Live Your Best Lives
The word "Jing" first appeared in oracle bone inscriptions during the Shang Dynasty. The ancient character resembled a tall building and originally meant a man-made hill. Later, "Jing" came to refer specifically to a national capital. Today, there are only two cities in China with names ending in "Jing," one in the south and one in the north: Beijing and Nanjing, the "capital of ten dynasties" and the "ancient capital of six dynasties."
With a history spanning over 7,000 years, nearly 2,600 years of city construction, and nearly 500 years of history as a capital, Nanjing has long been a city that values culture and education. As a beautiful Jiangnan region and the imperial capital of Jinling, its captivating cultural heritage is vividly showcased at the Nanjing Museum.
As one of the three major museums in China, the Nanjing Museum carries not only the history of Nanjing, but also the history of the entire Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and the history of China.
Located at 321 Zhongshan East Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, the Nanjing Museum, also known as the Nanjing Museum (Nanyuan or NMB), is one of China's three major museums. Its predecessor was the National Central Museum, founded in 1933 by Cai Yuanpei and others. It is China's earliest museum and the first large-scale, comprehensive museum funded by the state. It is now a national first-class museum and one of the first national-level museums jointly established by the central and local governments.
The Nanjing Museum has a "one institute and six museums" structure, namely the History Museum, Special Exhibition Museum, Digital Museum, Art Museum, Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, and the Republic of China Museum.
The institute also has six research departments, namely the Institute of Archaeology, the Institute of Cultural Relics Protection, the Institute of Ancient Architecture, the Institute of Exhibition Art, the Institute of Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Research, and the Institute of Ancient Art. It also has the only ethnic and folklore research institution in a Chinese museum.
▲A corner of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum
As of 2010, the Nanjing Museum has more than 420,000 pieces (sets) of collections of various types, ranking among the top three in China in terms of the number of collections. It has all kinds of cultural relics, including bronze, jade, ceramics, gold and silver utensils, bamboo, wood, ivory and horn, lacquerware, silk and embroidery, calligraphy and painting, seals, steles and statues, and each variety forms its own historical series.
▲The decoration on the top of the old main hall of the History Museum
In 1933, the Preparatory Office of the National Central Museum, initiated by Cai Yuanpei, a modern Chinese democratic revolutionary, educator, and then-President of the National Academia Sinica, was completed. Cai served as Chairman of the first Board of Directors. Originally, the plan included three major pavilions: Humanities, Crafts, and Nature. However, due to current circumstances, only the Humanities Pavilion was built, which became the Nanjing Museum's main hall. This building, modeled after a Liao Dynasty palace, was designed by renowned Republican architect Xu Jingzhi and modified by renowned architect Liang Sicheng.
At that time, through acquisition, transfer and excavation, about 200,000 to 300,000 first-class treasures in the country were collected, including paintings such as "Portraits of Emperors and Empresses of All Dynasties" and "The Journey of Emperor Minghuang of Tang to Shu"; and bronzes such as the Maogong Ding and Houmuwu Ding.
1936: Construction of the first phase of the National Central Museum begins. A groundbreaking ceremony is held on November 12 of the same year.
[1937] After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the Preparatory Office of the Central Museum of China, along with its cultural relics, relocated from Nanjing at the end of 1937. The artifacts were transferred in three groups to various locations in the southwest. After several transfers, they were finally stationed in Lizhuang, Yibin, at the end of 1940. Together with other renowned research and educational institutions in the area, including the Institute of History and Philology of the Academia Sinica, Tongji University, the Architectural Society of China, Jinling Women's University, and the Institute of Liberal Arts of Peking University, Lizhuang became known as the "Cultural Center of the Anti-Japanese War." From May 1946 to March 1947, all the cultural relics were transported back to Nanjing.
[1936] The National Central Museum was completed. In the same year, the Preparatory Office of the Central Museum and the Palace Museum held a joint exhibition in the newly completed museum exhibition room, displaying bronzes from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, cultural relics from the Han Dynasty, ethnic cultural relics, and portraits of emperors and empresses from past dynasties. Chiang Kai-shek, Yu Youren and other dignitaries and celebrities attended and visited the exhibition, and the streets were crowded with visitors.
[1949] After the founding of New China, the Nanjing Museum entered a new historical stage. It was still called the "National Central Museum" and was directly led by the Ministry of Culture of the Central Government.
[1950] The Ministry of Culture of the East China Military and Political Committee issued an order to rename the former Central Museum as the "Nanjing Museum".
[1993] On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of Nanjing Museum, the foundation stone of the Nanjing Museum expansion project was laid.
In 2013, after four years of reconstruction, the Nanjing Museum reopened. This renovation and expansion adhered to the principle of "integrating old and new, above and below ground." Using suspended jacking technology, the old main hall was raised three meters. This preserved the skyline with Purple Mountain as its backdrop, while the main hall served as the main building for the History Museum, creating a "one museum, six museums" layout. The architectural layout embodies the concept of "gold inlaid with jade, treasures hidden within."
Monday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (last admission at 11:00 AM)
Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (last admission at 4:00 PM)
Open all day on Mondays and national holidays
Closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day every year
【Visit method】
☆ The National Museum of China implements a reservation system for visitors, with a daily maximum of 25,000 reservations. Tickets are sold in the morning and afternoon.
Tickets purchased in the morning must be entered before 13:00 on the same day.
Tickets purchased in the afternoon must be received before 16:00 on the same day.
Expired tickets will be invalidated on the spot and new reservations will be required. Failure to do so will result in ineligibility for entry. We recommend that you reserve online, with reservations scheduled in the order of time and availability. If online reservations are fully booked, there will be no more available on-site.
【How to make an appointment】
1. Nanjing Museum WeChat Mini Program: In the WeChat search box, enter "Nanjing Museum". After following, click on the event booking button in the lower right corner. Click on the first event to make a reservation.
3. On-site appointment:
● Mainland tourists who do not carry their ID cards can go to the self-service reservation machines at the NMB Visitor Center, Art Museum, and History Museum, complete the reservation procedures by filling in their ID card number (if the reservation is not fully booked), and then scan the QR code printed by the reservation machine at the entrance gate to enter.
● Visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, please go to the reservation machine at the NMB Visitor Center, Art Museum and History Museum to complete the reservation procedure by filling in your valid ID number, and then scan the QR code printed by the reservation machine at the entrance gate to enter.
