Luonan County Museum (Confucius Temple)

　　The Luonan County Museum is situated in the Confucius Temple complex at No. 37 Zhongfu Street, Chengguan, Luonan. It is a comprehensive history museum built upon the architectural complex of the Confucius Temple and is under the administration of the Luonan County Cultural Relics and Tourism Bureau.

　　Established in 1984, the Luonan County Museum was a new unit separated from the Luonan County Cultural Center. Its predecessor was the Cultural Relics Group of the Luonan County Cultural Center. In April 1984, the museum was founded based on the ancient architectural complex of the Confucius Temple. The total area of the museum site is 3,115 square meters. At its inception, the museum took over over a thousand cultural relics previously housed in the cultural center, initially forming its collection system. In addition, the museum conducted extensive surveys and focused collection efforts across the county, divided into eastern, western, and northern routes, gathering more than 2,000 cultural relics.

　　The museum’s collection spans a wide range of categories, including fossils, stone tools, bronzeware, ironware, pottery, ancient coins, ancient calligraphy and paintings, ancient books, revolutionary relics, and miscellaneous items. The current total number of cultural relics in the collection is 4,455. Among these are 124 fossils, 248 stone tools, 272 bronzeware pieces, 137 pieces of silverware, 443 pottery items, 1,836 ancient coins, 337 ancient calligraphy and paintings, 608 ancient book versions, 16 revolutionary relics, and 334 miscellaneous items. Key pieces in the collection include a Shang Dynasty Jue cup of Father Xin, a Song Dynasty black-glazed tea bowl, and a Qing Dynasty Shu embroidery congratulatory banner with ten panels.

　　As a major highlight of the museum's collection, the Paleolithic artifacts number over 400, featuring a comprehensive variety and abundant quantity. These include chopping tools, pointed tools, fishing net sinkers, stone balls, stone cores, scrapers, bone needles, and grinding tools. They comprehensively reflect the living conditions of prehistoric humans and serve as valuable physical materials for the study of prehistoric society.

　　The Confucius Temple where the Luonan Museum is located faces south and features a symmetrical longitudinal-axis layout. Along the main north-south axis, the key structures from south to north include the screen wall, Lingxing Gate, Pan Pond, spirit path, terrace, Dacheng Hall, and east and west wing rooms. The entire complex is divided into front and rear courtyards by the Jimen (Rank Gate).

　　Since 1993, the museum has hosted various exhibitions such as the “Luonan County Excavated Cultural Relics Exhibition,” the “Museum Collection of Fine Calligraphy and Paintings Exhibition,” and the “Mao Zedong Badge Exhibition,” which were also exhibited in townships across the region. At the turn of the century, the “20th Century Luonan Calligraphy and Painting Masters’ Works Collection Exhibition” gathered 87 works by renowned 20th-century Luonan artists. With its unique design, innovative concept, and rich exhibits, this exhibition became a signature showcase of the museum.

　　In terms of archaeological excavations and research, the Luonan County Museum has collaborated with the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology (Academy), the Shangluo Regional Cultural Relics Management Committee, as well as several museums from Canada and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Through nine years of continuous surveys and excavations at Paleolithic sites, a total of 268 open-air site locations were identified on terraces of varying elevations along both sides of the South Luo River and its tributaries in the Luonan Basin. A total of 13,579 stone artifacts were collected. Additionally, through three consecutive years of systematic excavation at the Longyadong Site in Huashilang, Luonan from 1995 to 1997, over 20 types of mammal, bird, and aquatic animal fossils were discovered, as well as a wealth of human cultural remains and artifacts, including human activity surfaces, ash layers, burnt stones, burnt bones, and more than 77,000 stone artifacts. Moreover, the museum co-authored the book Research on Open-Air Type Paleolithic Sites in the Luonan Basin with the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology (Academy) and the Shangluo Regional Cultural Relics Management Committee.

　　Location: Within the Confucius Temple, Zhongfu Street, Luonan County, Shangluo City, Shaanxi Province.

　　Transportation: Within Luonan County, you can walk or take a taxi to reach Zhongfu Street.