Hong Kong Palace Museum | Chinese Gold Craftsmanship Heritage Education Programme | Golden Whispers: A Conversation Between Traditional Craftsmanship and Contemporary Design

Mr Max Lam Hung Shing

General Manager, Creative & Design, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group

Mr Lam is a seasoned designer with over 20 years of experience in the field of jewellery design and culture. His professional practice spans multicultural and creative cross-border projects, and he has extensive experience in international collaboration.

Iconic projects include leading the design of medals for the 15th National Games in 2025; participated in the creative work of the China Pavilion at the 2015 Milan World Expo; participated in the 2017 China-France Brand Summit Forum as a core member. He was also a mentor at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in the United Kingdom and has been participating in the “Ancient Chinese Gold Techniques” research project since 2014. Max is a Master Graduate from the University for the Creative Arts in the United Kingdom and was awarded 2014 Hong Kong Top Ten Outstanding Designer.

Dr Tong Yu

Research Associate of the Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dr Tong Yu received his doctoral degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2016 and later joined the Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Dr Tong has a wide range of research interests in Chinese art, including painting, calligraphy, ancient material culture, and the history of collecting. Since joining the museum, he has been participating in the “Ancient Chinese Gold Techniques” research project. In addition to two gold exhibitions in 2017 and 2023, he has curated the museum’s annual Chinese zodiac show since 2018. His publications include the two volume Ancient Chinese Gold Techniques, for which he has served as editor and author.

Dr Yi-Li Hou

Curator, Hong Kong Palace Museum

Dr Yi-Li Hou received her PhD in History from the Chinese Culture University in Taipei. Dr Hou has served as the Associate Research Fellow and a Section Chief in the Department of Antiquities at the Palace Museum, Taipei, where she was responsible for the curation and storage management of the Curios section. Her research focuses on the history of court artefacts, boxes of curiosities, and calligraphy. She has organised many major travelling international exhibitions, the annual major exhibitions of the Palace Museum, Taipei, and exhibitions related to her field of expertise, including “Curio Cabinets and the Collection, Storage, and Display of Artifacts”, and “Scents to the Heavens: A Special Exhibition on Agarwood and the Culture of Incense”. She has also edited and written exhibition catalogues and participated in exhibition-related educational programmes. In addition, she has published numerous academic papers and articles.