Nowadays, it's the best season for "enjoying fireworks and going to Yangzhou in March". But this time I visited Yangzhou, I didn't visit Slender West Lake or Daming Temple. Instead, I visited the "Double Museum" of Yangzhou.
The so-called "Double Museum" is the combined name of Yangzhou Museum and Yangzhou Chinese Carving Material Printing Museum. It is located in the west area of Yangzhou New City, by the side of a picturesque artificial lake, overlooking the Yangzhou International Exhibition Center across the lake. The elegant and pleasant tourist environment reflects the harmonious unity of human and nature. The comprehensive display facilities, rich and unique collections, and ingeniously arranged exhibitions make this "Double Museum" a comprehensive art hall with distinct local characteristics.
My classmate was once the curator of the museum, he presided over the construction and exhibition arrangement of this "Double Museum". Due to tight schedule and heavy tasks, he worked too hard and had a "stroke" when the new museum was about to open, and had to be hospitalized. This spring, after his recovery, he accompanied me throughout the visit. With his introduction, the exhibition really had an extra flavor.
The main exhibition of the museum is: "Guangling Tide - Ancient Urban Stories of Yangzhou". It starts from the creation of Hangcheng by King Fuchai of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period; followed by Guangling city in the Han dynasty; due to the opening of the Grand Canal connecting the north and south, Yangzhou became an economically developed international metropolis in the Sui and Tang dynasties; during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with the prosperity of grain transport and salt affairs, Yangzhou once again appeared dazzlingly prosperous. Historically, Yangzhou has experienced the sorrow of "pool waste and wood dry", but more often the prosperity of "song sky boiling sea". The exhibition is based on physical objects and documents, recreating the historical scenes of those years. The whole exhibition is like surging sea tide, continuous waves. Walking through the cleverly separated exhibition halls is like strolling in the long river of Yangzhou history, which can help understand the development pulse of Yangzhou city. Being in the museum, one can't help feeling that: "Yangzhou is a city that the Chinese nation can be proud of."
Besides the main exhibition, there are also special exhibitions in the museum such as: "National Treasure Hall", "Calligraphy and Painting Hall", "Yangzhou Carving Material Art Hall", "Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics Calligraphy and Painting Hall", etc., showcasing the cultural treasures of Yangzhou. The artifacts are extremely rich, showing the diversity and luxury of palace life in the Han Guangling King era.
Movable type printing is one of China's most remarkable contributions to world civilization. Due to the invention of movable type printing, knowledge, thoughts, and arts have transcended individual limitations, leading to a tremendous leap in both quality and quantity in the dissemination of knowledge information. If you want to understand the role of movable type printing in ancient Chinese society and even the course of human civilization, and appreciate this unique "national essence" process of movable type printing, then the Chinese Movable Type Printing Museum, with its collection of more than 300,000 pieces and the restoration of the scenes of those years, provides viewers with a unique viewing venue in China, or even the world. After watching, people can't help but marvel at it.
After visiting the exhibition, former French President Jacques Chirac immediately inscribed: "Hereby, I express my respect, gratitude, and friendship to you." He kept raising his thumb and praised repeatedly: "Good! Good!"