● Foreign tourists, please bring your passport and go to the manual ticket collection counter at the Service Center or History Museum to complete the registration procedures by filling in your passport information, and then enter with the manually issued ticket.
● For other matters, please contact the information desk of each library by calling: +86-025-84807923.
Tips:
● Visitors who do not bring their ID and have reserved tickets for onboard pickup will need to swipe their paper tickets to pass through the gate (the queues may be long). We recommend that you bring your ID, reserve tickets on the mini-app, and swipe your ID to enter.
● In principle, we will first ensure that visitors who have made online reservations are allowed to enter the venue. Secondly, based on the flow of people in the venue, we will limit the number of visitors who have made on-site reservations to enter.
【Entry Information】
1. Please do not smoke, make noise, or run around in the museum.
2. Please do not touch the exhibits
3. Please do not use flash, tripod or other professional equipment when taking photos in the exhibition hall
4. Please do not bring any controlled knives, lighters, dangerous goods or pets into the venue
5. Please park your vehicles in an orderly manner in the designated areas of the parking lot
Tips:
Many cultural relics in the Nanjing Museum are on display directly. Do not run around in the venue to avoid bumping into the cultural relics. The Nanjing Museum is very domineering, and many exhibits do not have protective covers, such as the famous brick painting of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. You can take pictures in the Nanjing Museum, but please turn off the flash.
Finally, friends often ask: "Are the cultural relics on display authentic? If you don't believe it, we will show you the authentic ones!" In fact, as long as there is no mark that the items in the museum are replicas, they are all authentic originals.
【Seasonal Special Exhibition】
Afghanistan: A Crossroads of Ancient Civilizations
Exhibition Dates: July 9, 2019 - October 9, 2019
Exhibition Location: Hall 11, 3rd Floor, Special Exhibition Hall, Nanjing Museum
【Transportation Recommendation】
● If you want to go to Xinjiekou, you can take bus No. 5.
● If you want to go to the railway station, you can take bus No. 36 or No. 59.
● Take Metro Line 2 to Ming Palace Station, and walk 300 meters east from Exit 1. (Highly recommended!)
【Nanbo Service】
● NMBS has free Wi-Fi, which is open and has no password. When there are many people, the speed may be average.
● Rest facilities: There are benches at the entrance of the exhibition halls of the National Museum of China for people to sit down and rest. There is also a long table at the junction of the History Museum and the Special Exhibition Hall. There is a rooftop lawn and a cafe on the top floor of the Special Exhibition Hall for people to rest and eat. The scenery is very good and you can see Purple Mountain. The rest area in the center of the History Museum is a traditional Chinese character "Su", which means a land of fish and rice.
● Restrooms and drinking fountains are available on every floor of the History Hall and Special Exhibition Hall.
● Wheelchairs, strollers, umbrellas, etc. are available free of charge at the History Museum, Special Exhibition Hall, and Visitor Center Information Desk. You can borrow them by depositing your ID or other valid identification (limited availability, first come, first served).
● Luggage storage and emergency first aid kits are available at the Visitor Center and Special Exhibition Information Desk
● For other matters, you can ask the staff at the information desk or the volunteers in the museum.
Tips:
As for dining, there are plenty of places to eat at the Nanjing Museum, such as the rooftop of the Special Exhibition Hall. Since open flames are prohibited inside the museum, the food is simple, with noodles and glutinous rice cakes from the Republican Period Hall, among other Nanjing specialties. Interested guests can also dine across from the Nanjing Museum, where they can find snacks like chicken soup dumplings and pony beef noodles. For those who are not afraid of a long journey, you can even go inside and eat at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics cafeteria, which is truly excellent and affordable.
【Guide service and guide rental】
1. Explanation service
● Free tours: 10:00/14:00 (one each at the History Museum and the Special Exhibition Hall)
● Audiences who need free tours should go to the information desk of the venue with valid ID ten minutes in advance to complete the relevant procedures. Each session is limited to 30 people
2. Tour guide rental
● Provide automatic induction audio guide (Chinese/English) and smart guide (Chinese)
● Audio guide: 20 yuan/unit
● Children's guide: 20 yuan/unit
● Smart guide: 20 yuan/unit
● Register and pay rent with valid ID.
● After use, it should be returned to the rental point before 16:00 on the same day and the certificate should be retrieved.
Tips:
If you don't want to rent a guide, you can also follow the Nanjing Museum's mini-program app and enter the artifact's number to listen to detailed information about the artifact. The content is exactly the same as the guide, but this number only listens to the artifacts in the History Hall. The artifacts in the Special Exhibition Hall and Art Museum are not included. The children's guide also has special explanations, which are different. As shown below!
For first-time visitors to the National Museum of China, we recommend the following itinerary: History Hall → Special Exhibition Hall → Digital Hall → Republican Period Hall → Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall → Art Hall. A typical visit lasts 4-6 hours. If you prefer to take your time, you won't be able to see everything in one day.
Tips:
There are currently two entrances to the Nanjing Museum, one is the Art Gallery on the left side of the entrance, and the other is the History Gallery at the main entrance. For visitors who are visiting the Nanjing Museum for the first time, I recommend entering from the History Gallery first, and then going straight to the Special Exhibition Gallery.
Because the Nanjing Museum is really large, and the most important and most exquisite cultural relics and national treasures are collected in the History Hall and the Special Exhibition Hall, it is best to leave this time when you have the most energy to the two most important exhibition halls.
In 2007, after expert selection and citizen voting, a total of 18 "treasures of the Nanjing Museum" were selected. In 2017, the National Treasure program was broadcast, in which the Nanjing Museum selected three national treasures, two of which were treasures of the Nanjing Museum.
