Hanzhong Museum

Hanzhong Museum

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆), a National Level 1 Museum (国家一级博物馆), is located at 26 Dongdajie, Hantai District, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, China. Covering an area of 1,400 square meters, it is managed by the Hantai District Cultural and Cultural Relics Bureau and is a comprehensive local museum. The museum opened on November 25, 1959, and officially began to serve the public on May 23, 1978.

As of the end of 2019, the museum holds a collection of 5,195 items/sets, including 433 precious cultural relics. It has hosted 15 exhibitions and conducted 21 educational activities, attracting a total of 454,300 visitors. Hanzhong Museum is a National 3A-Level Tourist Attraction (国家AAA级旅游景区) and is also a provincial and city-level base for patriotic education, science education, and national defense education.

Location: 26 Dongdajie, Hantai District, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province (陕西省汉中市汉台区东大街26号)
Area: 1,400 m²
Category: Comprehensive Local Museum (地方综合性博物馆)
Attraction Level: National 3A-Level (国家AAA级旅游景区)
Opening Date: November 25, 1959
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Admission: Free
Collection Size: 5,242 items/sets (as of 2024)
Annual Visitors: 101,300 (as of 2024)

History

The history of Hanzhong Museum dates back to November 1958, when the museum was originally established as the Ancient Hantai Museum (古汉台博物馆), based on the Hantai Site. The museum officially opened its doors to the public on November 25, 1959. In 1978, it opened to all members of society, marking an important milestone in its development.

Architecture and Layout

Hanzhong Museum is built upon the site of the Ancient Hantai (古汉台), which is a historical and cultural landmark of the city. The museum occupies an area of 1,400 square meters and is designed with a classical courtyard-style layout. The building’s design draws inspiration from the architectural style and layout of the Ancient Hantai. It consists of three courtyards that rise from south to north. Starting in the 1970s, several key structures were added, including the Shimen Thirteen Pieces Exhibition Room (石门十三品展室), the Boardwalk Exhibition Room (栈道陈列展室), East and West Huating (东西华亭), the Northern Gate Antique-style Architecture Group (北大门仿古建筑群), and the renovation of the Wangjiang Tower (望江楼) and Guiyintang (桂荫堂), along with the restoration of the courtyard gardens. The architectural style is mainly influenced by Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, giving the museum a distinctive garden-style atmosphere.

Ancient Hantai (古汉台)

The Ancient Hantai was originally a palace used by Liu Bang (刘邦) when he was appointed as the King of Han by Xiang Yu (项羽) during the Chu-Han Contention period. It is also known as Qixingtai (七星台) and was built using rammed earth, following the typical Qin and Han architectural model for high royal platforms. The platform is 7 meters high and features three steps. After the Song Dynasty, the Ancient Hantai became the backyard garden for the Hanzhong government office. The Wangjiang Tower (望江楼), built during the Southern Song Dynasty, is located at the highest point of the platform and embodies the architectural style of the period.

Exhibitions

Basic Exhibits

Hanzhong Museum has eight exhibition halls, covering nearly 2,000 square meters of display space. Some of the core exhibits include:

Taoist Statues Collection (道教造像精品陈列)
Buddhist Statues Collection (佛教造像精品陈列)
Modern Revolution Relics of Hanzhong (汉中近代革命文物陈列)
Shimen Thirteen Pieces Exhibit (石门十三品陈列)
Baoxia Boardwalk Exhibit (褒斜栈道陈列)

One of the museum’s most notable exhibits is the Shimen Thirteen Pieces (石门十三品), a collection of thirteen large cliff inscriptions located in the ancient Baoxia Road (褒斜道). These inscriptions were originally carved into the cliffs along the Baogushimen Tunnel and surrounding mountains. In the 1970s, during the construction of the Shimen Reservoir, these inscriptions were relocated to Hanzhong Museum for preservation. They are considered the most important part of the national heritage site, “Baoxia Road Shimen and its Cliff Inscriptions,” which was among the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Thematic Exhibits

The museum also organizes thematic exhibitions, showcasing specific topics based on detailed research and careful planning. These exhibits include:

Taoist Statues Collection (道教造像精品陈列)
Buddhist Statues Collection (佛教造像精品陈列)
Modern Revolution Relics of Hanzhong (汉中近代革命文物陈列)
Shimen Thirteen Pieces Exhibit (石门十三品陈列)
Baoxia Boardwalk Exhibit (褒斜栈道陈列)

In addition to these permanent collections, the museum frequently hosts temporary exhibits, which add a dynamic aspect to the museum’s offerings and draw in new visitors.

