Tonglu Museum

Tonglu Museum

Tonglu Museum is located at No. 646 Xuesheng Road, Chengnan Subdistrict, Tonglu County. It is a comprehensive county-level museum reflecting the history and culture of Tonglu. Established in October 2004, it offers free admission to the public. The museum covers a site area of over 1,000 square meters, with a building area of 2,600 square meters, and houses a collection of more than 2,000 cultural relics.

The current exhibition space of the museum spans 1,300 square meters and includes three permanent exhibitions and one temporary exhibition hall. The permanent exhibitions are themed “Dawn on the Tong River,” “Chronicles of the Tong River,” and “Stars of the Tong River.”

The “Dawn on the Tong River” section focuses on cultural relics unearthed from the Stone Age, systematically showcasing six prehistoric and paleolithic historical sites in the county, including the Yancun Cave, Fangjiazhou Site, and Xiaolongqing Site. These exhibits highlight the rich and splendid prehistoric civilization of Tonglu. The Fangjiazhou Site is located northwest of Fangjia Natural Village, Panlian Administrative Village, Yaolin Town, on Fangjiazhou by the southern bank of the Fenshui River. Dating back approximately five to six thousand years, it is the first excavated Neolithic jade and stone tool workshop discovered in the Yangtze River Basin. The Damatuo Site, situated on a small hill in front of Liuyan Village, Hengcun Town, is the first Neolithic cultural site found in the Fenshui River Basin within Tonglu. It has yielded important jade artifacts such as jade axes and jade bi discs, marking the first discovery of a high-status settlement site from the Liangzhu Culture period in western Zhejiang. The Wangtongshan-Menqianshan Site is located atop Wangtongshan Mountain in Motuoshang Natural Village, Moxian Administrative Village, Jiuxian Subdistrict, at an elevation of 30 meters. During the third cultural relics survey conducted by Tonglu County in 2008, Neolithic specimens were collected from the surface. The Shijiaqianshan Site lies on the northwest slope of Shijiaqianshan Mountain in Chenxiangling Natural Village, Houling Administrative Village, Hengcun Town, at an elevation of 191 meters. In 2009, experts from the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology conducted a follow-up investigation and discovered Neolithic relics such as stone arrowheads. The Xiaolongqing Site is situated on the Xiaolongqing ridge, a north-south oriented elevation in Chengnan Subdistrict, stretching about 1,000 meters. Multiple elite tombs from the Liangzhu Culture period have been excavated, containing funerary objects such as jade cong, jade bi, lacquered jade axes with wooden handles, and lacquered woodenware. Several row-linked buildings were also discovered, making it the highest-status settlement site from the Liangzhu Culture period found so far in western Zhejiang.

The “Chronicles of the Tong River” section primarily showcases the museum’s collection of cultural relics, using artifacts to illustrate history and systematically presenting the long and splendid civilization of Tonglu since the pre-Qin period. Through these precious historical relics, we can almost witness the dynastic changes from the pre-Qin era to the late Qing Dynasty. These ancient remnants are like an illustrated history book, narrating Tonglu’s cultural journey. Among the pre-Qin relics unearthed in Tonglu, pottery predominates, along with a small number of bronze ware and proto-porcelain. The Southern Dynasties celadon dragon-handle chicken-head ewer, with its simple yet vigorous form and rich charm, reflects the craftsmanship of celadon production during that period. Artifacts from the Tang and Song Dynasties are diverse and abundant, fully demonstrating the economic prosperity of Tonglu at the time. The discovery of a large Southern Song Dynasty tomb marked a significant breakthrough in the province’s Song and Yuan archaeological research. Relics from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties feature exquisite carvings and fine craftsmanship, showcasing the artisanal skills of the time. A large Qing Dynasty cannon discovered in Tonglu County revives the imagery of historical warfare and also bears witness to the development of military affairs during China’s Qing Dynasty.

The “Stars of the Tong River” section mainly displays notable historical figures from Tonglu and those associated with Tonglu throughout the ages. On this beautiful and spiritually rich land, many historical figures were either born here or formed deep connections. Heroes, scholars, virtuous officials, and eminent persons such as Shi Jianwu, Huang Gongwang, and Ye Qianyu have left their mark through their great achievements, moral integrity, or noble spirit, forging an immortal soul for the Fuchun River. Among them are both locally nurtured talents and heroes, as well as many outstanding individuals from other regions. The picturesque Fuchun landscape thus exudes the charm of recluses and the aura of nobility.

The museum currently holds an actual collection of more than 2,000 cultural relics, spanning various historical periods including the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties, Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. The categories of the collection include over ten types such as stoneware, pottery, porcelain, metalware, ivory and horn artifacts, calligraphy, and paintings.

The Southern Dynasties Yue Kiln celadon dragon-handle chicken-head ewer was unearthed in May 2004 in Gaohe Village, Tonglu Town. It stands 47.5 centimeters tall and is the tallest chicken-head ewer in the collection of museums in our province, classified as a national second-grade cultural relic. This ewer features a flared mouth, long neck, broad shoulders, a deep belly, and a flat base. The upper part of the belly is slightly bulging. It is coated with greenish-yellow glaze, which is lustrous though partially chipped. On one side of the shoulder is a chicken head, while the other side has a cylindrical dragon-shaped handle; the dragon’s mouth grips the flared mouth of the ewer, as if bowing down to sip water, rendered vividly and realistically. On the other two sides are bridge-shaped loops. The entire piece is simple and vigorous, full of charm. The Southern Dynasties Yue Kiln celadon dragon-handle chicken-head ewer is a typical vessel popular during the Two Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties periods. Due to the differences in eras, its stylistic features vary. Chicken-head ewers from the Western Jin period generally have thick and short bodies and necks, with small chicken heads lacking necks and a very small chicken tail on the opposite side. By the Eastern Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties periods, the body and neck became more slender and tall, the chicken head rose higher, the comb grew larger, and the tail evolved into a handle that rose above the mouth of the ewer.

The Song Dynasty twisted brown-glazed ceramic jar has a straight mouth, broad shoulders, a deep curved belly, and a ring foot. Its glaze is a mix of brown and white, does not extend to the base, and shows signs of glaze sagging. This artifact is produced in a northern kiln and is relatively rare.

The prehistoric human skull fossil from Yancun Cave was unearthed in May 2000 in Yancun, Fenshui Town, Tonglu County, dating back approximately ten thousand years. There are five pieces in total. Analysis of the five bone fragments sent for examination indicates that four of the skull fragments can be perfectly pieced together and likely belong to the same individual. The color and texture of the remaining fragment are very similar to those of the other four, suggesting it may also belong to the same individual. Judging from the state of cranial suture closure, the individual was likely around 30 years old at the time of death.

Over the ten years since its opening, Tonglu Museum has successively received honors such as National Third-Grade Museum, Tonglu County Patriotic Education Base, Hangzhou Patriotic Education Base, 2008 Hangzhou Museum Best Progress Award, Hangzhou Second Batch Youth Second Classroom Activity Base, and Tonglu County “People’s Satisfactory Grassroots Service Station (Service Window).”

Address

No. 646 Xuesheng Road, Chengnan Subdistrict, Tonglu County, Zhejiang Province

Transportation

Bus routes 7, 11, 12, and 21

Ticket Price

Free

Opening Hours

Tonglu Museum is open to the public free of charge year-round, closed on Mondays, and open from 9:00 to 17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday, with the last entry at 16:30.

Further Reading:

· China National Third-Grade Museum