Since the 18 "Treasures of Zhenyuan" are scattered throughout the museum, some are too precious to be included in the collection and not on public display, while others are on loan. Currently, 9 of the 18 "Treasures of Zhenyuan" can be seen (updated in July 2019)
Protective Treasure - Golden Beast of the Western Han Dynasty
(Special Exhibition Hall 3F, "Summer Animal Connection" Special Exhibition)
Treasure of the Imperial Kiln - Underglaze Red Plum Vase with Three Friends of Winter Design
(Special Exhibition Hall 2F, "Treasures of the Academy" Exhibition Hall)
Treasures from Heaven - Openwork Jade Ornaments of Humans, Birds and Animals
(History Museum 2F, Hall 2: Prehistoric Charm)
A ritual treasure: a jade cong with a combination of human and animal faces
(History Museum 2F, Hall 2: Prehistoric Charm)
The Treasure of Power and Trust - the Golden Seal of Prince Guangling
(History Museum 2F, Hall 3: Hometown of the Han Family)
Protective Treasure - Silver Jade Clothes
(History Museum 2F, Hall 3: Hometown of the Han Family)
Treasure of Paintings - Brick Paintings of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
(History Museum 1F, Hall 4: The Rise and Fall of the Six Dynasties)
Mysterious Treasure - Celadon Divine Beast Statue
(History Museum 1F, Hall 4: Jiangdong Fengliu)
Treasure of Cihang - Golden Standing Statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva
(Special Exhibition Hall 3F, Hall 10: Entering the Buddha's Presence)
The treasure of the noble lady - Golden Cicada Jade Leaf
(Exhibited irregularly)
The Treasure of Hongjue - Gilded Lama Pagoda
(Exhibited irregularly)
Xu Wei's "Various Flowers Scroll" - A Treasure of Ink Painting
(Exhibited irregularly)
Treasure of Light - Silver-Inlaid Copper Ox Lamp
(Exhibited irregularly)
Treasure of Longevity and Blessings: Blue and White Porcelain Stove with Shoushan and Fuhai Designs
(Exhibited irregularly)
The Treasure of Maps - Matteo Ricci's "Complete Map of the World"
(Exhibited irregularly)
Treasure of the Study: Gilded Bronze Inkstone Box with Animal Shapes
(Exhibited irregularly)
A treasure of embroidery: Shen Shou's embroidery "Portrait of Jesus"
(Exhibited irregularly)
A treasure of nature - a bronze kettle inlaid with gold and silver
(Exhibited irregularly)
As you enter the main gate of the Nanjing Museum, you'll be greeted by a replica of a Liao Dynasty building, which serves as the museum's main entrance. Liao-style architecture, which emerged in northern China between the 10th and 12th centuries, inherited Tang Dynasty traditions while also incorporating new elements.
The main features are its simple and majestic shape, the gently sloping roof, and the gradually increasing height of the columns from the center to the sides, which makes the eaves rise gently and reduces the sense of heaviness of the large roof. In particular, the simple yet strong and powerful brackets under the roof mainly play a structural role.
▲Main gate of Nanjing Museum History Hall
In the early 20th century, China's early modern designers, influenced by the retro trends in Europe and the United States, advocated the Tang and Liao architectural styles.
Fengguo Temple in Yi County, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, is a prime example of Liao Dynasty wooden architecture in China. Built in the ninth year of the Liao Kaitai reign (1020 AD), the main remnant of the complex is the Main Hall, the oldest and largest surviving Buddhist temple in China. Its architectural form was influenced by Song Dynasty architectural techniques and standards, while also preserving Tang Dynasty cultural values. After extensive research and comparison, a design team led by Liang Sicheng and Liu Dunzhen ultimately decided to model the exterior of the museum on Fengguo Temple, achieving a simple, robust, and grand architectural style.
▲Interior decoration of the main hall of Nanjing Museum
▲Schematic diagram of the layers of the History Museum of Nanjing Museum
Since the foundation of Nanjing Museum was raised, we were on the 2nd floor as soon as we entered the gate, and the order of touring the History Museum was also from the 2nd floor to the 1st floor.
The History Museum showcases the diversity, richness, and originality of southern China's typical water village culture, as well as Jiangsu's ancient material and spiritual culture, from the Paleolithic Age hundreds of thousands of years ago to the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. As the main museum of the Nanjing Museum, the History Museum is recommended for a visit of 2-3 hours.
▲Ancient animal skeletons (Source: Nanjing Museum official website)
This openwork jade ornament depicting a human, bird, or animal is crafted from tremolite nephrite, a white jade with slight greenish spots. The main figure depicts a crouching figure with its hand raised in profile. The ornament was meticulously crafted using techniques including line engraving, round carving, openwork carving, drilling, and polishing. The unique composition of the ornament is impressive, with a height of 5.5 cm and a thickness of 0.5 cm.
On the head, recessed dots represent eyes, while curved edges outline the mouth and nose. A ridge carved with five parallel string patterns above the head represents a crown, while a towering arc above the crown symbolizes a tuft of feathers. To one side of the human face wearing the feather crown, a beast with its head above and tail below, its hind and forelimbs connected to the crown, represents another representation of the divine figure riding a beast found on the "Cong King" and "Yue King" carvings unearthed in Fanshan, Zhejiang. A bird, surmounted by a relief, features a small head, short neck, a slightly open flat beak, a large body, and a raised tail, creating a vivid image.
The overall design is a reminiscent of the commonly seen divine-human, beast, and bird motifs, representing the shaman's reliance on animal companions like beasts and birds to swiftly navigate the heavens, communicate with the gods, and perform rituals on earth and ancestors, warding off disasters and praying for blessings. This pattern is a first discovered in the early Liangzhu culture, suggesting that shamanic worship was already in existence 5,000 years ago.
Neolithic Liangzhu Culture (3300-2200 BC). Creamy white with bluish-gray patches. A short square prism, round inside and square outside. The round hole is drilled from both ends, leaving the hole smooth. Its corners are larger than 90 degrees, and it is divided into two sections, each carved with different patterns.
The upper section depicts a human face wearing a feather crown; the lower section symbolizes an animal face. The background is intricately patterned with rolling clouds. With its intricate composition and meticulous carving, it is a masterpiece among jade cong.
The lines of the divine, human, and animal-face patterns on the jade cong were carved and incised. The carved lines are 0.2 to 0.9 mm wide, while the engraved lines are 0.1 to 0.2 mm wide. These inscriptions were carved directly by hand by the jade craftsmen, who were able to create four or five fine lines within a single millimeter, demonstrating their mastery and exquisite technique. Under a magnifying glass, these hair-thin intaglio lines are often formed by connecting several incisions, a key indicator of Liangzhu culture jade artifacts.
