place in people's livelihoods over the century. Supplemented with detailed descriptions and invaluable historical photographs, this catalogue will let you understand the evolution of our currency in depth.

Back in 2010, we joined forces with the Institute of Textiles & Clothing of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to organise "The Evergreen Classic – Transformation of the Qipao", an exhibition that was enthusiastically received by the public and widely reported in the media. Now, to allow a wider audience to appreciate the beauty of qipao, we have specially produced this catalogue presenting most of the valuable exhibits and images that were showcased in the exhibition. It illustrates the origins and history of the qipao: how the development of this classic Chinese dress was intricately related to socio-cultural changes between the 1920s and 1960s; how it survived after the 1970s when it was no longer worn as daily attire and was later transformed into a cultural icon; and how designers today have "fashionised" and modernised the qipao to ensure its continual evolution.

Including a free DVD set containing video clips of some of the exhibit highlights and capturing details of a fine selection of qipao, the catalogue is a must-have for all qipao lovers and anyone interested in fashion, design or social history of Mainland China!

2011 marks the centenary of the Xinhai Revolution. To commemorate this watershed event at the turn of the last century, the Hong Kong Museum of History has published a fully illustrated catalogue detailing invaluable artefacts from Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas and featuring over 300 historical photographs as well as 100 copies of woodblock prints and pictorial newspapers. Offering a comprehensive account of the relationship between Hong Kong and the Xinhai Revolution, the campaigns of the reformist and revolutionary camps to save China, the Late Qing Reform in the last decade of the Qing dynasty and the major incidents that occurred between the Wuchang Uprising and the founding of the Republic of China, the catalogue bears testimony to the sacrifices made by people from all walks of life and their efforts both before and after the Xinhai Revolution to make China a strong nation.

In conjunction with the special exhibition Hong Kong, Benevolent City: Tung Wah and the Growth of Chinese Communities, the Hong Kong Museum of History published this catalogue to feature Tung Wah's contribution in serving Hong Kong in medical care, disaster relief, education, social services and cultural preservation; its burial service in particular highlights the significant role of Hong Kong in bringing together mainland and overseas Chinese. From a civil charitable organization to a modern charitable enterprise, Tung Wah grows with Hong Kong, and its presence is felt in all walks of life; its services witness Hong Kong's contribution in uniting mainland and overseas Chinese.

When modernisation of China's cities took off during the 1840s, Shanghai was a county town while Hong Kong was a fishing village, but both developed into thriving metropolises over the course of time. The people of Shanghai and Hong Kong gained an in-depth understanding of modern civilisation through intimate contact with western goods, regulations and systems. In the one hundred years since opening to foreign trade, residents of the two cities had witnessed dramatic changes, from everyday life to outlook on life and social norms. Life in the twin cities was a cosmopolitan mixture of Chinese and western cultures, serving as hallmarks of the cities' modernisation. Featuring some 200 sets of artefacts with supplementary historical photos, this catalogue gives a vivid account of the city characters and people's lifestyles that distinguished Shanghai and Hong Kong from the traditional cities further inland. Don't miss the chance to own a copy of this well illustrated catalogue, and feel the charisma of Shanghai and Hong Kong as modern metropolises!

A Fully illustrated catalogue comprises a total of 60 horse related artefacts selected from 28 museums and cultural institutes in 14 provinces, including bronze, jade and pottery ware as well as paintings. The Bronze Horse Head form Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer Palace) of the Qing dynasty is also featured. With three excellent articles by Prof. Yang Hong, Prof. Sun Ji and Prof. Lin Meicun, the catalogue serves as useful reference for those who are interested in the role of horse in Chinese art and culture.

As two of the world's most advanced financial centres, Shanghai and Hong Kong are home to sophisticated financial institutions and extensive transaction networks. Although the banking industries in Shanghai and Hong Kong have been shaped by different historical circumstances, their native banks maintained business relationships with each other, while a number of domestic and foreign-funded banks also developed their business in both cities at the same time. Featuring some 500 artefacts and about 100 historical photographs, this catalogue provides a comprehensive record of the banks in these two financial centres and how the local co-operation between them complemented their development. With a journey through time, you will be amazed at the banking development of the twin cities over the past 150 years.

This publication is complied to complement the thematic exhibition of the same title currently displayed at the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence and to let the readers have a better understanding of the development and features of the Asian traditional archery. Supplemented with colourful drawings and photographs, it introduces the historical development of bows and arrows, the differences between modern bows and traditional bows, the physics of the Chinese traditional bows, the making of traditional bows and arrows, famous Chinese archery inventions, Chinese archery technique and the living traditional archery in other Asian cultures.

