Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum

Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum

The Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum is a thematic museum dedicated to showcasing the history and culture of Jiaxing zongzi. Located at Xiaozhu Langxia (No. 180 Zhongji Road) in the Yuehe Historic Block of downtown Jiaxing, it was invested and built by Jiaxing Zhenzhen Laolao Food Co., Ltd. It is currently the only museum in China themed around Jiaxing zongzi culture. With a construction area of 480 square meters, the preliminary preparatory work began on April 7, 2009. Aiming to explore and display the distinctive historical and cultural features of Jiaxing and to build a culturally rich city, the museum comprehensively presents the history, culture, and craftsmanship of zongzi through scientific exhibition methods. It promotes zongzi culture, revitalizes traditional industries, and serves as a unique attraction for culture, leisure, and tourism.

At the Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum, visitors can not only view historical materials and artifacts related to zongzi and learn about the origin and heritage of Jiaxing zongzi culture, but also experience the actual zongzi-making process firsthand. Additionally, the museum has set up a special exhibition area showcasing new zongzi production techniques where the public can participate. This allows more people to engage with traditional Jiaxing zongzi culture. It is encouraging that within its first year of opening, the museum has welcomed over 50,000 visitors, including government officials, institutional groups, school students, local citizens, and tourists from other regions. The Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum has become an extremely effective platform for promoting the “zongzi,” Jiaxing’s “golden calling card.”

After renovation, the reopened Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum has nearly doubled its original size. It is still divided into two sections: the Zongzi Culture Exhibition Area and the Experience Area. The Experience Area has been expanded to over 100 square meters, accommodating more visitors to experience the traditional craft of making zongzi. Now, you can purchase DIY zongzi-making ingredients in the Experience Area, enjoy explanatory videos on traditional zongzi craftsmanship, and receive hands-on guidance from skilled masters who will teach you how to make your own zongzi using authentic traditional techniques. For just over ten yuan, you can take home a mesh bag of freshly steamed zongzi. Citizens interested in traditional zongzi culture might want to try making their own Dragon Boat Festival zongzi at the Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum.

In the tasting area, visitors can enjoy the scenery of the Jiangnan water town from a small riverside building, sample Jiaxing zongzi and other authentic local specialties, while also appreciating performances of Jiangnan silk and bamboo music and experiencing tea culture.

The newly arranged exhibition hall of the Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum is divided into six major sections: Introduction, The Origins of Zongzi Culture, Wu-Yue Culture and Zongzi, An In-depth Look at Zongzi Culture, Stories of “Zongzi Inheritors,” and The Innovation Path of the Zhenzhen Laolao Brand Zongzi. It reorganizes the development of Jiaxing’s rice farming culture, rice food culture, and zongzi culture; presents more clearly the legendary histories of Jiaxing’s three major zongzi brands and two zongzi inheritors; and adds imaginative elements regarding the future development of Jiaxing’s zongzi industry and culture. Emphasis is placed on exploring three key aspects: the origins of zongzi culture, the stories of zongzi inheritors, and the development blueprint of “Zhenzhen Laolao – Jiaxing Zongzi.”

As this year's Shanghai World Expo and the Dragon Boat Festival Folk Culture Festival coincide, visitors from all over the country are flocking to Jiaxing. Through continuous improvement and refinement, the Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum will surely become a high-quality, high-level museum for promoting zongzi culture and showcasing Jiaxing’s folk traditions, as well as a beautiful highlight that attracts visitors from far and wide.

Location

No. 180 Zhongji Road, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province

Transportation

About a 3-minute walk straight down the main road from the entrance of Yuehe Ancient Street

Admission

Free on Dragon Boat Festival, 10 RMB on regular days (admission can be exchanged for zongzi or other products of equivalent value)