▲Yingyuan (History Museum 2F, Hall 3: Hometown of the Han Family)
"Ying" is the name of the capital of the Chu State, and "yuan" is a unit of weight. This was a form of Chu state currency. It is also my country's earliest original gold coin, with a gold content exceeding 90%, and high-quality gold coins reaching 99%. To use, the gold plate or gold cake was cut into small pieces as needed, then weighed on a special equal-arm balance.
This Yingyuan collected by Nanjing Museum is the largest and most intact gold Yingyuan from the late Warring States Period. It has profound significance for the study of Chu culture and has very important historical and cultural value. It is a national first-class cultural relic.
This golden beast from the Western Han Dynasty was discovered by Wan Yiquan, a farmer from Mahudian Village, Xuyi County, while digging a canal on the seventh day of the first lunar month in 1982. It is 10.2 cm tall, 16 cm long, 17.8 cm wide, weighs 9,100 grams, and has a gold content of 99%. It has a hollow belly and thick walls, and was cast. It is one of the national treasures of the Nanjing Museum and the heaviest gold artifact discovered by Chinese archaeologists.
The golden beast is crouched, its head resting on its front legs, its waist bent and body hunched, its head resting on its front knees, its ears pressed against its forehead. With a large head, long tail, and short, stout body, it resembles a tiger, perhaps even a leopard. Its ears are attached, its eyes glaring, its mouth open and teeth bared, its expression alert. It wears a three-wheeled collar around its neck and a button on its head. The markings on its body were hammered in after the beast was cast. They are of equal size, irregularly round, and exquisitely crafted.
This exhibit is a bronze ware from the Warring States Period, also known as the Chen Zhang Round Pot. It is now a national first-class cultural relic and is prohibited from being exhibited abroad.
The bronze kettle bears three inscriptions, located within the mouth, on the inner side of the foot ring, and on the outer edge of the foot ring. This vessel, crafted with exceptional craftsmanship, boasts a graceful and natural shape, and a delicate and exquisite mesh. Cast using the lost-wax method, it provides valuable information for the study of ancient Chinese bronze casting techniques.
The inscription, which reflects the historical fact that Qi attacked Yan in 315 BC, confirms and supplements historical records. It is the only extant bronze vessel that embodies the culmination of pre-Qin metalworking, reflects a significant historical event, and demonstrates the highest level of clay-mold casting technology.
▲Golden beasts, gold cakes, gold horseshoes, and Chen Zhang round pots
The above three national treasures were unearthed simultaneously in Nanyaozhuang, Mahu Brigade, Mudian Commune, Xuyi County (now Nanyaozhuang, Mahu Village, Mudian Township). This discovery is called the Nanyaozhuang cellar.
Among the 18 national treasures in the Nanjing Museum's collection, the Eastern Han Dynasty gold seal "Prince Guangling Seal" stands out as a particularly unique piece. Made of high-purity gold, it is exquisitely crafted. The four characters "Prince Guangling Seal" are engraved in seal script on a surface measuring only 2.3 centimeters square. A cuddly little turtle, 2 centimeters tall, rests on the seal pad, its body engraved with hexagonal tortoise shell patterns and circular fish roe patterns. The Seal is not only the only seal discovered to date of a Han Dynasty prince surnamed Liu, but also solves a nearly 200-year-old mystery in Japan concerning the authenticity of the "King of Wa" gold seal.
The jade suit with silver threads is a type of ancient jade suit. The jade suit is also called jade box. It is the clothes worn by ancient emperors and nobles after their death. It is divided into several types with gold threads, silver threads, copper threads, and silk threads. Two basically complete jade suits with silver threads have been discovered in China, both of which were unearthed from Han Dynasty tombs in Xuzhou.
The first jade suit with silver threads was unearthed in 1969 from the No. 1 Han Tomb in Tushan, Xuzhou. The tomb was the tomb of the descendants of Liu Gong, King of Pengcheng in the Eastern Han Dynasty. The jade suit is 1.70 meters long, with more than 2,600 jade pieces and about 800 grams of silver threads. Its shape is similar to the jade suit with gold threads. It is now in the collection of the Nanjing Museum.
Another jade suit with silver threads found in the tomb of Liu He of Huoshan during the Western Han Dynasty was undisturbed. Except for the decayed silver threads, the structures of the jade suit's various parts are clear. It is the earliest jade suit with silver threads discovered by scientific excavation.
It was unearthed from the Eastern Han Tomb No. 2 in Ganquan, Hanjiang County, Jiangsu Province in 1980 and is now in the collection of the Nanjing Museum.
The bronze ox lamp consists of a base, a lampshade, and a pipe. The base depicts a standing ox with its head bowed and horns raised. The ox's belly is hollow, carrying a circular lamp tray on its back. A flat handle on one side facilitates its rotation. The tray is adorned with two rotatable lampshades, one of which is engraved with a hollowed-out diamond-shaped grid pattern, providing heat dissipation, wind protection, and dimming.
The lampshade is tightly attached to the dome-shaped cover, and the evenly curved smoke pipe on the top of the cover is tightly connected to the short tube protruding above the bull's head. When the lamp is lit, the smoke generated is guided through the smoke pipe into the clean water in the belly of the lamp holder, where it is dissolved, thus ensuring fresh air in the room.
This lamp is not only exquisitely designed, but also features a masterful use of the colors of copper and silver, creating a perfect color combination. The copper ox lamp is smooth and exquisitely crafted, featuring flowing cloud, triangle, and spiral patterns as the base, and is adorned with dragons, phoenixes, tigers, deer, and various mythical beasts, creating a flowing, elegant and graceful look.
Unearthed in 1970 from a Han Dynasty tomb at Tushan, Xuzhou, the tomb occupies the Prince of Pengcheng during the Eastern Han Dynasty. The bronze inkstone in a box measures 25 cm long, 14.8 cm wide, and 10.2 cm tall. Gilded throughout, it is inlaid with red coral, lapis lazuli, and turquoise. The lid and body of the box are joined by a slit, forming a seamless, crouching mythical beast. Its head resembles a dragon, its triangular eyes staring wide open, its eyebrows raised, and its horns adorned. It lies prostrate, its jaw extended forward, ingeniously forming a reservoir for ink.
