China's Great Museum Race
By admin on 2015-01-09

As International Museum Day celebrations take place across the world today, China is enjoying a surge of new museum openings, winning widespread applause for boosting people's cultural life, but also generating criticism for the problems caused by the race for rapid construction.

A number of new museums have recently opened their doors in China, with hundreds currently under construction across the country.

"Visiting museums is always one of my favorite things while traveling in different cities," commented Wang Juan from Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. "It's one of the most efficient ways to understand the city's culture and history."

Wang added she was happy to see an increase in the number of museums in her own city, adding that they offer her many more choices for her family during the holidays and in their free time. "They stand as live history books," Wang explained. "For my 12-year-old son, they are the best places to learn Chinese history."

China's new museums cover a variety of subjects, from traditional Chinese art and culture, to various industries, including film, technology and animation.

Xi'an is among the cities with the largest number of museums. In the next three years, the city's 47 museums will grow to 100, according to an announcement at a meeting on cultural relics held in Xi'an in March. The meeting revealed that 15-20 new museums would open by the end of the year.

Some experts and residents warmly welcomed the ambitious goal, saying that as an ancient city with abundant Chinese cultural relics and historical sites, it stands to reason that Xi'an should be No.1 among all Chinese cities in terms of the number of museums.

Zhao Liguang, director of Xi'an Beilin Museum, one of the most famous museums in the city, is among the advocates of the ambitious 100-museum plan, saying that Xi'an has been acclaimed as "a natural museum of Chinese history and culture" for the numerous invaluable cultural relics it has, its history of thousands of years should be recognized and it once served as the capital of 13 dynasties.

However, some critics have argued that while opening more museums can be of great benefit in terms of preserving relics and boosting public education, the goal of opening 53 museums in such a short time is excessive.

"It is not difficult to imagine what will become of these fast-built museums," commented museum-goer Du Lijun, a Xi'an resident. "It is probable that they will be constructions that look like a museum, but never have the function of a museum. Such a huge project could only be a waste of money."

Xi'an is not alone in the fierce battle for the title of the No.1 city with the largest number of museums.

Competition was ignited five years ago, when the central government expressed for the first time its supportive attitude toward building private museums and released a series of laws and regulations to promote museums of all levels. Almost immediately after the announcement, the government of Dongguan, Guangdong Province, declared it would spend 30 million yuan ($4.4 million) to open new museums.

In 2006, a 100-museum plan was drawn up by Shanghai municipal government, stating that its 100-museum goal would be accomplished within five years. Meanwhile, the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, also said it will make efforts to build more museums and become the city with the largest number of museums in western China.

Zhang Bai, former vice-director of the National Cultural Relics Bureau and general director of the Chinese Society of Museums, said opening more museums in China should be encouraged, since China still lags far behind Western countries in terms of the numbers of museums.

"Museums always play an important role in combing and a displaying a country's history and culture," Zhang told the Global Times. "In many developed Western countries museums are an essential part of city life."

However, Zhang also expressed his concerns toward the recent mass building of museums. "Opening more and more museums can't solve the problem forever, because it is the collections and displays function, not just the constructions themselves," he said.

The lack of money is always a problem haunting museums in China, according to Zhang. Except for several large-scale museums run by the central government, many museums once built face funding shortages, making it difficult to afford new pieces and upgrade existing equipment and facilities.

A series of activities will take place in China today to mark International Museum Day.

In addition to museum-themed events and performances, many facilities are offering free entry or discounted tickets.

In Beijing, 30 museums will be open free to the public.

Beijingers can also enjoy an antique appraisal event by experts and scholars at Beijing Museum of Ancient Architecture, organized by Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage. Last week the administration issued 600 tickets to people wanting to identify their possessions, with those missing out still able to attend the event to observe.

Several museums are holding lectures today with topics focusing on a range of timely concepts including "low-carbon economy" and "cultural construction."

Residents of Zhengzhou in Central China's Henan Province can enjoy a Music Epic concert today at Henan Museum, featuring ancient Chinese music.

Hubei Museum is providing over 200 volunteers and free guides to help visitors better understand the museum. The week-long initiative also encourages visitors to leave their feedback about the museum and its exhibitions.

Qingdao in East China's Shandong Province is offering a range of exhibitions based on the city's international characteristics. Romance Along the Rhine, an exhibition featuring German antiques collected by Chinese travelers includes German tile, silver sets, porcelain and stamps.

A total of 21 museums in Qingdao will also be open free of charge or offering discounted entry tickets.

Today is the 34th International Museum Day to be celebrated around the world since its inception in 1977. Each year an advisory committee decides a theme for the celebration, "Museums for Social Harmony" was selected for this year.