Newspaper reports
Newspaper reports
Does Restoring Cultural Relics Mean Making Them Look New? Secondary School Students Serve as Heritage Conservation Ambassadors, Learning the Principle of
Our students participated in the "Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Student Heritage Conservation Ambassador Programme". This programme provided a learning platform for secondary school students that goes beyond textbooks, transforming them from passive observers into hands-on "heritage doctors" who directly engage with history. Under professional guidance, the students performed basic conservation work on the "Temple of the Hundred Surnames" metal door plaque and a commemorative charity trophy. The greatest challenges during the process were overcoming their initial nervousness and applying extreme patience and meticulous care to control the cleaning procedures accurately.
This hands-on experience led to a significant shift in their perspective. The students came to understand that the highest principle of heritage conservation is not to "restore the item to look new," but to adhere to "minimal intervention," aiming to reveal its historical value rather than cater to modern aesthetic standards. This redefined their understanding of heritage protection's meaning, helping them realise that artefacts are vital channels for dialogue with the past.
The programme's content extended beyond meticulous work in the conservation studio to include a cultural exploration trip to Chengdu, Sichuan. The students not only witnessed the mystery of the Sanxingdui ancient civilisation but were also deeply moved by stories of local citizens and construction teams spontaneously protecting unearthed artefacts. This experience deepened their appreciation and respect for national history and culture.
The organisers, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the Heritage Conservation Office, stated that the programme's core objective is to extend heritage conservation into education in a practical, "down-to-earth" way, sowing the seeds of cultural transmission through hands-on experience. They hope students understand that heritage conservation is a professional discipline integrating science, art, and history. Furthermore, they aim to foster a sense of mission in safeguarding our cultural heritage, rooting the awareness of conservation in the younger generation and strengthening their cultural and national identity.
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