The slightly bulging belly holds a flat, smooth, rectangular inkstone from Lintao, Gansu Province, nestled within it. A rounded grinding stone rests atop it. The tail curls beneath the belly, the back bulges, and the wings protrude. A bridge button sits in the center of the back, allowing for a string to be tied for easy lifting.
▲ Celadon Sheep (History Museum 1F, Hall 4: Jiangdong Fengliu)
The raw materials for the body of this celadon sheep are quartz, feldspar and kaolin, with kaolin being the main component. The silica content is more than 77%, which is very suitable for firing under reducing flame conditions.
The green glaze used for this celadon sheep is a glaze containing limestone, and its main component is calcium dioxide. Since early celadons were all lime glazes, the green glaze fired under such conditions is uniform and flawless.
One of the three cultural relics in Nanjing Museum that are prohibited from being exhibited abroad, it is a national treasure. It was unearthed from the Zhou Chu family tomb in Yixing in 1976. It is a Western Jin Dynasty celadon beast statue and a Western Jin Dynasty ceramic.
The shape of the mythical beast vase is slightly pear-shaped, with three horizontal ties on each side of the shoulders and abdomen, larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. The pieces are arranged in a Chinese character pattern, and the flat base is slightly concave. This celadon mythical beast vase is large in size, with a striking demeanor and richly engraved patterns throughout. Its unique form, typical of Western Jin porcelain, makes it extremely valuable.
One of the three national treasures selected by the Nanjing Museum in the phenomenal "museum variety show" "National Treasure" is "The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove and Rong Qiqi's Brick Painting".
This is the earliest figure painting from the Wei and Jin dynasties discovered so far, and also the earliest existing group portrait of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. In 2002, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage announced the first batch of first-class cultural relics prohibited from leaving the country, and this group of stamped and inlaid portrait bricks was among them.
The brick painting of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, measuring 244 cm long and 88 cm wide, consists of over 300 bricks from an ancient tomb. Upon excavation, it was divided into two sections, one depicting Ji Kang, Ruan Ji, Shan Tao, and Wang Rong, and the other depicting Xiang Xiu, Liu Ling, Ruan Xian, and Rong Qiqi. The figures are separated by ginkgo trees, locust trees, pines, weeping willows, and broad-leaved bamboo. Each of the eight figures sits on the ground, each embodying a unique posture that best reflects their individuality. This brick painting fully captures the ideal of the free and noble character of the aristocratic intellectuals. The placement of Rong Qiqi alongside the Seven Sages in the painting not only serves to maintain symmetry in the composition but also serves as a role model for them.
This brick painting skillfully demonstrates the expressive power of lines. The figures are concise and vivid. Eight people are sitting on the ground, some playing the piano and singing, while others nodding their heads and listening. They have distinct personality traits and extremely high artistic value.
▲National Treasure logo
The national treasure hidden in the "National Treasure" logo is the blue and white porcelain furnace with Shoushan and Fuhai patterns from the Nanjing Museum.
Although there is no official kiln mark on the blue and white Shoushan Fuhai pattern furnace, it is not only an official kiln porcelain of the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty, but also an important artifact among official kiln porcelains. The furnace is 58 cm high and its shape imitates a bronze tripod.
Unlike typical blue-and-white porcelain with white ground and blue flowers, this incense burner features a blue-and-white ground with white glaze depicting ocean waves. The outer wall of the vessel is painted with surging waves, while the lower abdomen is also decorated with overlapping mountains, symbolizing longevity and prosperity. This incense burner combines humanistic connotations with superb porcelain craftsmanship, making it a masterpiece among the official kilns of the Ming Xuande period.
▲The archway of the glazed pagoda of Da Baoen Temple
Selected as one of the three national treasures in the collection of Nanjing Museum, this archway was restored using a spare set of structures from the Ming Dynasty Da Baoen Temple's glazed pagoda. The image on the door ticket is a Dharma decoration (six-handled objects) unique to Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. The top of the door holds a majestic Garuda, and statues of gods and mythical beasts such as the Dragon Girl, Capricorn Fish, Lion-Sheep Beast, and White Elephant King are symmetrically arranged on both sides.
According to historical records, three complete sets of stone were fired during the construction of the Da Baoen Temple pagoda. One set was used for construction, and two sets were buried underground for future maintenance. This archway is one of the two spare sets.
A lifelike, golden cicada stands atop a jade leaf, its legs raised sideways, wings slightly outstretched, beak slightly open, two wings on each side. The golden cicada contains 95% gold. The jade leaf, meticulously crafted from Xinjiang Hetian mutton-fat white jade, is crystal clear, lustrous, and delicate. The leaf is finely polished into a concave, curved shape, divided into eight petals. It has a single main vein, with four lateral veins on either side. The veins on the front of the leaf are carved into curved grooves, while those on the back are correspondingly ridged, giving the leaf a strikingly realistic appearance. The edges of the leaf are polished to a smooth, rounded shape.
The cicada was a common artistic motif in ancient China, often used as burial objects. Ancient Chinese believed that after death, humans could emerge from their cocoons and be reborn, just as the cicada did. The "Golden Cicada and Jade Leaf" weaving technique from the Ming Dynasty utilizes a unique conception, depicting a lifelike golden cicada perched leisurely on a flawless white jade leaf, creating a dazzling display of golden light and a captivating effect.
The entire scroll is 30 cm long and 1053.5 cm wide. In this more than ten-meter-long scroll, Xu Wei used vivid "glue and ink" to paint 13 kinds of flowers, vegetables and fruits, including peony, pomegranate, lotus, sycamore, chrysanthemum, pumpkin, lentil, crape myrtle, wisteria, banana, plum, orchid, bamboo, etc., starting with peony.
Xu Wei paints with unbridled, unrestrained energy, freely and freely. He paints the plump, lush peonies, dappled with dew, alluring and graceful. He depicts the lotus, pomegranate branches, chrysanthemum beans, plum blossoms, orchids, and bamboos with unrestrained, unfettered brushstrokes, slanting, swaying, swaying, leaning, and rising, all with a sense of effortless flow. His brushwork appears careless, yet the lines, ink, color, spirit, and sense of place are all masterful. His painting of wisteria is free and unrestrained, flowing freely, his brushwork whirling like a snake, dots and lines dancing in a dense, crisscross pattern, his lines swift and frenzied.
