Museum of the Slave Society

Museum of the Slave Society

The Liangshan Yi Slave Society Museum, built in 1985, is one of China’s earliest ethnological-themed museums and the only specialized museum in the country focused on the study of slave society. The museum presents a comprehensive overview of the various social structures of the Yi people during the Liangshan slave society period—including politics, economy, military, religion, social customs, and laws—through a blend of basic permanent exhibitions and special thematic displays. It also houses a collection of 3,400 Yi cultural relics, including 90 national first-grade relics, 178 second-grade relics, and 335 third-grade relics. This makes it one of the most abundant and high-value regional museums in China in terms of Yi cultural artifacts. The museum has a staff of 30, including 16 Yi ethnic members, 7 Han Chinese members, and 2 from other ethnic groups. Since its establishment, staff members of all ethnicities have worked closely together, achieved strong results, and contributed positively. In 2012, the museum was designated as an Sichuan Provincial Ethnic Unity Education Base. It has since become a window for Liangshan’s cultural tourism, promoting ethnic culture and unity to the outside world.

Adhering to the principle of serving the public, the Liangshan Yi Slave Society Museum continuously develops new thematic exhibitions and acquires valuable cultural relics to enrich its displays. Following a strategy that combines permanent exhibitions with temporary thematic ones, exhibitions such as "Eagles Descend Upon Liangshan" have received widespread acclaim. The museum was once featured in a special report by CCTV’s "Exploration and Discovery" program and participated in a touring exhibition across Ganluo County and Hanyuan County on International Museum Day, May 18, 2013, generating significant social impact. The museum actively promotes “inviting in and going out” strategies, enhancing cultural exchanges, mutual learning, and fulfilling its role as an educational base to foster ethnic unity. In April 2013, the museum collaborated with the Baotou Museum in Inner Mongolia to present the exhibition “Ancient Charm of the Grasslands: Exhibition of Rock Paintings, Thangkas, and Cultural Relics from the Baotou Museum.” The exhibition mainly featured the Baotou Museum’s collection of rock paintings and thangkas, along with some unearthed artifacts. The rock paintings, rich in cultural content and rendered in simple and childlike artistic styles, depict various aspects of the social activities of ancient inhabitants in western Inner Mongolia from the Neolithic Age onward. The thangkas, created during the Qing Dynasty, are rich in religious significance and feature unique artistic styles, illustrating Buddhist deities, bodhisattvas, dakinis, wrathful deities, eminent monks, mandalas, and stupas. The unearthed relics date from the Neolithic Period to the Yuan Dynasty and include ornaments, roof tiles, bronze ware, iron coins, and pottery figurines. This exhibition introduced the charm of grassland culture to the people of Liangshan, offering audiences a glimpse into the culture of northern grassland ethnic groups. In June 2013, the museum co-hosted the “Exhibition of Historical Calligraphy and Paintings by Eminent Figures of Liangshan” with the Liangshan Prefecture Museum, Xichang Cultural Relics Office, and Huili Cultural Relics Office. The show featured 69 selected works of calligraphy and painting by historical figures from Liangshan, primarily from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with some from the Republican era, including pieces by renowned artists such as Zhang Daqian, Zhou Jingtang, Ma Dai, Huang Yunhu, and Guo Moruo. Many of these works were being shown to the public for the first time and are considered rare treasures. This exhibition played a positive role in raising awareness about cultural heritage protection and was well-received by the public for its educational and social impact. The museum also values cooperation with other cultural and educational institutions, having organized Yi cultural exchange programs with the Yi Language Department of Xichang University and the Sichuan Yi Language School. Students and faculty from these schools are invited to visit and learn at the museum, facilitating interactive cultural exchange, strengthening inter-ethnic communication, and promoting ethnic unity.

Address: No. 47, Ximenpo Street, Xichang City

Phone: 0834-3950099

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday (9:00–16:00); ticketing begins at 9:00, no lunch break, ticketing stops at 16:00. Visitors who have collected tickets may stay until the exhibition closes.

Transportation: Take bus routes 14, 22, or 106 within the city to Qionghai Hotel Station, then walk (or take the tourist shuttle at the Lushan Mountain Gate) to the museum.

Further Reading:

· China National Third-Class Museum