China Red Sandalwood Museum
China Red Sandalwood Museum, designed in a palatial manner reminiscent of China’ ancient dynasties and boasts the world’s largest collection of traditional handmade Chinese furniture and art, is located in Beijing. Madam Chan Laiwa, the chairlady of Fu Wah International Group Co., Ltd. is the sole patroness and benefactor of the museum. It opened to public on Sep. 19th 1999 and it is the first ever and biggest privately owned theme museum in China. Covering five floors and 270,000 square feet, the museum includes a grand central hall, exhibition halls, and several multifunctional reception halls. The museum’s core mission is to protect the historic relics of China’s national heritage, namely the handcrafted excellence of sandalwood furniture and sculpture, and it specializes in the collection, research and display of red sandalwood art with an additional appreciation for classic traditional Chinese furniture. The museum embraces the classic furniture of Ming and Qing dynasties and Chinese ancient architecture miniatures. All the exquisite exhibits have been collected by curator Chan Laiwa herself for more than dozens of years. The traditional furniture masterpieces have been elaborately reproduced from original ones in the Forbidden City using traditional furniture materials, structures, and designs along with carving craftsmanship.
Touted as the world’s premier sandalwood exhibition space, the China Red Sandalwood Museum has proudly reintroduced the magnificence of traditional Chinese furniture to a global audience and the furniture has received international acclaim for its painstaking beauty and superior quality.
Dr. Chan Lai Wa
Chan Lai wa( Chen Lihua) is an individual of extraordinary ability, as evidenced by her extensive and sustained national and international acclaim in the fields of ancient Chinese cultural preservation, furniture design, art collection, and museum direction.
Chan is recognized worldwide for her strides to preserve the art of handcrafted sandalwood sculpture-an ancient and intricate medium of figural and furniture carving. She shares her knowledge of and appreciation for Chinese antiquities by lecturing on this ancient, celebrated art form at trade fairs and institutions of higher learning throughout the world.
Chan’s personal collection of dynastic sandalwood art and furniture is one of the most significant collections in China. In recognition of her numerous contributions to art, history, and Chinese culture, Chan was awarded an honorary doctor of humanities degree by the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia, United States, in 1999.
To inherit and promote the ancient Chinese art of red sandalwood carving, she founded the China Red Sandalwood Museum in 1999. Since its opening, Chan has continued to graciously provide the museum with hundreds of priceless antiquities from her private collection. To promote the traditional Chinese red sandalwood art, Dr. Chan has donated dozens of exquisite red sandalwood carvings to famous museums around the world.
A discerning connoisseur and collector of fine antiquities, Chan is recognized as an authority on this specialized Asian art. Her role as a patron has extended to her sponsorship of young artists, fostering their talent and creativity, as well as their professional and artistic aspirations. Her entire family, like Chan herself, is devoted to the preservation of Chinese culture and artistic heritage.
Chan presides as chair of Fu Wah International Group, a Hong Kong registered development firm, supports a diverse portfolio of businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, including real estate, tourism and hotel industry. Chan also is a member of several of China’s foremost business and political consulting agencies, including the National Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In addition, she is the Executive Vice Chairman of China Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs Association and the Chairman of Beijing Overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Chan ranked No.33 on the 2011 Forbes list of the world’s 100 most powerful women.
Red sandalwood
Red Sandalwood grows in the tropical regions southeast Asia and the mountainous areas of southern India. Large pieces of sandalwood are rarely found, as it grows so extremely slowly. It can take centuries for one tree to grow to maturity. Even then, 90% of the red sandalwood log is hollow and only 10-15% is useful. The red sandalwood is very solid and resilient. After polishing, the surface of the red sandalwood could be as smooth as baby’s skin. Because of its rarity, it is called the 'King of Woods'. Furnishings made from red sandalwood were reserved for imperial use by the Ming and Qing Dynasties in China and therefore were symbols of high status.
Zhang Lan, the board chairwoman of South Beauty Company Limited
Madam Zhang Lan, founder of South Beauty, the board chairwoman of South Beauty Company Limited. In 1987 she graduated from Beijing Technology and Business University with a degree in Business Administration, and in 1989 she went to Canada for further study. Later, in 2006 she graduated from the EMBA program at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.
Madam Zhang Lan has 20 years of experience in the food service industry, where she has continued to develop a deep understanding and strong intuition. She is acknowledged for her robust, delicate, courageous and resolute management style. In 1991, Zhang Lan returned from Canada and opened her first restaurant. After 10 years of accumulation of experiences and capital, she founded South Beauty Restaurant in 2000; and the healthy lifestyle concept restaurant named STEAM was opened in 2008.
Madam Zhang Lan has won many accolades and awards including: “Top Ten Most Influential CEOs in China”, “People who have made Outstanding Contributions in Last 30 Years” by Asian Business Leaders, “Achievement Award of Female Entrepreneur in 2008” awarded by CYZONE magazine. “Virtuoso of Life” awarded by TARGET magazine. “Chinese Career Women Role Model 2008”; Leader in the Food Industry awarded by Beijing Evening News 2009. “30 Business Warriors in 2009” by China Entrepreneur magazine. “2009 China Enterprise Top Ten Spokesperson”, “Top Ten Award for Most Fashionable and Forward Thinking Business Woman” and “China Business Elite Most Valuable and Honored Business Woman”.
SHANG XIA
Asian Heritage Crafted for Contemporary Lifestyle
SHANG XIA is a contemporary brand founded in 2008 to bring the excellence of Chinese and other Asian craftsmanship into contemporary lifestyle through the encounter of heritage and innovation.
Together with the Hermes Group, Chinese designer Ms. Jiang Qiong Er has set up the SHANG XIA company in Shanghai to create a 21st century brand from the best of traditional Chinese and other Asian craftsmanship and design. Focusing on the home, the collections include furniture, decorative objects, accessories, garments and an extended experience of tea. New categories will complete this range later.
SHANG XIA shares with Hermes its passion and unwavering commitment to quality and search of excellence in designing products for the home and everyday use.
SHANG XIA, the words themselves, “up” and “down”, reflect the flow of energy from the past through to the future transmitting the essence of a culture and its aesthetics. Building on the inheritance of culture and with the spirit of respect for the environment it is in this continuum that SHANG XIA strives to integrate the finest quality materials and consistent craftsmanship in the range of its product offerings. With flair and minute attention to detail and quality, SHANG XIA integrates the warmth, balance and harmony of Chinese hospitality and grace.
SHANG XIA has the ambition to preserve the beauty and techniques of traditional craftsmanship and embrace the elegance and simplicity of a new 21st century aesthetic. Heritage, culture, creation, dialogue and innovation merge to forge the core of SHANG XIA philosophy.
In addition to the range of home wares and accessories, SHANG XIA will also aim to create an annual limited edition of “cultural objects”. These limited and collectible objects will convey messages of tradition, protection and memory.
