Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum in Foshan

Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum in Foshan

The Southern Silk Capital Museum (南国丝都丝绸博物馆) is located in the Shunde District of Foshan, Guangdong Province, at Guanlu Road in Daliang New District (华桂园红绿灯处). The museum occupies an area of 10,420 square meters and is a private comprehensive silk industry museum. It was officially opened to the public on September 19, 2007.

The museum embodies the ecological characteristics of the Lingnan water town and boasts rich cultural connotations of the silk industry and human spirit. It houses several sections, including the Shunde Silk History Museum, the Silk Culture Museum, and the Textile Craft Museum. As of the end of 2019, the museum’s collection included 570 pieces of cultural relics.

Historical Development

Before 2006, the Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum was known as the Silk Reeling Craft Demonstration Factory (缫丝工艺示范厂). The museum officially opened on September 19, 2007.

Architecture and Layout

The Southern Silk Capital Museum spans 10,420 square meters, with an exhibition hall area of 1,200 square meters and an additional 300 square meters for temporary exhibits. The museum features a museum display area, an agricultural culture experience zone (including an ecological mulberry fish pond and a 20-acre mulberry and grape vineyard), among other exhibits.

Exhibitions

Shunde Silk History Museum (顺德丝绸文史馆)

This museum section traces the history of the silk industry in Shunde, dating back to the Southern Song Dynasty. Through historical records, images, and exhibits, it showcases the region’s silk production, including the origins of “Southern Silk Capital” (南国丝都) and the “Self-combed Women” (自梳女) folk culture. Key exhibits include Qing Dynasty silk embroidery clothing and 1920s Xiangyunsha silk garments.

Silk Culture Museum (丝绸文化馆)

The Silk Culture Museum presents the development of the silk industry and its cultural history through a model of the Silk Road (丝绸之路) and various artifacts. Notable exhibits include a Ming Dynasty loom, early 20th-century hand-spun silk, photos of national labor models from the 1950s, and a Qing Dynasty silk factory firewater tank.

Silkworm Breeding Hall (养蚕馆)

This section showcases ancient silkworm breeding facilities, tools, and specimens, along with illustrations of the silkworm lifecycle. Visitors can engage in interactive activities, such as mulberry picking and feeding silkworms, under the guidance of staff. Exhibits include 1970s silkworm clusters, 1970s silkworm racks, and a Qing Dynasty waterwheel.

Textile Industry Hall (纺织工业馆)

The Textile Industry Hall features replicas of Ming-style foot-operated silk-reeling machines, ancient dyeing equipment, and wooden looms. It also demonstrates the traditional making of silk quilts. Key exhibits include a Ming Dynasty seat continuation machine, wooden loom, and 1980s mechanical loom.

Lingnan Culture and Art Museum (岭南文化艺术馆)

The Lingnan Culture and Art Museum displays cultural items related to the silk industry and regularly hosts Lingnan calligraphy and painting exhibitions. Notable pieces include machine-woven paintings from the late 1960s and silk embroidery from the 1990s.

Silk Treasures Gallery (丝绸精品陈列室)

This gallery displays modern silk industrial products for visitors to view and purchase. Key items include a Republic of China-era Luohan bed and a modern wooden carved nine-dragon wall.

Silk Reeling Industry Hall (缫丝工业馆)

As a significant region in the early development of modern national industry, Shunde played an important role in the silk reeling industry. This hall displays early 1950s Foshan-made reeling machines, 1980s Hangzhou-made reeling machines, and equipment for “mixing, peeling, and sorting” processes. Visitors can participate in practical demonstrations under the guidance of museum staff.

Mulberry Fish Pond (桑基鱼塘)

The Mulberry Fish Pond recreates the traditional ecological landscape of Shunde’s “Mulberry Fish Pond” (桑基鱼塘). It offers insight into a farming system that efficiently utilizes land, labor, and materials, and is recognized by the United Nations as a model for sustainable agricultural practices.

Mulberry Garden (桑园)

The mulberry garden covers an area of approximately five acres and is planted with various types of mulberry trees for visitors to explore and pick. The garden includes varieties such as Jingsang, hybrid mulberry, and trees up to 80 years old.

Museum Collection

Overview

The Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum (南国丝都丝绸博物馆) houses a rich collection sourced mainly from local communities and silk factories. The collection includes ancient equipment and tools used for sericulture (silk farming), silk reeling, and weaving, as well as various silk products and rich silk treasures. By the end of 2019, the museum held 570 pieces/sets of cultural relics.

Important Collections

Reeling Machine (立缫机): An advanced reeling machine from the early 1980s in China, with 120 spools. The machine body is made of cast iron, and the fiber part is made of iron and plastic. The transmission part operates in a vertical movement, which was considered an excellent machine at the time.
Dragon-head Loom (龙头织布机): A large loom from the 1970s, with a cast iron body. It features a jacquard dragon-head attachment that can produce hundreds of different patterns according to punch cards. The loom’s maximum width is 120 cm and was one of the most advanced electric looms in the 1970s.

Honors

The Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum (南国丝都丝绸博物馆) is recognized as a cultural and tourism landmark in Shunde, a designated cultural tourism spot, and a Guangdong Provincial Cultural Department-approved private museum. It is also one of the first national leisure demonstration units in Guangdong, a popular science education base in Guangdong Province, and a base for traditional cultural education and practical training for primary and secondary schools.

Organizational Structure

Former Directors

Wu Yinghai (吴英海) – since September 2007

Museum Nature

The Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum (南国丝都丝绸博物馆) is a private museum.

Funding

The museum was entirely self-funded during its creation. Its daily operating funds mainly come from the operations of Saiqian Silk Trading Co., Ltd. and revenues from ticket sales and the souvenir shop. As a popular science education base, it receives some financial support from the Shunde District Science and Technology Bureau for publicity and other activities. It also gains funding and donations from partnerships with major travel agencies and other organizations.

Organizational Departments

The museum operates with departments such as Education and Technology, Promotion and Publicity, Plantation, and Visitor Reception.

Staff

The Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum (南国丝都丝绸博物馆) has a staff of 28, including 13 business personnel. Among them, 4 staff members hold higher education degrees, and 1 holds an intermediate professional title.

Visitor Information

Location

The Nanguo Sidu Silk Museum (南国丝都丝绸博物馆) is located on Guanlü Road in the Daliang New District, Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong Province, near the Huaguicheng traffic lights.