Selected as one of the three national treasures in the collection of Nanjing Museum, this map is the earliest extant world map in China and the first to show the Americas. It is also the earliest extant copy version in China. The authors are Li Zhizao, Shaoqing of the Imperial Household Department, and Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit missionary.
It was based on the Western world map of the time, but changed the prevailing pattern of placing Europe in the center of the map. Instead, it placed eastern Asia in the center of the world map, which set a precedent for China to draw world maps.
The "youngest" of the 18 national treasures in the Nanjing Museum, "Portrait of Jesus" is an embroidery from the Republic of China period, created by the national embroidery master Shen Shou.
This exhibit is based on the late Renaissance Italian painter Città's oil painting of Jesus. It creatively uses new needlework techniques such as virtual and real stitches and spiral stitches. Based on the needs of the character's skin texture and the changes in light and dark levels of the oil painting, more than 100 different colors of silk threads are used to embroider the work, making it lifelike and vivid.
This national treasure is a gilded Lama pagoda from the Ming Dynasty. The front of the pagoda is engraved with two strong men, two lions playing with a ball on the right, two deer fighting with horns on the left, and a cloud dragon on the back. The inscription on the lower side of the pagoda reads: "Forever donated by the Hongjue Zen Temple on Niu Shou Mountain in Jinling." The back reads: "Donated by Li Fushan, a Buddhist disciple and imperial eunuch."
The gilded Lamaist pagoda has four doors, housing statues of Sakyamuni and Skanda, adorned with a wheel of Dharma, thirteen deities, a canopy, and precious beads. Inside, a group of Buddha statues rest on a Sumeru pedestal, which contains pearls, gemstones, crystals, agates, jade, and ashes. Animal-horn Buddha statues, porcelain jars, and jade bottles have also been discovered around the pagoda.
Coming out of the History Museum, we can go straight to the Special Exhibition Hall. The Special Exhibition Hall has a total of 4 floors. Except for the top-floor cafe, the other three floors are the exhibition area of the Special Exhibition Hall. There are 10 exhibition halls in the Special Exhibition Hall for holding temporary exhibitions and special exhibitions, reflecting the exchange and integration between different cultures and arts.
Currently on display are "Golden Afghanistan", "Summer Animal Connection", "Glorious Times", "Decorations of the Qing Palace", "Precision and Splendor", etc.
▲Schematic diagram of the layers of the Special Exhibition Hall of Nanjing Museum
▲Top space of the special exhibition hall
This exhibition hall occasionally displays the Nanjing Museum's treasures. The current exhibition is: Treasure of the Imperial Kiln - Underglaze Red Plum Vase with Winter Three Friends Pattern
The Ming Dynasty Hongwu underglaze red plum vase with "Three Friends of Winter" pattern is a Ming Dynasty ceramic. It was unearthed from a Ming Dynasty tomb at Xianglongshan, Dongshanqiao, Jiangning District, Nanjing. It is now in the collection of the Nanjing Museum. It is a national treasure and the only existing Hongwu underglaze red plum vase with a lid that is intact.
This plum vase is a product of the official kiln. It is 41.7 cm high, with an elegant shape and intact form. The Three Friends of Winter refers to the evergreen plants of pine, bamboo and plum blossom, symbolizing noble aspirations and was a common subject in Yuan Dynasty literati paintings.
Perhaps due to the pursuit of symmetry, the Hongwu Dynasty of the Ming Dynasty added a banana tree to the Three Friends of Winter pattern. This practice continued throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties, and in the Qing Dynasty, the banana tree even became the main decorative element in the Three Friends of Winter pattern.
The exhibition showcases a selection of Dunhuang manuscripts from the Nanjing Museum's collection, as well as manuscripts, engraved scriptures, and Tibetan Buddhist scriptures formerly held by emperors and ministers in the Qing imperial collection. Dunhuang manuscripts are considered a treasure among ancient Chinese texts. Following the discovery of the Dunhuang manuscripts in the Library Caves in 1900, the long-hidden Dunhuang documents were subsequently dispersed. The Nanjing Museum now holds over 30 Dunhuang manuscripts.
This "treasure of the temple" is the "Golden Standing Statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva", which represents the highest level of court sculpture craftsmanship in the Qing Dynasty.
The cultural relic is 88 centimeters tall and is made of 41 kilograms of pure gold. It is also embellished with many pearls and gems. The Buddha's body and lotus seat are both gorgeously decorated and inlaid with pearls and gems. It is elegant and luxurious, showing the royal style. It should have been made by skilled craftsmen in the court during the heyday of the Qing Dynasty.
July 9, 2019 - October 9, 2019
On July 8, 2019, the exhibition "Golden Afghanistan: Crossroads of Ancient Civilizations" opened at the National Museum of China (Nanjing Museum of Art). Themed "Golden Afghanistan: Crossroads of Ancient Civilizations," the exhibition showcased 231 groups of 1,406 objects. These included gold crowns, gemstone pendants, bronze statues, ivory wall decorations, and glassware. These exhibits embody the characteristics of diverse civilizations from different eras, including Greek, Persian, Egyptian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations. The exhibition also highlighted Afghanistan's unique role and significance in the dissemination and integration of ancient civilizations across Eurasia.
Clocks and watches are a special and precious category within the Nanjing Museum's rich collection. They are both extremely practical items and noble works of art. The fifty Chinese and foreign mechanical clocks and watches on display are of great historical, technological, and artistic value.
The production period ranged from the 18th century to the early 20th century. Although their respective cultural backgrounds determined that they appeared in different shapes, they all had the common characteristics of luxurious decoration, exquisite workmanship and complex functions, representing the highest level of watchmaking at that time.
Gilded copper clock with enamel and a rotating duck and lotus flower (Special Exhibition Hall 4F, "Precision and Beauty")
This clock dates from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. The jar's belly is decorated with floral and butterfly patterns, and the upper and lower rims are circled with cloud and sea patterns, respectively. The dial is on the front of the belly, surrounded by red and green stone. Winding holes are located on both sides of the dial; the left one controls the timekeeping system, while the right one controls the musical instruments and the movement of the mechanism.
