Shanghai Normal University Museum

Shanghai Normal University Museum

Shanghai Normal University Museum was established and opened to the public on May 18, 2002. Covering a construction area of over 740 square meters, its collection includes jade artifacts, bronze ware, ceramics, steles and rubbings, calligraphy, paintings, thangkas, costumes, embroidery, and more, among which there are many rare and precious items. The jade bi from the Neolithic Age features regular shapes and a smooth polished surface, reflecting a high level of craftsmanship; rubbings of the Mao Gong Ding and the San Shi Pan belong to some of the earliest and finest impressions; Buddhist scriptures handwritten by Sui Dynasty monks and a long scroll of scriptures translated by Xuanzang are rare cultural relics; the Tibetan Buddhist scripture of the Amitayus Sutra written in gold ink on sheep brain paper, and the Tantra of the Magical Net of the Goddess of Immortality, are priceless treasures; most of the thangkas were created during the Qing Dynasty and are rich in ethnic characteristics; among the paintings, the landscape works by Wang Yuanqi and Wu Li are also outstanding pieces; the court-related religious figure paintings are rarely seen exhibits in the Shanghai area; the official kiln porcelain from the imperial court is exquisitely crafted and magnificent, displaying the unique grandeur of the royal family.

The Shanghai Universities Ceramics Museum is built upon the ceramic collection of Shanghai Normal University Museum. Its ceramic collection spans from the painted pottery of the Majiayao Culture of the prehistoric period, through various practical and funerary ceramics from the Han Dynasty, the Two Jin Dynasties, the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and the Sui Dynasty, to the glazed porcelains and tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty, the monochrome glazes, carved, and applied relief ceramics of the Song Dynasty’s famous kilns, the scratched-pattern ceramics of the Western Xia, as well as the decalcomania, blue-and-white, colored glaze porcelains of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and the polychrome, fencai (famille rose), doucai (contrasting colors), and blue-and-white with copper-red underglaze of the Qing Dynasty, covering a vast time span and a rich variety of types. The collection encompasses pieces from historically renowned kilns such as Ru Kiln, Jun Kiln, Ge Kiln, Longquan Kiln, Jizhou Kiln, Dehua Kiln, and Jingdezhen Kiln, essentially reflecting a concise history of the development of Chinese ceramics. The museum adheres to a policy of free admission to the public, attracting numerous elementary, middle, and high school students as well as local citizens to visit, making an appropriate contribution to popularizing cultural relic knowledge and promoting the splendid culture of China.