<em>View from the South of the Pagoda of Monk Wansong or the Old Man of Wansong (Wansong Laoren Ta) at Xisi</em> | Photo: BabelStone (Own work) via ikimedia Creative Commons
A treasure to be sought ought painstakingly, just a short walk from the Xisi Metro Station in the heart of Beijing - a tiny pagoda from the XIII Century at the centre of a lovely walled garden with roses and pomegranates. Ancient and, for a long time, hidden. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the pagoda was surrounded by the streets and buildings of the blossoming commercial centre that Beijing had become. The pagoda gets its name from the elderly wise man Wansong Xingxiu, a famous monk who lived from 1166 to 1246. We know as much thanks to the inscription on a tablet stating "Pagoda of the Old Man of Wansong”. Hidden but never forgotten, the pagoda was restored numerous times which is why it lasted so long. The last work was completed in 1986 in order to repair damage from an earthquake, bringing to light the original structure - seven levels of brick measuring 5 metres, emerging from structure of thin slabs of stone laid all about it, it is thought, in 1753. In 2013, to celebrate the renovation of the entire neighbourhood, the area was opened to the public. On the North and South sides of the courtyard, there are bookshops specialising in the history of Beijing, as well as an exhibition hall with objects and information related to the pagoda’s history.
The avant-garde of photography in China in Mo Yi's shots
It is the first major museum study of the Chinese artist Mo Yi. Flaneur, outsider and self-taught photographer. Mo Yi's images from the streets of Tianjin are iconic for their ability to capture the energy and melancholy of the social fabric of China in the second half of the 20th century.
Christopher Le Brun's painting between sensual and emotional
The artist Christopher Le Brun presents a selection of works that broadly describe the meaning of his research and his conception of painting, which should mainly have a sensual and emotional appeal.
The treasures of the civilizations that developed along the Silk Road
A unique collection of historical artefacts from the main museums and cultural institutions of the world to tell the story of the Eastern Silk Road. Paintings, sculptures, artefacts and other objects testify to the vitality of ancient art mixing with contemporary art interventions.
Lawrence Weiner was one of the protagonists in the development of conceptual art in the United States in the twentieth century. In this anthological exhibition - Weiner's first in China in 15 years - UCCA presents works from the 1970s to 2010 and a wide selection of archival materials.