The surface of the jar, mirrored by glass, depicts a tranquil water surface, resembling a lotus pond. Ducks form a circle in the center, while graceful lotus flowers are scattered throughout. Several lotus flowers are arranged in a staggered pattern. Three of the lotus flowers can open and close, revealing the Queen Mother of the West, a boy holding a peach, and a white ape holding a peach. When activated, the petals open to the accompaniment of music, revealing the Queen Mother of the West, the boy, and the ape within. The Queen Mother sits motionless, while the boy and the white ape kneel in worship, presenting a peach.
During the reigns of Emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, official kiln porcelain was ubiquitous, from state sacrifices to imperial dining and refined playthings.
The porcelains of these three dynasties possessed distinct styles: the grandeur of Kangxi, the exquisiteness of Yongzheng, and the flamboyance of Qianlong. The exhibits in this exhibition, all authentic and well-preserved official kiln porcelain from the Imperial Collection, represent a significant embodiment of the styles of these three dynasties.
The predecessor of Nanjing Museum was the Preparatory Office of the National Central Museum, which houses a large collection of official kiln porcelain that has been passed down in an orderly manner. The official kiln wares from the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong periods of the Qing Dynasty exhibited here are only a part of them.
▲Qing Kangxi Blue and White Longevity Patterned Zun (Special Exhibition Hall 4F "Prosperity and Splendor")
This vase was a birthday gift from his ministers on Emperor Kangxi's 60th birthday. It has a thick body and is fully glazed. The entire body of the vase is painted with longevity patterns. The blue and white porcelain vase is more than one meter high. There are 48 longevity characters written on the mouth and the bottom of the vase. There are 70 lines and 130 rows of longevity characters on the body of the vase, totaling about 10,000 "longevity" characters, so it is called the Wanshou Vase.
After coming out of the Special Exhibition Hall, we walked a short distance back in the direction of the History Hall. Then there was an elevator leading directly to the Digital Hall. The Digital Hall and the Republic of China Hall are connected. There is only one road, so just follow it.
The normal visiting time of the Digital Museum and the Republican Museum is about 1 hour. If you are traveling with children, the Digital Museum also has some small games that you can interact with your children.
▲The first corridor of the Digital Museum. As you go up the corridor, you will see ancient murals on the walls.
The Digital Museum Elevator, titled "Time," uses flowing water, wind and sand, and the changing starry sky to embody the unique role of "time" in human civilization.
The Digital Pavilion comprises a physical exhibition hall and a virtual online pavilion. It interprets the development of Chinese civilization through the use of abstract concepts supplemented by historical facts, with an overall stylish and vibrant style. Breaking away from the traditional display method of primarily display cases and panels, it employs a staggered, overlapping spatial construction approach that is neither closed nor see-through. Integrating multiple digital technologies, it combines space, decoration, media hardware, and digital content to create a rich, three-dimensional display environment, guiding visitors along a streamlined path through changing scenes.
Progress and Growth: Reflecting the rapid development of Chinese civilization. Using historical stories to depict the joys and sorrows of life, such as "passionate youth," "because of love," "a gentleman's love of money," and "high-spiritedness."
The online virtual museum uses the internet and image recognition technology to recreate the space and content of the physical exhibition hall, serving as an extension of the physical exhibition hall. Using the internet as a platform, visitors can create their own exhibition content, which can then be selected and pushed to the physical exhibition hall.
The Republic of China Pavilion is located underground on the east side of the art museum. It houses the "Republic of China Style Exhibition". The exhibition hall is divided into areas that condense and display the city life of that time through imitation European-style architectural street scenes of the Republic of China. It is a microcosm of the old Nanjing urban culture.
While showcasing the architectural features, the entire exhibition hall dynamically restores the urban living conditions of the time. The sky, roads, street lights and ancillary facilities are simulated and reproduced using sound, light, electricity and other technologies. The overall style is retro and nostalgic, allowing the audience to transcend the barriers of time and space as if walking on the streets of the Republic of China.
▲The railway station in the Republic of China Pavilion simulates the Nanjing Pukou Railway Station, the filming location of "Romance in the Rain", and Zhu Ziqing's "Back View"
The Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum is the Jiangsu Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall. In addition to the basic introduction of Jiangsu intangible cultural heritage projects, it also displays lively folk activities, traditional handicrafts, and traditional oral performances.
The Master Workshop is a venue where the Nanjing Museum invites influential national intangible cultural heritage inheritors from around the world to showcase representative traditional arts and crafts from Jiangsu Province. Visitors can experience the charm of the national masters up close and personal, and participate in interactive activities with the inheritors and their apprentices.
▲Inside the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum: an antique teahouse with a wooden structure
The Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum hides an old teahouse in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties and an antique stage meticulously crafted by Suzhou's ancient architectural craftsmen. We sat down to rest our feet and enjoy a performance of rarely seen intangible cultural heritage operas, such as Nanjing Baiju, Shanxi Laoqiang, Zhejiang Wuju, Shanxi Jinju, and Shaanxi Qinqiang. The aroma of tea filled the Eight Immortals table, and the guests gathered around it. This is a way to not only preserve history, but also pass it on.
After coming out of the Digital Museum/Republic of China Museum, you can go directly to the Art Museum. There are many exhibition halls in the art museum, with a total of 8 exhibition halls. According to the classification of artworks, special exhibitions such as ancient paintings, ancient calligraphy, and ancient sculptures are set up. At the same time, there are special museums for celebrity art, including the traditional Chinese painting master Fu Baoshi, the fine brushwork master Chen Zhifo, the oil painting master Su Tianci, etc.
Most of the guests are a little tired after visiting here, so everyone can choose to visit according to their own interests.
However, the "Sculpture Exhibition of Various Dynasties" in the Art Museum's 1F 23rd Hall is my favorite. The artifacts inside are very exquisite, with a wide range of family and various categories. I highly recommend it.
▲Nanjing Museum·Art Gallery layer diagram
"At the beginning of art, sculpture is the first." Sculpture is one of the world's oldest and most important art forms. Sculpture has existed in China since primitive society. Over time, sculpture has developed and improved, reflecting the characteristics of each era.