Collection of Cultural Relics

Overview

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) works closely with its overseeing units to protect and rescue many cultural relics from Hanzhong’s rich historical heritage. The museum has excavated several significant tombs in the Hanzhong area, including the Wuxiang Northern Wei Tombs (武乡北魏墓葬), Puzhen Brick Factory Han Tombs (铺镇砖厂汉墓群), and the Chenjiaying Song Dynasty Tombs (陈家营宋墓). These excavations have yielded numerous valuable artifacts that reflect the region’s cultural characteristics.

Through various channels such as collections, acquisitions, donations, and transfers, the museum has amassed more than 4,000 pieces of cultural relics, which include bronze wares, ceramics, stone inscriptions, calligraphy, paintings, and other types of artifacts. By the end of 2019, the museum held 5,195 items/sets in its collection, including 433 rare and valuable relics.

Important Collections

Hanzhong Museum’s most notable collections include:

Calligraphy and Paintings
Bronze Mirrors
Shimen Thirteen Pieces (石门十三品)
Terracotta Figurines from the Chenjiaying Song Dynasty Tombs (陈家营宋墓陶俑)

Shimen Thirteen Pieces (石门十三品)

The Shimen Thirteen Pieces refers to a group of thirteen large cliff inscriptions found along the ancient Baoxia Road (褒斜道), between the Shimen Tunnel (石门隧道) and its surrounding cliffs. The Baoxia Road was the longest and most significant of the ancient Shu Roads that crossed the Qinling Mountains (秦岭). The Shimen Tunnel, which was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (东汉) between 58-75 CE, is the world’s oldest man-made mountain tunnel. Over the centuries, scholars and artists have inscribed various texts on the cliffs surrounding the tunnel, resulting in a collection of 178 stone carvings.

Among these, the Shimen Thirteen Pieces is the most famous and has been designated as a national cultural heritage treasure. These inscriptions are part of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units recognized by the State Council. Some of the most notable pieces include:

The Inscription of the King of Shu Opening Baoxia Road (《鄐君开通褒斜道摩崖》): This inscription was carved into the southern cliff of the Shimen Tunnel and showcases a unique style of calligraphy from the Eastern Han Dynasty. The text and its distinctive calligraphic style are considered a national treasure, making this inscription an invaluable part of Chinese history.
Shimen Song (《石门颂》): Also known as “The Eulogy of the Former Sili Colonel Yang,” this inscription, carved in 148 CE, records the restoration of the Baoxia Road during the reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It reflects the historical importance of the roads through the Qinling Mountains. The inscription is renowned for its bold and free-flowing style, representing the peak of ancient Chinese seal script. The calligraphy has been praised for its powerful and unrestrained style, which was difficult for later generations to replicate.
The Inscription of the Jade Basin (《玉盆》): Said to be written by Zhang Liang (张良), a famous strategist from the Han Dynasty, this inscription is found in the southern Shimen, resembling a large jade basin.
Guan Xue (《衮雪》): This inscription was written by Cao Cao (曹操), the warlord of the Three Kingdoms period. It describes the appearance of the Baoxia River, which looked like “rolling snow” when the water splashed. The calligraphy is large and striking, and it remains well-preserved despite its age.
The Shimen Stele (《石门铭》): This inscription, carved in 509 CE during the Northern Wei Dynasty (北魏), records the reconstruction of the Baoxia Road.
The Mountain River Weir Completion Inscription (《山河堰落成记》): This inscription commemorates the restoration of a dam during the Southern Song Dynasty (南宋), written by the famous calligrapher Yan Mao (晏袤).

