Knowledge, passion, determination and patience: the legendary life of the esteemed Chinese Ceramics collector Au Bak Ling
Mr. Au Bak Ling left school at a young age to help support his family, and from humble beginnings, he went on to establish an international conglomerate. A highly esteemed Hong Kong collector, he achieved tremendous success and built one of the most remarkable private collections of Chinese imperial ceramics through rigorous effort and a drive to pursue the very best. His collection has enticed fellow collectors and enthusiasts for decades. Kevin Ching, chairman of Christie’s Asia, engages in a conversation with the collector’s daughter, Angela, and unveils the story behind Mr. Au’s legendary life and collection
Humble beginnings with great ambitions
Au Bak Ling was born in Hong Kong in 1928 into a poor family. When he was only ten years old, he was forced to leave school, in order to help his father run a small, second-hand bookstall. In December 1941, war broke out in Asia-Pacific, and on 25th December Hong Kong was occupied by Japanese troops. Mr. Au was only thirteen years of age at the time, but found himself burdened by the responsibility of supporting his family. Nevertheless, in 1943 he formally started a business under his own name ‘Ling Kee’.
Mr. Au quickly realised that self-cultivation was the only way forward, and his first step towards that end was to acquire a good dictionary and to study English assiduously. With his efforts, Mr. Au was able to attain an excellent command of both spoken and written English. His mastery of the Chinese language also enabled him to undertake complex translations and compose elegant Chinese couplets.
‘The first one (book stall) on the left was called Ling Kee, and was run by a ten-year-old child. This child was the youngest stallholder, but he was very well-informed – he knew about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, as well as the works of the great German writer Goethe – and was already the most perspicacious.’
The well-known Chinese poet, translator and essayist Dai Wangshu lived in Hong Kong for several years. He wrote a number of essays, including some relating to the literary life of Hong Kong. The young Au Bak Ling featured in one of his articles titled ‘Hong Kong’s Second-hand Book Market’. ‘At the lower end of one of the ladder streets, beside the theatre in Queen’s Road Central, there were five stalls going up the steps from the main road. The first one on the left was called Ling Kee, and was run by a ten year-old child, whose father managed a scrap paper stall a little further down. This child was the youngest stall-holder, but he was very well-informed – he knew about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, as well as the works of the great German writer Goethe – and was already the most perspicacious’, he wrote.
Talent plus persistent self-improvement, transformed the young Au Bak Ling and changed his destiny. Mr. Au later expanded the Ling Kee business, ordering new books from England. The competition in the book trade was extremely fierce and he found it necessary to move into the retail market, where he managed to become the largest supplier of school textbooks in Hong Kong. It brought Mr. Au considerable satisfaction when, despite the fact that British publishing houses had dominated the market in Hong Kong for more than 120 years, Ling Kee became the major publisher of textbooks for Hong Kong students, many of whom have become leaders in Hong Kong today.
An astonishing entry into the collecting world
In November 1974, Mr. Au joined a fellow Rotarian in attending an auction preview. Until that time, his interest had only been in Chinese paintings of the Lingnan School. He became enthralled by the great variety of shapes, colours, and decorative styles of the porcelains on display. The next day, he ventured into the saleroom and bid freely on everything that attracted him. By the end of the sale, he had purchased 14 pieces, and thus began his forty-five-year journey of collecting Chinese ceramics.
Mr. Au in Christie’s Hong Kong’s first sale in 1986 (the third from the left in the third row)
Angela recalls that her father lived with his collection, regularly examining and admiring the prized pieces. Yet he always reminded himself that he was only ‘the custodian and not the owner of the piece in perpetuity’. ‘What incredible luck makes it possible at all to obtain an ancient piece many centuries after its production?’ he would wonder. ‘The time that the collectors spend with their pieces should be cherished because of this.’ Therefore, he made a wish to sell part of his prized collection after he passed away.
‘A true collector must have knowledge, passion, determination and patience in order to build up a good collection.’
Mr. Au quoted the scholar Au Yeung Shiu (Ouyang Xiu, 1007-1072 – eminent Song dynasty statesman, historian, and poet) in stating that three essential elements are required in order to become an art collector: appreciation, opportunity, and financial resources. He once declared, ‘A true collector must have knowledge, passion, determination, and patience in order to build up a good collection. Even more importantly, he must rank rarity, quality, beauty, cultural value, and the unique features of an object much higher than its commercial value. If he does otherwise, any talk about the art of collecting is meaningless. There is no shortcut to connoisseurship.’ This was one of the most important and valuable takeaways of Mr. Au from his collecting journey of over forty-five years.
One of the most remarkable private collections of Imperial Chinese Porcelain
The Au Bak Ling collection of Chinese porcelain is one of the most comprehensive private collections of Chinese ceramics with examples spanning over 1,000 years of ceramic production, with iconic and the rarest pieces dating from the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1279-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The long and glorious period of China’s imperial porcelain production is illustrated in this collection, an all-encompassing overview of its history which became Mr. Au’s collecting objective.
Mr. Au at home, circa 1982-1983
According to Angela, her father was particularly drawn to the ceramics from the Chenghua reign period (1464-1487), which is considered one of the peak periods of Chinese imperial porcelain production. The abundance of Chenghua period porcelains in the Au Bak Ling collection is unmatched.
The Royal Academy of Art’s first exhibition of a private ceramics collection
In 1998, a selection of Au Bak Ling’s ceramic treasures was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. The exhibition, 100 Masterpieces of Imperial Chinese Ceramics from the Au Bak Ling Collection, was the first ceramics exhibition of a single private collection to be held at the Royal Academy since its foundation in 1768, an important testament to the remarkable influence and stature of the Au Bak Ling collection in the global art and collecting world.
Mr Au Bak Ling
From 22 to 25 September 2024, a special exhibition of highlights from the Au Bak Ling Collection will be on display at Christie’s new Asia Pacific Headquarters, including this important and extremely rare doucai stemcup, Chenghua six-character mark and of the period (1464-1487)
This exhibition undoubtedly cemented Mr. Au’s belief that his collection methodology and strategy were correct – focusing on the best objects from great periods.
Giving back to society whole-heartedly
Mr. Au dedicated himself to working all his life and was always conscious of the importance of giving back to society. He knew very well that ‘A drop of water tastes like sweet dew when one is thirsty’. In 2009, he founded the Au Bak Ling Charity Trust which donates five thousand bags of rice every month to poor families, in addition to funds for various educational scholarships, which he established for the purpose of helping disadvantaged students studying to become teachers in China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as those in Canada who excel in their fields of study. He especially hoped that the aspiring teachers would view a lifelong career of educating youth as a sacred mission, and would devote their efforts to nurturing tomorrow’s leaders.
Mr. Au and family at a charity trust event
‘What you have gained from the community must, at least in some measure, be returned to the community. Every year, one tenth of the family’s income should be donated to the Au Bak Ling Charity Trust to support charitable causes. When performing good deeds and accumulating virtue, helping those in need and alleviating poverty, no reciprocation should be expected.’
A portion of the proceeds from the highly anticipated inaugural sale of Chinese imperial ceramics from Mr. Au Bak Ling’s prestigious collection, will be donated to charitable causes, honouring his philanthropic spirit in giving back to society.
‘The Au Bak Ling Collection: The Inaugural Sale’ will take place on 26 September 2024, as the first live auction at Christie’s new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong at the Henderson. From 22 to 25 September, a special exhibition will be on display, showcasing further highlights from the Au Bak Ling Collection, including several extremely rare Chenghua period (1464-1487) imperial porcelains that the collection is celebrated for.