This catalogue is compiled to complement the "Major Archaeological Discoveries of China in Recent Years" exhibition. It reveals the major achievements of Chinese archaeology over the past decades and collects the cultural relics excavated at over 20 archaeological sites in nine provinces throughout the nation. From the Neolithic jade ware unearthed from Lingjiatan in Anhui province to the Shang and Zhou dynasties bronze ware from Yin Ruins in Henan province and Mei county in Shaanxi province; from the baixi acrobat tomb figures of Qinshihuang to the jade burial suit sewn with silver threads of the Chu Prince in the Western Han dynasty; from the three-colour glazed pottery and the painted sarcophagus of the High Tang dynasty to the Southern Song and Qing dynasties porcelain recovered from shipwrecks in the South China Sea, with a long period spanning from the Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty.

From the mid-19^th century onwards, being awakened by the powerful battleships and ammunition of the West, the young Chinese intelligentsia went abroad to Europe, the United States and Japan for education with an eye to strengthening China, by bringing about radical changes to society and the modernization of China. A total of 38 selected papers (37 in Chinese and 1 in English) on foreign-educated students of modern China, written by scholars and experts from the United States, Japan, the Mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong, are included in this publication. It is not to be missed by all who wish to better understand the history of the Chinese students studying abroad in modern China, the touching stories of their studies and their contributions to the motherland.

Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb has full details of the 58 funerary objects discovered in the tomb. The excavation report of Professor F. S. Drake "On the Excavation of an Ancient Tomb East of the Li Cheng Uk （李鄭屋）Resettlement Area, at the End of Tonkin Street, Sham Shui Po" is also included in the book. Professor Jao Tsung-i has kindly contributed an article "Introduction to 'Panyu' during the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms Period Based on Inscriptions on Bricks" and his inscriptions on the front cover. This book is a useful reference for readers who are interested in the Han culture in South China and the early Hong Kong history.

Concurrent with the staging exhibition, "East Meets West: Cultural Relics from the Pearl River Delta Region", a comprehensive catalogue featuring some 160 exhibits from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau has been published by the Hong Kong Museum of History. Under the main theme of "East Meets West", these exhibits serve to unveil the significance of the trio in the context of overseas trade and the East-West exchanges. Apart from the detailed descriptions in Chinese and English, the catalogue is supplemented by photographs and maps, rendering it a handy reference for the study of China's "Maritime Silk Route".

This catalogue is compiled to complement the exhibition "Impressions of the East: The Art of George Chinnery". It features over 180 masterpieces of the famous British George Chinnery who was active in the south China coast in the mid-19th century. The catalogue gives a full account of Chinnery's artistic career and the development of his styles spanning over his years in England, India and south China.

To coincide with the special exhibition "Hunting and Rituals: Treasures from the Ancient Dian Kingdom of Yunnan", a comprehensive catalogue comprising a total of 118 rare and invaluable exhibits of the ancient Dian culture is published by the Hong Kong Museum of History to introduce the economy, religion, military affairs, fine arts as well as the way of life of the Dian kingdom. Besides detailed descriptions in both Chinese and English, the catalogue also includes a special article "Bronze Culture of the Red Earth Plateau" by Mr Dai Zongpin of the Yunnan Provincial Museum. This catalogue is a useful reference book for those who are interested in the history and culture of Yunnan and the ancient Dian civilization.

Established in 1854, the "Hong Kong Volunteers" was also known as the "Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps" and the "Royal Hong Kong Regiment". In the early days, the Force recruited members from the elite group. As times went by, different classes of the society and different ethnic groups also joined the Force. Despite volunteers, they received professional training. Their missions were to make contributions to the society and protect their home. They fought bravely against the Japanese during invasion, maintained law and order during riots and social unrests, as well as rescuing victims during natural disasters. They served in Hong Kong during the most difficult times. Although the Force was disbanded in 1995, its spirit and contributions are much appreciated.

This publication comprises essays on the historical development of the Hong Kong Volunteers and the experiences of its members. It records the glorious history of the Hong Kong Volunteers in the past 150 years.

Over the past millennia, China's enemies came mainly from the north. Therefore, frontier fortification was the main strategy of national defence in ancient China. From the 19th century onward, fleets of warships despatched by the Western powers caused disturbance along the seaboard. The vitalisation of coastal defence and the resistance of foreign aggression became the focus of discussion among government officials and the common people. This book has a collection of 26 papers which discuss various aspects of Modern China's maritime defence including theories and historical figures of maritime defence, district defence, historical document of maritime defence, naval construction, navy and diplomacy.

Led by the Communist Party of China, the anti-Japanese guerrillas launched guerrilla attacks all over Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories during the Japanese occupation period (1941-1945), and rescued Chinese intellectuals and international friends. They formed the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade of the East River Column, dealt a great blow to Japanese rule in Hong Kong, and contributed much to China's resistance efforts against Japanese aggression. The Hong Kong Museum of History compiles a collection of papers with contributions from Hong Kong and mainland scholars and veteran fighters of the former Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade. This book illustrates the significant role played by the Brigade in resisting the Japanese.

China's long history has been a topic of research interest for many Chinese and foreign scholars. China has experienced the great transformation over the past hundred years or so, in particular, evolving from a poor and backward country into a flourishing and strong nation. In fact, China has made great efforts on her road to modernization. This CD-ROM comprises major events of China in the past hundred years or so from the late-Qing period in the 19th century to the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. Through a display of rich textual information illustrated with over 200 photos and maps, 10 valuable video clips, 5 recordings of speeches made by important persons and other sound effects, which are supported also by diversified search functions, this CD-ROM will prove very useful in helping you to understand better the history of modern China.