Conservation of Collections

Hanzhong Museum has been continuously improving its conservation conditions. It has built two dedicated storage facilities, Cultural Relics Warehouse A and B (文物库房A座、B座), which are in use for the safe storage and management of the museum’s collections. The museum has also made significant progress in digitalizing its collection data, providing a solid foundation for scientific management. Additionally, the museum has established a Cultural Relics Restoration Laboratory (文物修复实验室), which marks a new level of progress in the scientific conservation of cultural relics.

Cultural Activities

Academic Research

As of 2014, Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) has 2 associate researchers, 7 museum staff members with professional titles, and 45 full-time employees. Over 70% of the staff members have a college degree or higher. The museum has established the Hanzhong Historical and Cultural Heritage Research Center, which is responsible for conducting research on various aspects of the museum’s operations.

The museum has focused its research efforts on the ancient Shu Road (蜀道) and the Stone Gate (石门) inscriptions. It has hosted four international academic conferences and published several important research findings, including Research on the Stone Gate Cliff Inscriptions (石门摩崖刻石研究), The Thirteen Stone Tablets of the Stone Gate in the Han and Wei Dynasties (石门汉魏十三品), The Three Han Odes (汉三颂专辑), Summary of the Thirteen Stone Tablets of the Stone Gate (石门十三品撮要), and A Complete Collection of Stone Gate Inscriptions (石门石刻大全).

Public Education and Outreach

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) has made significant strides in public outreach, increasing publicity efforts through multiple channels. The museum launched its own website with an independent domain and featured its unique collection in Hanzhong Voice (汉中之声). Additionally, the museum has organized small teams to give lectures at military units and strengthen professional ethics and quality education. It also standardizes various service practices.

Leadership Visit

On July 29, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) visited Hanzhong City (汉中市), Shaanxi Province (陕西省), to inspect historical artifacts at Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆). He toured exhibits related to the history and cultural heritage of the region, gaining insights into the museum’s efforts in cultural preservation.

International Collaboration and Exchanges

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) has hosted four academic conferences focused on Stone Gate (石门) research, an international exhibition and academic seminar commemorating the 1850th anniversary of the Stone Gate Odes (石门颂), and a conference on historical research of the ancient plank road and the application of 3S technology.

In 2001, more than thirty bronze artifacts in the museum’s collection were entrusted to the Xi’an Terracotta Army Museum (西安兵马俑博物馆) for restoration. This restoration process combined modern conservation techniques with traditional methods.

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) also collaborated with the Xi’an Beilin Museum (西安碑林博物馆) and the Zhenjiang Jiaoshan Beike Museum (镇江焦山碑刻博物馆) to showcase an exhibition titled The Calligraphy of Stele Inscriptions—A Fine Selection of Rubbings from the Museum Collection (碑碣墨韵—馆藏拓片精品展). Additionally, the museum hosted the “History of the Plank Road and 3S Technology” international academic seminar and published the conference proceedings in 2008.

Honors and Recognitions

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) has received several prestigious awards, including recognition as a National Secondary Museum, a National AAA-Level Tourist Attraction, and a Provincial Civilized Unit. It is also a provincial base for patriotic education, science popularization education, and national defense education.

On May 18, 2024, International Museum Day, Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) was designated as a National First-Class Museum.

Institutional Structure

Organization Overview

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) is a state-owned public institution funded by government financial allocations.

Departments

The museum operates with 10 functional departments:

Office
Public Education Department
Security Department
Collection Management Department
Cultural Industry Department
Hanzhong Historical and Cultural Heritage Research Center
Infrastructure Department
Project Department
Replication Department
Finance Department

Staff Structure

The museum has a staff of 45 people, including the positions of director, party secretary, and deputy director, who form the leadership team.

Audience Reception

The museum receives over 100,000 visitors annually.

Previous Directors

Ma Zhongquan (马仲全) (1958–1976)
Guo Rongzhang (郭荣章) (1977–1996)
Zhang Baode (张宝德) (1996–2002)
Feng Suiping (冯岁平) (2003–Present)

Visitor Information

Location

Hanzhong Museum (汉中市博物馆) is located at 26 East Dajie (东大街) in the Hantai District (汉台区) of Hanzhong City (汉中市), Shaanxi Province (陕西省).

Transportation Guide

Public Transportation: Visitors can take public buses 9, 12, 21, or 22 and get off at the Guhan Tai (古汉台) station. The museum is within walking distance from there.