Shangyu Museum

Shangyu Museum

Shangyu Museum is located atop Alert Hill at the end of Renmin Middle Road in the urban area. In July 1997, construction on Shangyu Museum began, and it was completed in December 1999. In October 2000, the museum became an independent institution, separating from the Municipal Cultural Relics Management Office.

Exhibitions

"Shangyu Yue Celadon"

The Shangyu Yue Kiln was the main body of the early Yue Kilns, and its firing history is entirely in line with the development of the Yue Kilns, dating as early as the Shang Dynasty and continuing until the Song Dynasty, forming a vast and complete Yue Kiln system. There are numerous ancient kiln sites within Shangyu, with nearly 400 identified locations. The area around the middle reaches of the Cao'e River, represented by the Xiaoxiantan Kiln Site, is universally recognized as the birthplace of porcelain. The region also has a large number of ancient tombs, yielding a wealth of Yue Kiln celadon from various periods. Yue Kiln celadon is the most distinctive collection of Shangyu Museum. The "Shangyu Yue Celadon" exhibition displays 97 pieces of ceramics from the Hemudu Culture to the Northern Song Dynasty.

These artifacts fully reflect the history of the Shangyu Yue Kiln from its emergence and maturity to its development and decline. The exhibition provides detailed descriptions of the name, era, origin, and purpose of each exhibit. Alongside the artifacts, a wealth of charts, photographs, and text introductions, under soft lighting, visually present to visitors the complete history of the development of the Shangyu Yue Kiln.

"Exhibition on Liangzhu Culture"

The story of Liangzhu has been passed down for over a thousand years and is one of China's four great folktales. This tragic love story is both poignant and beautiful. Cai’ao in Fenghui Town is said to be the hometown of Zhu Yingtai, and the ancestral hall of the Zhu family in the village was designated as a cultural relics protection unit by the Shangyu Municipal People's Government in 2004.

As an intangible form of historical and cultural heritage, the value of the Liangzhu legend is gradually gaining recognition. In October 2003, Shangyu Museum held an exhibition on Liangzhu culture. The exhibition is divided into three parts: The first part, "Hometown of Zhu Yingtai," uses images, photos, and physical objects to showcase the geographical environment and cultural relics of Zhu Yingtai’s hometown. The second part, "Liangzhu Culture: A Long-standing Legacy," introduces records of the Liangzhu legend in ancient texts and its continuation and promotion in modern songs, dances, and audiovisual works. The third part, "Eternal Charm," discusses research on Liangzhu culture both domestically and internationally.

The elegant and classic layout of the exhibition hall, along with rich and detailed historical research and comprehensive displays of Liangzhu culture studies, inheritance, and promotion from various regions, gives people a full understanding of Liangzhu culture and allows them to appreciate its eternal charm.

"Tianxianglou Stele Corridor"

Tianxianglou is located in Huashan Village, Lianghu Town, and was built by the Wang family of Lianghu in the early Qing Dynasty. It became famous for being the place where Wang Wanglin of the Qian-Jia period during the Qing Dynasty collected books and engraved the calligraphy of famous artists. Most of the original structures have been destroyed, and the site of Tianxianglou was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit by the Shangyu Municipal People's Government in 2003.

There are currently 120 extant steles at Tianxianglou, which were created by tracing the calligraphy of famous Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasty calligraphers.

The collection includes all styles of script—regular, running, cursive, clerical, and seal. Among them, the calligraphy of renowned artists such as Xu Wei, Dong Qichang, Ni Yuanlu, Tang Yin, Zhu Yunming, and Liu Yong is especially treasured. The steles were once displayed in a corridor at Cao’e Temple and were moved here after the museum was established. In 2004, the Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Press commissioned Hong Kong Baitong Publishing House to compile and publish "The Collected Rubbings of Tianxianglou."

Shangyu City Products Exhibition

This exhibition is divided into two major sections: industrial high-tech products and high-efficiency agricultural products. The industrial high-tech products section includes five segments: Information Port; Mechatronics; New Materials; Lighting, Electronics, and Telecommunications; and Fine Chemicals. It selects 12 leading enterprises and showcases over 50 high-tech products from among the many companies in our city. The high-efficiency agriculture section is divided into four parts: premium aquatic products, special poultry, famous tea and flowers, and quality fruits and vegetables. It introduces the breeding of aquatic products such as Cao’e River crabs, Fenghui green shrimp, Zhangzhen bighead catfish, and whiteleg shrimp, as well as the cultivation, growth, and production of local specialties like Longpu Xianhao tea, Changtang bamboo shoots, Lingnan chestnuts, grapes from Gaibei and Longpu, and Yitang Erdou yangmei (waxberry), along with information on Shangyu flower bases and efficient agriculture. The exhibition helps visitors gain a better understanding of Shangyu and fosters a love for their hometown.

No. 228, Renmin Middle Road, Shangyu City, Zhejiang Province

Transportation: Take Bus No. 18 to Sanjiang Supermarket

Opening Hours: 8:00–11:30, 14:30–17:30

Further Reading:

· National Second-Class Museum of China