The “Mountains Ablaze” exhibition presents the history of late-Qing period China (1839–1911) through the lives of eighty-seven significant personalities who have, until recently, been both politically and culturally unpopular. In the century since the 1911 revolution, it has been possible to take a more objective view of the achievements of this group of foreigners who were closely identified with cultural imperialism, officials who served in the Qing court, scholars who were considered faithful to classical culture and literature, and yimin (loyalists) who were considered to have opposed both the Republican revolution and the Communists. On display are valuable artefacts on loan from Mr Soong Shu-kong, offering insights into the recent history of East-West cultural exchange. The exhibition includes examples of Chinese painting, calligraphy, personal correspondence, books, and scholars’ objects. Many of the exhibits are on display for the first time and are published in this two-volume catalogue authored by Mr Soong.

「烽火山河：外夷與志士」展覽詮釋晚清期間共八十七位卓越代表人物。辛亥革命跨越百年之際，正是客觀評價那些在文化政治層面極富爭議的華洋人物、名臣志士的適當時機。他們包括往往等同文化帝國主義的外夷；佔據中樞的滿清重臣；恪守傳統文化，心繫儒家經典的名賢碩儒；以至既不屈從共和政體，也不追隨共黨的晚清遺民。展覽展出的珍貴文物，包括中國書畫、詩詞典冊、親筆信札及文人雅玩等，均來自宋緒康先生的個人收藏。他並撰寫這兩冊圖錄，從中見證了近代歷史及東西文化交流的情況。