Toushanwan Museum (Former Site of Toushanwan Orphanage)

Toushanwan Museum (Former Site of Toushanwan Orphanage)

The Toushanwan Museum (Former Site of Toushanwan Orphanage) is a Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a patriotic education base.

The Toushanwan Museum is located at No. 55 Puhuitang Road, the former site of the Toushanwan Orphanage. The once-flourishing painting, carpentry, and printing workshops within the orphanage will be authentically recreated here. The cultural relics of Toushanwan, known as the "cradle of Western-style painting in China" and where renowned artists such as Ren Bonian, Liu Haisu, and Xu Beihong once taught, will be properly preserved in Xuhui. The district has already begun protecting these artifacts and is establishing the Toushanwan Museum.

"The Toushanwan Painting Studio was 'discovered' during the intangible cultural heritage resource survey in Xuhui District." It is understood that Toushanwan is located along the Zhaojiabang River in the southern part of Xujiahui, covering an area of about 80 acres at the time. It got its name "Toushanwan" because the excavation of the river caused mud to pile up, forming a highland in the bay.

In 1864, the church relocated the orphanage originally established in Qingpu Hengtang to this location, founding the Toushanwan Orphanage. In addition to caring for orphans, it also established the Toushanwan Arts and Crafts Factory, which included workshops for painting, sculpture, printing, woodcutting, and metalworking. Many new crafts and technologies originated here, such as the Toushanwan color stone printing press, the colored glass produced by the Toushanwan Arts and Crafts Institute, and the widely renowned "Haipai" boxwood carvings. Among these, the painting workshop was the most famous, and later generations commonly referred to it as the "Toushanwan Painting Studio."

"Toushanwan had a significant impact on modern Chinese history, but many of its cultural relics were damaged during the Cultural Revolution." It is understood that the painting studio and church premises can now only be glimpsed through some remaining historical photos, and the authentic oil paintings produced by the Toushanwan Painting Studio have largely been scattered. To rescue this precious historical and cultural relic, Xuhui District will soon host a "Toushanwan Cultural History Forum," inviting 20 well-known domestic experts and scholars to discuss the role of "Toushanwan Culture" in modern Sino-Western cultural exchanges.

In addition to fully exploring the Toushanwan culture, which had a significant impact on modern Chinese history, a museum to house Toushanwan's precious collections will soon be established. The site has been chosen at Donghengfu Vocational School on Puhuitang Road, and the Toushanwan Museum is under construction. It will feature approximately 800 square meters of exhibition space to showcase precious collections of various art forms from "Toushanwan."

Toushanwan was originally located along the Zhaojiabang River in the southern part of Xujiahui. Later, due to the excavation of the river, mud piled up in the bay, forming a highland, hence the name "Toushanwan." The Toushanwan culture originated from the Toushanwan Orphanage established by the church on this land in 1864. In addition to caring for orphans, Toushanwan also founded an arts and crafts factory, encompassing painting, sculpture, printing, woodcutting, and metalworking, among others. Many new crafts originated here. Toushanwan is also known as the "cradle of Western-style painting in China," where artists such as Ren Bonian, Liu Haisu, and Xu Beihong once taught.

Over a hundred years ago, Toushanwan's famous Haipai boxwood carvings and the Toushanwan Archway, among 19 other works, already made a stunning appearance at the World Expo. The world-renowned Toushanwan Archway was meticulously carved over a year by dozens of talented orphan artisans from the Toushanwan Orphanage under the leadership of foreign monk Ge Chengliang in 1912. It was transported from Shanghai, China, to San Francisco, USA, in 1914 to participate in the "Panama–Pacific" International Exposition. After several twists and turns around the globe, it finally returned to its long-lost homeland when the World Expo came to Shanghai.

Transportation

Public Transport: Metro Lines 1 & 4, Bus Routes 43, 50, 82, 49, 26

Address: No. 55 Puhuitang Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai (near Caixi North Road)

Type: Museum

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Phone: 021-54249688

Official Website: http://tsw.xuhui.gov.cn/

Opening Hours:

9:00–16:30, closed on Mondays.

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 5.0 RMB

Further Reading:

· National Third-Class Museum of China