Shanghai Civil Affairs Museum

　　Shanghai Civil Affairs Museum is the first comprehensive museum in China dedicated to the civil affairs sector. It is located at No. 105 Puyu West Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai. With a total construction area of 1,200 square meters and an exhibition area of 800 square meters, the museum consists of six major sections: the Introductory Hall, Historical Culture, Business Special Topics, District and County Civil Affairs, Civil Affairs Role Models, and Civil Affairs Information. The exhibits employ various display methods including light boxes, sculptures, models, paintings, simulated scenes, and multimedia presentations.

　　The museum displays various subsidies such as marriage certificates, residence permits, and temporary residence permits from different eras including the Republican period, the early years of the People’s Republic, the Reform and Opening-Up period, and the modern era.

　　The exhibition celebrates the “ox-like dedication” spirit of civil affairs workers, honors individuals and groups from all sectors of Shanghai society who have shown care for and made significant contributions to the development of Shanghai’s civil affairs, and promotes the remarkable achievements made by Shanghai civil affairs over the past 60-plus years.

　　Among the more than 1,300 exhibits are a “Land Use Certificate” from the 32nd year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, a “Preferential Voucher” from the Eyuwan region in 1932, the first edition of China’s Marriage Law published on April 13, 1950, and the original “Appointment Notice” personally signed by Mayor Chen Yi in 1953. These rare and refreshing artifacts offer a unique glimpse into history.

　　Based on cultural relics, the Civil Affairs Museum highlights the theme of “people’s livelihood,” aiming to “help the general public understand, appreciate, and support civil affairs.” It is said that as early as the Tang Dynasty in China, there was a concept of “governing for the stability of the people.” The term “civil affairs” began to be used during the Song Dynasty. In 1949, the Civil Affairs Bureau of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government was established, later becoming the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

　　A marriage certificate from the 37th year of the Republican era, with a pink background and bright red borders, is prominently displayed. In addition to the names of the bride and groom, the names of the witness, matchmaker, and officiant are also listed, each followed by their personal seal. In the upper left corner of the certificate, two revenue stamps with official seals are affixed. Next to this certificate is a “female version of the marriage contract” from the Republican period, which served as proof that the groom had presented betrothal gifts and that the engagement was formally agreed upon. Today, the main figures on a marriage certificate are just the couple themselves, while the “female version of the marriage contract” has become a relic of the past.

　　The evolution of marriage certificates clearly reflects changes in China’s marriage system. As parental arrangements and matchmakers no longer dominate marriage, and as economically and personally independent men and women enter into marriage based on love, their “marriage certificates” have naturally become more “simple.” The marriage certificates in the museum vividly illustrate the journey of marriage customs from complexity to simplicity.