Henan Museum
Encyclopedia
The Henan Museum or Henan Provincial Museum (Chinese
: 河南博物院; Pinyin
: Hénán Bówùyuàn), located in Zhengzhou
, Henan
Province, China
, is a history and art museum. It has a collection of more than 130,000 pieces of cultural relics through the ages. In addition to its collection of human history the museum is also home to many relics of natural history including dinosaur bones and fossils. Henan Museum's present building, which opened in 1997, occupies an area of more than 100,000 square meters, with a total floor space of 78,000 square meters.
At present the museum has a collection of more than 130,000 pieces of cultural relics treasures, of which more than 5,000 pieces are treasures of the first and second grades. Among them, the prehistoric cultural relics, bronze vessels of the Shang
and Zhou
Dynasties, and pottery and porcelain wares of the various dynasties in Chinese history possess most distinguishing features. Inside the museum, there are basic exhibition halls, specialized exhibition halls and provisional exhibition halls. For the first batch of exhibitions, two basic displays and six specialized displays are offered. They are rich in contents, presenting a spectacular sight to visitors.
, the commander in chief of the National Revolutionary Army and the chairman of Henan Province at that time, proposed that “Education is the Essential Politics for a Country (教育为立国根本要政)” . In July, the founding committee of the Heman Museum was established. The site designated for the museum was the former Legal and Law School, which was located at Kaifeng Court West Street (Sansheng Temple Street, Kaifeng
today). Thus, the Museum was born.
In May 1928, the former provincial government changed the name of Henan Museum into “National Museum” to represent the history and actuality of the nationalities. On December 1, 1930, Henan Provincial Government changed “National Museum” back to “Henan Museum” as a social educational organization directly under the Provincial Educational Ministry. The schoolhouse of the Demotic Normal School was taken as a showplace of antiques. The Storing Department and the Collection & Investigation Department were set up. The Executive Council was established, including the directors of the Civil Administration Office and Educational Office, the president of Henan University, and the Museum curator. The 19 showrooms of the former National Museum were renovated in 7 and enriched with historical cultural relics instead of the many folk fineries and models. During the years from 1930 through 1937, Henan Museum underwent an unprecedented development. Under the guidance of a team of highly-skilled researchers led by Guan Baiyi, the Museum amassed fine and substantial collections focusing on local history. At that time Henan Museum became very famous, gaining recognition both at home and abroad.
In 1937 the “7.7 Incident” erupted and the Japanese army formally invaded China. The Museum was closed and 68 boxes of key cultural relics were moved to Chongqing
, the Republic of China's war-time capital in southwest China. Hundreds of boxes from the Palace Museum had also been shipped off by the Kuomintang
to Chongqing for safe-keeping. Nevertheless, in 1940, the Japanese occupation government reopened the Henan Museum as “Henan Provincial Museum” with several departments such as Affair Office, Storage Department, and Investigation Department. After the Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang
's Honan Provincial Government resumed management of the Museum. By 1948, many of the museum's artifacts had once again been boxed and moved for safe-keeping, this time to Taiwan
. These artifacts formed part of the National Museum of History
in Taipei
. After the Liberation Army entered Kaifeng, in November 1949, Qu Naisheng, director of the Provincial Education Office, was nominated by the Henan Provincial Government as curator of the Museum.
In 1961, along with the move of the provincial capital, Henan Museum moved from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou. In 1991 the museum was remodeled. In 1999 the official reopening to public was held and the name was officially declared as the "Henan Museum". The new Museum is located in central Zhengzhou on the Agriculture (Nongye) Road. The main building, at the center of the grounds, is in the shape of pyramid. Behind it is a storeroom for culture relics, around it there are the electrified education building, combined service building, office building and training building. The constructed Museum sight is grandiose and precise, displaying primitive simplicity and elegance. It features the artistic style and culture of central China.
Henan Museum is equipped with advanced security system, automatic building management system, audio-visual education system, service information computer network system, cultural relics preservation, protection and research system and other high technology equipment.
Chinese character
Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
: 河南博物院; Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Hénán Bówùyuàn), located in Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou , is the capital and largest city of Henan province in north-central China. A prefecture-level city, it also serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational centre of the province, as well as a major transportation hub for Central China...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, is a history and art museum. It has a collection of more than 130,000 pieces of cultural relics through the ages. In addition to its collection of human history the museum is also home to many relics of natural history including dinosaur bones and fossils. Henan Museum's present building, which opened in 1997, occupies an area of more than 100,000 square meters, with a total floor space of 78,000 square meters.
