China Button Museum (Xue Residence)

China Button Museum (Xue Residence)

The site of the Button Museum was originally the residence of a wealthy family: the Xue Residence. Built in 1927 during the Republic of China period, it sits along the street and close to a river, with two courtyards in depth. Compared to traditional architecture, the Xue Residence features a compact layout, simple structure, and bright halls, representing a transitional form from traditional Jiangnan vernacular dwellings to modern architecture.

China Button Museum in Xitang Ancient Town

China Button Museum in Xitang Ancient Town

The Button Museum has six exhibition halls. The downstairs area includes an ancient buttons exhibition zone, a shell button production process exhibition zone, and a Chinese knot display zone, showcasing a series of ancient Chinese hooks, China’s first-generation buttons, and a variety of Chinese knots, reflecting the development of Chinese buttons from nonexistence to existence, from complexity to simplicity, and from refinement to coarseness. The upstairs features a modern buttons exhibition zone, a contemporary buttons exhibition zone, and a buttons application area, demonstrating the leap in button development from the Song Dynasty to the Ming and Qing periods. It also displays many types of shells rarely seen in daily life. Most notably, the uniquely distinctive “coiled flower buttons” seen on cheongsams are demonstrated live by staff here, satisfying visitors’ curiosity.

China Button Museum in Xitang Ancient Town

The Xue Residence was built in 1926 (the 15th year of the Republic of China), located on the north side of the narrow West Street, covering a total area of about 350 square meters. It sits along the street and close to the river, and is a typical residential and commercial building in the town.

The architecture of the Xue Residence has three main characteristics. The first is shallowness. Viewed from above, there is only a small courtyard within the square-shaped layout, and the rest is all connected as one, with no separate sections. The distance from the street to the river is only about 30 meters.

The second is simplicity. There are no internal passageways; all entry and exit is through the main gate, with only two staircases when going upstairs. Additionally, the overall building has no ornate decorations in its details.

The third is brightness. Breaking from the traditional preference for darkness—believed to ward off evil and store wealth—all windows are fitted with glass. The glass windows are decorated with floral patterns, which are also quite pleasing to the eye.

The entire Xue Residence is of brick-and-wood structure, consisting of two sections front and back. The front section faces the street, with four bays in a straight line, three on the east and one on the west. The currently open eastern three bays serve as the main entrance, with display counters for tourist souvenirs and antiques on both sides.

The wall of the front section of the Xue Residence is about 6 meters deep, and the construction method and structure remain traditional. The roof has a gable and hip design but is much taller than that of ordinary residences. Among the residences built in Xitang during this period, it remains very prominent.

The rear section is the main hall, with a small courtyard between the front and rear sections. The courtyard is tiny, with narrow side rooms on either side that resemble corridors. These side rooms have long glass windows that offer views into the courtyard. Thanks to the glass, they are much brighter than traditional rooms.

The main hall also has three bays, with square bricks on the floor and a central pillar. The rear half is enclosed by a long door, leaving a half-bay beyond the threshold that leads to the river. On the right are the staircase room and kitchen, making the structure compact. The main hall connects with the side rooms on both sides, resembling the paws of a tiger.

Address: Within Xitang Ancient Town, Jiashan County, Jiaxing City

Type: Museum

Recommended visiting time: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0573-84567890

Ticket information:

No admission fee. Included in the 100-yuan Xitang scenic area ticket.

Transportation:

Walkable

Xitang Town: Xitang, formerly known as Xietang. Established as a market town in the Ming Dynasty, it was bordered by Yong’an and Qianshan townships and was initially called Xietang, later renamed Xitang. Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu stationed troops here and dug the Wuzitang canal to improve water conservancy, bringing water from Xushan directly into the area, hence it was also called Xutang. Xitang Town is located in the northern part of Jiashan County, at the junction of three provinces and municipalities — Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu — enjoying a superior geographical location, often referred to as the “corner of Wu and Yue.” It is 90 kilometers east of Shanghai, 110 kilometers west of Hangzhou, 85 kilometers north of Suzhou, and 9 kilometers south of Jiashan County seat. The central urban area's geographic coordinates are 120°53′ east longitude and 30°56′ north latitude. The town has... [Xitang Town detailed information++]