Jiaxing Museum

Jiaxing Museum

Located at the intersection of Jianyin Road and Hexing Road in the city center, it was established in December 1958 on the former sites of the Jiaxing City God Temple and the Fire God Temple. The museum has a total floor area of 3,000 square meters, including one cultural relics storage building and one exhibition building. The museum houses nearly 6,000 valuable collections, including calligraphy and paintings, stoneware, bone artifacts, ceramics, jade artifacts, and other relics.

The exhibition area includes displays such as Prehistoric Culture of Jiaxing—“Hé Yuán” (Source of Grain), Exhibition of Premium Cultural Relics—“Hé Zhēn” (Treasures of Grain), Gallery of Master Calligraphers and Painters, Gallery of Fan Art, and Temporary Exhibition Halls. It is equipped with advanced features such as sound, light, electricity, multimedia, and computer networks, making the museum a high-quality cultural venue for disseminating historical knowledge and promoting patriotism.

Since relocating to its new site, the museum has fully utilized its spatial advantages. Since its opening in October 2003, it has organized over 10 lecture series and training courses, more than 30 temporary exhibitions, and 1 large-scale expo. These include major events such as the “Prehistoric Animal Science Exhibition,” “Large-Scale Photo Exhibition Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Mao Zedong’s Birth,” “The Spirit of Jinggangshan,” “The People’s Son,” and “Large-Scale Photo Exhibition Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan.” The museum has welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors, achieving significant social impact.

The exhibition “Hé Yuán – Cultural Relics from Jiaxing’s Prehistoric Period” takes the discovery of the Majiabang Site as the origin of Jiaxing culture, systematically showcasing the developmental sequence of Majiabang, Songze, and Liangzhu cultures. The “Fertile Land and Bountiful Grain – Jiaxing Through Historical Periods” exhibition is divided into six sections, centered around the theme of “grain,” providing a detailed record of Jiaxing’s development from the Wu-Yue period through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties up to modern times. There are also permanent exhibitions such as “Exhibition of Premium Cultural Relics” and “Exhibition of Collection Calligraphy and Paintings.”

The “Jiaxing Historical Relics Exhibition” is the museum’s permanent display, reorganized and reopened on December 30, 1997. Symbolized by the large sculpture “Hé Yuán,” the exhibition is arranged chronologically. Within a 300-square-meter space, it concentrates on presenting Jiaxing’s 7,000-year civilization history from ancient times to the modern era, highlighting the splendid histories of Majiabang, Liangzhu, Wu-Yue cultures, and notable figures. Among the exhibits are more than 430 artifacts represented by a jade huang from the Majiabang culture and a pottery bottle with human head design from the Songze culture, along with over 100 photos focusing on Tang Dynasty statesman Lu Zhi and modern literary giant Mao Dun, collectively showcasing Jiaxing’s unique cultural heritage, scenic landmarks, and historical legacy.

Unearthed from the Dafen Site in Nanzi Village, Daqiao Township, Jiaxing, this artifact measures 38 cm in height and 1.6 cm in width. Its carved surface is square-shaped, topped with a perforated conical small column and ending in a sharp point. The upper half is engraved with six sets of simplified taotie patterns, each about 3.5–3.7 cm long, featuring symmetrical half-ovals for eyes and a small circle in the middle for the mouth. Below are dense string-like patterns serving as borders for each set. Each set can be viewed as an individual simplified taotie motif. The entire piece is pinkish-white, made of smooth and finely textured jade, with exquisite craftsmanship and intricate designs. Its length exceeds that of typical jade cone-shaped artifacts. This reflects the widespread use of jade during the Liangzhu period, especially given the fine, hair-thin lines and precise axial symmetry, demonstrating highly advanced craftsmanship. Its refined workmanship, beautiful designs, and large size make it a rare and precious artwork from the Neolithic Age.

Unearthed from the Dafen Site in Nanzi Village, Daqiao Township, suburbs of Jiaxing, this thin, flat artifact measures 14 cm in length, 8 cm in width, and 1 cm in thickness. It is slightly rectangular, with two small vertical holes near the back, measuring 1 cm and 1.2 cm in diameter respectively. Both holes are double-drilled, with visible beveled rim marks inside. The blade is straight, sharp, and wider than the body of the axe. The surface is finely polished and glossy, showing a crab-shell green color mixed with gray-white streaks. Among various jade artifacts, only one form truly symbolizes ritual significance and relates to ancient warfare and military use—the jade yue (axe). It evolved from stone axes. This jade yue is a rare masterpiece among Liangzhu culture artifacts, with confirmed stratigraphic context, making it of great research and appreciation value.

Unearthed from the Dafen Site in Nanzi Village, Daqiao Township, Jiaxing, this artifact is made of gray earthenware, standing 21 cm tall with a belly circumference of 28 cm. It is shaped like a gourd in three sections with a human head. The top features a small human face with sunken eyes, a raised bridge of the nose, upright ears, an open mouth as if speaking, a short braid tied at the back of the head, a long neck, thick torso, sloping shoulders, arched chest, and a bulging belly. The chest has an oval-shaped wide opening connected to the hollow interior of the vessel. The base has a small ring foot, slightly flared outward with sawtooth notches. The entire object has a peculiar, vivid, and rustic design. This pottery bottle may be associated with primitive religious rituals such as celebrating harvests, praying for rain, or summoning life—phenomena rarely seen in domestic Neolithic sites and thus of significant research value.

Opening Hours

Tuesday to Sunday, October 1 – April 30: 9:00–16:30; May 1 – September 30: 9:00–17:00 (last admission 30 minutes before closing);

Closed on Mondays (except national public holidays).

Reservation / Complaint Hotline

Visit reservation and inquiry phone: 0573-83677092

Transportation: Take bus routes 8, 28, 81, or 92 to the “City Museum” stop.

Location: No. 485, Haiyantang Road, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City

Further Reading:

· National Second-Class Museum of China