The Nanjing Museum has a considerable collection of sculptures from various dynasties, including sculptures unearthed from the Yin Ruins in Henan, the Han Tombs in Pengshan in Sichuan, the Tang Dynasty ruins in Gansu and other sites, as well as collections passed down from generation to generation; some belong to the ancient Shang Dynasty, while others are palace artifacts from the Ming and Qing Dynasties; there are daily necessities as well as idols for religious worship; some are architectural components, while others are burial objects; there are both large-scale tomb stone carvings and exquisite and compact cultural relics, covering many aspects of ancient sculpture.
In 2000, the Nanjing Museum established the Wu Weishan Sculpture Gallery, showcasing his sculptures, which received widespread acclaim. In 2013, upon the completion and opening of the Nanjing Museum's second phase, Wu Weishan donated a further batch of new works to enrich the gallery's collection, allowing the public to experience his artistic charm more comprehensively and deeply.
From primitive pictographic writing to the oracle bone script and bronze inscriptions of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and from the seal and clerical scripts of the Qin and Han dynasties to the regular, running, and cursive scripts of the Han and Tang dynasties, Chinese calligraphy has always exuded a magical and alluring artistic aura. Within its rich and enduring tradition, the tools and materials used, the techniques employed, and the effects achieved have presented a rich and diverse artistic phenomenon. The materials employed range from paper and silk to metal, stone, and bamboo; the techniques employed range from writing to carving and casting; and the effects range from traditional to innovative to moderate, all converging into a dazzling and captivating artistic world.
The Nanjing Museum's Boai Hall is located on the basement floor to the north of the Art Museum. It is a museum exhibition hall set up specifically to serve the visually impaired. It features replicas of Nanjing Museum's collections as permanent exhibits, which can be flexibly changed according to theme activities.
Six exhibition stands of different heights in the central area form a Braille character - zero, which implies "beginning". Visual impairment does not completely mean loss, but rather strengthens other senses. This will be a beginning. "Zero" also expresses a digital binary symbol, indicating that this exhibition hall will use modern technology to provide services for the visually impaired.
Su Tianci (1922-2006), an outstanding Chinese oil painter and art educator in the 20th century, devoted his life to oil painting teaching, creation and research, and created imagistic oil paintings with Chinese cultural spirit and oriental artistic charm. His works mostly express his love for nature and mountains, and contain infinite spirituality and vitality.
His wife, Ms. Ling Huanru, and their children donated his representative oil paintings from various periods to the nation, which are now permanently preserved in the Nanjing Museum. The Nanjing Museum has specially established the "Su Tianci Oil Painting Gallery" to showcase his oil paintings, which are rich in oriental artistic conception and Chinese spirit, to the public.
Chen Zhifo is the most representative meticulous flower and bird painter in the history of modern Chinese painting. He worked diligently throughout his life, leaving behind hundreds of beautiful meticulous flower and bird masterpieces, and creating a new world for modern Chinese meticulous flower and bird painting creation.
Chen Zhifo's early meticulous bird-and-flower paintings inherited the aesthetics of Song and Yuan dynasty flower-and-bird paintings, yet embraced Western artistic concepts and incorporated pictorial techniques. His works often exude a refined, elegant, and vibrant classical quality within modern imagery. Whether large or small, his meticulous brushwork and meticulous detail create a truly moving and moving image.
Chen Zhifo, Falling Snow Welcoming Spring, 1961 (Chen Zhifo Flower and Bird Exhibition, 1F, Art Center)
The same is true for depicting snow scenes. Before the founding of New China, the picture used elegant and cool brushstrokes and colors to reveal the bleak and desolate beauty of the silent falling snow. In the new era, the snow scene is still depicted using the "snow-playing method". However, in terms of color matching, Chen Zhifo deliberately added bright colors such as red and green. The combination of the red hibiscus flowers, green bamboo and pine needles in the picture makes the whole painting exude a hint of warmth.
▲Chen Zhifo, Magpie and Magpie in Magnolia, 1955 (Chen Zhifo Flower and Bird Exhibition, 1F, Art Center)
This painting employs a full composition, with the subject filling nearly the entire canvas. However, the artist appropriately manages the relationships between reality and illusion, and between near and far, maintaining a harmonious and unified overall composition. The use of color is primarily based on light, elegant, and vibrant tones, striving to highlight a refined and elegant charm within the gentle, gentle brushwork.
Jiangsu has achieved remarkable success in painting throughout the ages, with a significant number of painters and schools nationwide. This is closely related to Jiangsu's beautiful natural scenery, developed commercial economy, profound cultural heritage, and important political status.
Jiangsu painting throughout the ages has combined inheritance with innovation, sharing commonalities while also displaying distinct characteristics. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, numerous well-known schools have emerged, including the Wumen School, the Songjiang School, the Jinling School, the Loudong School, the Yushan School, the Jingjiang School, the Yangzhou School, the Changzhou School, the Haishang School, and the New Jinling School. These schools, with their numerous members and distinctive artistic styles, offer a comprehensive perspective on the diverse state of painting since the Ming and Qing dynasties, vividly illustrating the trajectory of Chinese painting's development since then. This exhibition highlights ten representative schools, showcasing the grandeur of Jiangsu painting during this period.
Fu Baoshi (1904-1965) was one of China's most distinguished art theorists and painters of the 20th century. He championed the principle that "brush and ink should follow the times," ushering in a new era in Chinese painting. His artistic practice and achievements are milestones in the history of modern Chinese art.
Fu Baoshi possessed a wide range of artistic interests. As a young man, he excelled at seal carving, drawing on the traditions of the Qin and Han dynasties. He studied under various teachers, developing his own unique style while retaining the qualities of a master. After returning from his studies abroad, he devoted a long period of time to teaching and researching Chinese art history. His tireless pursuit of thought and writing resulted in over two million words of treatises, which he devoted to textual research on cultural relics, analyzing and resolving doubts, and profoundly expounding on the spirit of Chinese art.
▲Fu Baoshi·Moon sets, crows cry, frost fills the sky·1960
▲Fu Baoshi's "Wang Wei's Song of Weicheng"
The Nanjing Museum not only records and preserves Nanjing's history, but also showcases the essence of Chinese history as a whole. From the Paleolithic Age to the present day, it houses treasures from every dynasty, including national treasures that have garnered significant attention from academic circles both domestically and internationally. Each artifact, spanning millennia, is breathtaking. At the Nanjing Museum, we can experience the grandeur and depth of Chinese civilization and savor the stories behind it.
