A 10-day adventure in South China's Guangdong province

Day 9

Guangzhou Museum

The Guangzhou Museum is located on the beautiful Yuexiu Hill and is housed in Zhenhai Tower. The tower was built by Zhu Liangzu, Marquis of Yongjia, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)as he expanded the city of Guangzhou in 1380. Since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the tower has been rated among the top eight scenic spots in Yangcheng (Guangzhou's nickname) and among the 10 most beautiful modern scenic spots.

One of the oldest museums in China, the Guangzhou Museum was established in 1928 as the tower was being renovated. It was opened to the public on Feb 11, 1929.

In addition to the Zhenhai Tower exhibition area, the Guangzhou Museum also administers three other venues, including the Art Gallery, the Memorial of the Anti-British Invasion of Sanyuanli People, and the Memorial of the March 29th Uprising Headquarters. The museum is a comprehensive historical museum with local characteristics, as well as an important site that keeps and displays local historical relics from Guangzhou.

The permanent exhibition "Guangzhou History" in the Zhenhai Tower features the 5,000-year history of the city of Guangzhou in terms of culture, custom, and urbanization with nearly 1,000 exhibits including pictures, documents and cultural relics.The Qing dynasty cannon for city defense and relics bearing precious historical information are displayed to the west of the exhibition gallery.

Incorporating both Chinese and western styles, the Art Gallery of Guangzhou Museum was built in 1929 and inaugurated the following year in memory of Deng Zhongyuan (1886-1922), a general of the 1911 Revolution. The building is now a municipal heritage site. Two permanent exhibitions,"Gems Left by Overseas Trade" and "History of the Earth and Evolution of Life", are displayed inside. A veranda of stone tablets was later completed in 1987 surrounding the gallery. Inside the zigzag and quiet veranda are displayed a total of 201 calligraphy works by celebrated Chinese calligraphers from different periods.

The Memorial of Anti-British Invasion of Sanyuanli People was installed on the site of the Sanyuanli Taoist Temple built in the early Qing Dynasty, and once served as an assembly place where villagers gathered and directed a fight against British troops. This incident marked the first great victory of the Chinese civilians against foreign aggressors. The permanent exhibition of the "History of Anti-British Invasion of Sanyuanli People" is on display.

The Memorial of the March 29th Uprising Headquarters was established in 1958 in the Lingnan-style house where the headquarters of the uprising was seated. Despite the fact that the uprising failed, it marked the beginning of the 1911 Revolution. A permanent exhibition of "The History of March 29th Uprising in 1911" is on display.

Guangzhou Museum of Art

The Guangzhou Museum of Art covers 20,300 square meters and was opened to the public in 2000. A large art museum in southern China, it is home to 19 galleries with sound facilities and a strong artistic atmosphere. Some of the galleries are named after artists and musicians native to the province, including Ma Sicong (1912-87), Liao Bingxiong (1915-2006), and Guan Shanyue (1912-2000).

The museum's collections are based on Chinese paintings and calligraphic works from the Neolithic Age to contemporary times, and especially emphasize those from the Lingnan region. The categories of the collections also cover traditional Chinese paintings, calligraphy, oil paintings, watercolor paintings, sculptures, Tibetan Thangka, bronze wares, ceramics and paper cuts. Many of the national-class works of art at the museum boast very high artistic and historical values.

The Guangzhou Museum of Art also holds various exhibitions and organizes annual academic activities. Meanwhile, it attaches great importance to cultural and artistic exchanges and introduces excellent art exhibitions from domestic and foreign cultural institutions, sparing no efforts to promote the culture and art of the Lingnan region. The museum also pays close attention to the development of Chinese contemporary art and international art. It holds exhibitions about famous contemporary artists as well as domestic and international exhibitions for art exchanges, so that visitors can understand current developments in contemporary art at home and abroad.