This book highlights the facilities and exhibitions of Hong Kong Museum of History and its branch museums – Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum and Law Uk Folk Museum. Enriched with useful information and photos, this guidebook is a perfect memento for every visitor.

In order to allow the general public to browse the fascinating exhibit settings beyond the physical limitation and time constraint, the Museum has produced this information CD-Rom to present a detailed picture of "The Hong Kong Story" in an interactive way. With this CD-Rom, you will be free to walk through any gallery you would like to explore. The 360-degree images with sound effects offer an impressive understanding of the exhibition. It is hoped that readers can plunge into this 400 million years of historical and cultural journey whenever they like.

As a fortification running thousands of miles through many provinces, cities and autonomous regions, as well as a unique subject in the longstanding history of China, the Great Wall has been closely associated with the evolution of this multi-national country ever since its appearance over 2,000 years ago. This publication is meant to give readers a better idea of the structure and history of the Great Wall as well as the cultures of various nationalities within and beyond its precincts, so as to highlight the integral and diverse characteristics of Chinese culture. The publication features 117 sets of historical artifacts discovered along the Great Wall, supplemented with colourful maps and reconstructions. It is hoped that readers can learn about the subject in a more entertaining and interesting manner.

Shortly before its dissolution, the former Provisional Urban Council commissioned the Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong to research and publish a book on the history of the municipal councils which played a vital role in local environmental hygiene and provision of leisure and cultural services. The book covers the entire history of the municipal councils in Hong Kong, commencing with the establishment of the Sanitary Board in 1883, which was renamed the Urban Council in 1935 subsequent to expansion of its functions and powers, the founding of the Regional Council in 1986 to December 1999 when the history of the two Councils came to an end.

With the colour illustrations of some 250 artefacts, this catalogue gives a full record of the exhibits from "Heavenly Creations – Gems of Ancient Chinese Inventions" exhibition. It introduces ten categories of ancient inventions by the Chinese, namely astronomy, paper making, printing, compass, gunpowder, agriculture, textiles, ceramics, metallurgy and machinery, through which it is aimed at unfolding China's extraordinary achievements in science and technology in the past 3,000 years, as well as her contribution to world civilization.

The remarkable achievement of ancient Chinese cartography and surveying techniques has long been recognized internationally. Introduced in this book are 28 maps thoughtfully selected from the magnificent collection of ancient maps held in the National Library of China in Beijing. This book also features other maps of Hong Kong and China by courtesy of a local map collector, Mr S.C. Tam, and some on the territory pertaining to the Museum's collection. It is hoped that the publication would help promote the public's awareness and understanding of old maps of China in the study of China and Hong Kong, and bring out the importance of preserving Chinese culture through map collecting.

This book introduces the development of coastal defence measures in Guangdong during the Ming and Qing dynasties (14th to 19th centuries), with an emphasis on the history and geography of coastal forts and batteries. The official ranks and armaments of the period are also briefly examined.

Two commercial and cultural routes linked China with Europe in ancient times. One of them is the celebrated Silk Route began at Chang'an. The other one, known as the Maritime Silk Route, began at Guangzhou, crossed the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean to reach the Mediterranean. The Route had played an important role in the economic and cultural interflow between China and other countries in the past 2000 years. This book, a catalogue of a thematic exhibition of the same title, discusses the significance of the Maritime Silk Route, with an emphasis on the role played by the trio of Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau.

This book is a photo album showing the development of Hong Kong Island since it was occupied by the British in 1841. With selected historical photographs from the Museum's collection, it introduces the growth of the Western District, Sheung Wan, Central, Wanchai, Causeway Bay and the Mid-levels prior to the Second World War, providing a rich source for research in the early history of colonial Hong Kong.

This book contains 16 papers presented by scholars from Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Beijing in the seminar entitled "Culture of Ancient Yue People in South China", which was organized by the Hong Kong Museum of History on 26-27 November 1993 as an extension activity for the "Archaeological Discoveries of Ancient Yue People in South China" exhibition. Based on the huge amount of archaeological data accumulated in Lingnan area in the past decade, scholars have traced the development of local Palaeolithic and Neolithic folks from various aspects such as archaeology, anthropology, history, ethnology and palaeo-ecology, and their research results are presented in these papers which give the readers a deeper understanding of the culture of ancient Yue people.

This exhibition catalogue contains colour photographs and detailed descriptions of the 93 artefacts from the "Gems of Liangzhu Culture from the Shanghai Museum" exhibition. These exhibits, selected from the Shanghai Museum, are exquisite artefacts of the Liangzhu, Songze and Dawenkou Cultures. An essay written by the Deputy Director of the Shanghai Museum which discusses the date, distribution, characteristics, origin and influence of Liangzhu Culture is also included in the book.