American Friends of the Shanghai Museum Confer First Art History Distinguished Scholar Award

New York, October 1, 2004 -- Ma Chengyuan, Director Emeritus of the Shanghai Museum received the first Art History Distinguished Scholar Award from the hands of outgoing President Henry Tang at a dinner attended by the Directors, patrons and benefactors associated with the American Friends of the Shanghai Museum.

In honoring the former director of the Shanghai Museum, Board Director George Fan singled out Director Ma's long term scholarly interest and achievement in deciphering and commenting on a number of ancient texts written in archaic script on bamboo strips dating from the fourth to third centuries, B.C. Since its acquisition in 1995 by the Shanghai Museum, the Collection of some 1,200 bamboo strips on which are texts of early writing on poetry, music and philosophy, has been the focus of Mr. Ma’s research. This work will throw much light on early Chinese culture and clarify many textual problems in the study of Chinese classics.

Incoming American Friends President Patricia P. Tang explained that the $10,000 Prize and Steuben glass medallion, conferred for the first time in 2002, will be awarded to scholars who have made lifetime contributions to the study, exhibition and preservation of Chinese art.

At the annual meeting held just prior to the Award Dinner, the Board of Directors of the American Friends of the Shanghai Museum discussed the criteria for the Award and plans for selecting future recipients of the Prize.

Contact: Patricia P. Tang [or Ann Brownell Sloane]
Phone: 212- 861-7799 [or 212-737-1011]
Email: absloane@compuserve.com