Exploring Zheng He-Da Vinci exhibition
Held in conjunction with Voyages@Frontiers of New Asia Ancient Maritime Silk Road to the Cosmos Conference
FROM Sept 3 to 7, 2025, JEN Penang Georgetown by Shangri-La will host the Commonwealth of World Chinatowns Conference 2025, titled Voyages@Frontiers of New Asia: Ancient Maritime Silk Road to the Cosmos. Among the events held will be the Zheng He-DaVinci Jutapose Exhibition that will also be held at the hotel foyer. The exhibition will be launched at The Courtyard@Beach in Georgetown, Penang on Sept 5 at 7pm, where it will remained open to the public till the end of September.
This unique event bridges Asia’s rich maritime heritage with cutting-edge space exploration, offering visitors a journey from the ancient trade routes of Admiral Zheng He to the future of interstellar travel.
Journey through time and space
This extraordinary exhibition weaves together the grand tapestry of Asia’s past with the thrilling possibilities of the future. Visitors will embark on a visual odyssey beginning with 14 stunning Cheng Ho posters from the 1421 Foundation, chronicling the Ming Dynasty’s legendary maritime expeditions.
** SALUTING THE LEGEND. Click here to read our editorial and links to the main stories of the NAC Focus on Zheng He
In addition, the Straits & Oriental Museum brings history to life with a display of authentic shipwreck porcelain – tangible remnants of the ancient Maritime Silk Road.
The adventure continues with groundbreaking research from Indonesia’s Gunung Padang site and pyramid studies by Prof Danny Hilman Natawidjaja, revealing Southeast Asia's forgotten megalithic wonders.
The exhibition then catapults visitors into the modern era with China's aerospace achievements presented by the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum, alongside the innovative Young Cosmonaut School programme.
A potential showstopper awaits as China’s electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft manufacturer eHang will also present their revolutionary air-taxi prototype, offering a glimpse into the future of urban mobility.
Public talks and film screenings
While the exhibition dazzles with artifacts and space technology, the accompanying lecture series ventures into equally fascinating territories.
The opening day (Sept 3) features Prof Gerald Pollack’s provocative exploration of 4th Phase Water (3.00pm), challenging conventional wisdom about water's molecular structure and its implications for mangrove desalination and even the definition of life itself. Later, Dr Wang Sheng-Wei (4.30pm) presents controversial evidence of pre-Columbian Chinese global exploration through ancient maps, a talk that promises to rewrite history books.
The following days diverge further from the space theme: Workshops on Sept 4 include Prof Tay Kheng Soon reimagining urban landscapes through Rubarnisation (10.30am) and a panel on Regionalising Southeast Asian Art (10.30am), where curator Kwok Kian Chow and CEO of art influential institution of public character TRCL, Colin Goh will debate cultural identity in modern museums.
On Sept 5, Dr Wang Sheng-wei will launch her book, titled Chinese Global Exploration in the Pre-Columbian Era, while Saturday delves into Dr Gilbert Ling’s AI Hypothesis (3.45pm) – a radical theory on cellular intelligence.
For those seeking unconventional perspectives, be sure to check out talks on Sept 7. Umami Architecture (11am) redefines urban ecology, while funding workshops explore BRICS-backed projects (10am) and integrative medicine (2pm).
More than an exhibition: Your portal to discovery
History buffs will marvel at newly uncovered evidence of Asia’s pre-colonial global connections, while science enthusiasts can engage with cutting-edge research on everything from revolutionary water science to next-generation transportation.
The exhibition goes beyond static displays with hands-on workshops at Tech Dome and interactive sessions with Dacha KL. Whether you’re fascinated by Admiral Zheng He’s naval mastery, Indonesia’s ancient pyramids, or Malaysia’s burgeoning space economy, this is your chance to experience Asia’s enduring spirit of exploration – from the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space. — Anansa Jacob
Click here to view the programme and here to register for the conference on Voyages@Frontiers of New Asia of the Commonwealth of World Chinatowns (CWC), Sept 3-8, 2025, JEN Penang Georgetown by Shangri-La, Malaysia.
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