The building has a rectangular exterior and
faces the Great Hall of the People. Twenty-four square pillars make up the
magnificent west gate portico. With its classical color and imposing structure,
the whole building is an important part of the panorama of Tian'anmen
Square.
About the Museum of Chinese
History
The predecessor of the Museum of Chinese
History is the Beijing History Museum built in 1912 and was opened to the public
in October 1926. In August 1958, the Chinese government decided to establish a
new national museum on the eastern side of Tian'anmen Square. The construction
was completed in October 1959.
The Museum of Chinese History displays three
main periods of Chinese history. The first, the Primitive Society, spans from
500,000BC to 4,000BC. The exhibits in the Slavery Society section cover the time
from 2,100BC to 475BC and the Feudal Society exhibits focus on the period from
221BC to 1911.
Many of the items on display are national
treasures and precious rarities. Examples include the famous fossil remains of
Yuanmo Man and Beijing Man, the remarkable painted pottery and jade wares of the
Neolithic Age, the Simuwu Rectangle Ding (a kind of vessel) of the Shang
Dynasty (cast over 3, 000 years ago and weighing 832. 84kg -- the heaviest
ancient bronze ware in the world), the Shang Dynasty square bronze Zun
(wine vessel) decorated with four sheep heads and the large inscribed Western
Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 771BC) bronze Pan (water
container). Other exhibits include a gold-inlaid bronze tally in the shape of a
tiger (this was used by Emperor Qinshihuang for military affairs), a Han Dynasty
(206BC-220AD) jade burial suit sewn with gold thread, magnificent Tri-colored
Glazed Pottery of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), world-renowned Song Dynasty
(960-1279) ceramics, and a rare bronze human figure marked with acupuncture
points. Such treasures as these depict the rich and disparate evolution of the
Chinese civilization.
Since 1992, about 100 short-term exhibitions
have been held in the National Museum of Chinese History. Exhibitors have
included both international and domestic organizations, as well as private
individuals.
About the Museum of the Chinese
Revolution
The Museum of the Chinese Revolution
emphasizes the history of the past 150 years, in particular the history of the
Communist Party of China. It is divided into three sections.
The exhibits in the Old Democratic
Revolution section cover the period from 1840 to 1911. Events between 1911 and
1949 fall into the New Democratic Revolution section. The third section is
entitled "The Triumph of the Revolution and the Establishment of Socialism" and
covers events after 1949.
Much of China's modern history is exhibited,
including the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (1919-1921), the first two
civil wars (1924-1927 and 1927-1937), the resistance war against Japanese
aggression (1937-1945) and the liberation war (1945-1949). The museum is
frequently updated to reflect the developments of modern political
history.