Collections
Shang
The shang is a flat ritual upturned handbell employed by Bönpo and Asian shamans. The sizes of the shang range from approximately 3 to 20 inches in diameter. It is traditionally held to have originated in Zhangzhung and is symbolically similar to the tantric dril-bhu. Shang are traditionally...
and Zhou
Zhou
Zhou may refer to:*Zhou Dynasty , a Chinese Dynasty *Zhou Predynastic Lineage, the antecedents to the above Zhou Dynasty*Northern Zhou , a Chinese Dynasty...
Dynasties, and pottery and porcelain wares of the various dynasties in Chinese history possess most distinguishing features. Inside the museum, there are basic exhibition halls, specialized exhibition halls and provisional exhibition halls. For the first batch of exhibitions, two basic displays and six specialized displays are offered. They are rich in contents, presenting a spectacular sight to visitors.
History
Henan Museum is one of the oldest museums in China. In June 1927, General Feng YuxiangFeng Yuxiang
Feng Yuxiang was a warlord and leader in Republican China. He was also known as the Christian General for his zeal to convert his troops and the Betrayal General for his penchant to break with the establishment. In 1911, he was an officer in the ranks of Yuan Shikai's Beiyang Army but joined...
, the commander in chief of the National Revolutionary Army and the chairman of Henan Province at that time, proposed that “Education is the Essential Politics for a Country (教育为立国根本要政)” . In July, the founding committee of the Heman Museum was established. The site designated for the museum was the former Legal and Law School, which was located at Kaifeng Court West Street (Sansheng Temple Street, Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
today). Thus, the Museum was born.
In May 1928, the former provincial government changed the name of Henan Museum into “National Museum” to represent the history and actuality of the nationalities. On December 1, 1930, Henan Provincial Government changed “National Museum” back to “Henan Museum” as a social educational organization directly under the Provincial Educational Ministry. The schoolhouse of the Demotic Normal School was taken as a showplace of antiques. The Storing Department and the Collection & Investigation Department were set up. The Executive Council was established, including the directors of the Civil Administration Office and Educational Office, the president of Henan University, and the Museum curator. The 19 showrooms of the former National Museum were renovated in 7 and enriched with historical cultural relics instead of the many folk fineries and models. During the years from 1930 through 1937, Henan Museum underwent an unprecedented development. Under the guidance of a team of highly-skilled researchers led by Guan Baiyi, the Museum amassed fine and substantial collections focusing on local history. At that time Henan Museum became very famous, gaining recognition both at home and abroad.
In 1937 the “7.7 Incident” erupted and the Japanese army formally invaded China. The Museum was closed and 68 boxes of key cultural relics were moved to Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
, the Republic of China's war-time capital in southwest China. Hundreds of boxes from the Palace Museum had also been shipped off by the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
to Chongqing for safe-keeping. Nevertheless, in 1940, the Japanese occupation government reopened the Henan Museum as “Henan Provincial Museum” with several departments such as Affair Office, Storage Department, and Investigation Department. After the Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
's Honan Provincial Government resumed management of the Museum. By 1948, many of the museum's artifacts had once again been boxed and moved for safe-keeping, this time to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. These artifacts formed part of the National Museum of History
National Museum of History
The National Museum of History is located in the Nanhai Academy in Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan and exhibits Chinese historical items...
in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
. After the Liberation Army entered Kaifeng, in November 1949, Qu Naisheng, director of the Provincial Education Office, was nominated by the Henan Provincial Government as curator of the Museum.
In 1961, along with the move of the provincial capital, Henan Museum moved from Kaifeng to Zhengzhou. In 1991 the museum was remodeled. In 1999 the official reopening to public was held and the name was officially declared as the "Henan Museum". The new Museum is located in central Zhengzhou on the Agriculture (Nongye) Road. The main building, at the center of the grounds, is in the shape of pyramid. Behind it is a storeroom for culture relics, around it there are the electrified education building, combined service building, office building and training building. The constructed Museum sight is grandiose and precise, displaying primitive simplicity and elegance. It features the artistic style and culture of central China.
Facilities
Modern technological means have been adopted, such as audio tour, magnified video-tape playing, computer consultation and visitors' interactive facilities, so as to meet the needs of visitors for knowledge and appreciation of cultural relics and for entertainment.Henan Museum is equipped with advanced security system, automatic building management system, audio-visual education system, service information computer network system, cultural relics preservation, protection and research system and other high technology equipment.