[2025 Suzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Museum of Wu (Updated Mar)

Suzhou is home to a relatively remote and underrated museum that sees very few visitors, but is incredibly beautiful: the Suzhou Wuzhong Cultural Museum. As a newly established museum in a somewhat out-of-the-way location, it doesn't attract large crowds. Not only are its facilities new, but the exhibitions are also thoughtfully and tastefully curated, and the collection of cultural relics is impressive. It's a perfect spot for taking photos and learning about the ancient culture of the Wu Kingdom!

The relationship between humans and horses is one of the most profound, enduring, and transformative relationships in the history of civilization. The noblest conquest that humanity has ever achieved is the conquest of this majestic and fierce animal—the horse. The special exhibition "Horse: A Millennium of Power from the Mediterranean to Jiangnan" is held at the Wu Culture Museum. This exhibition brings together artworks from different periods and styles in China and Italy that depict the relationship between humans and horses.

Official Career: Xu Weili and the Southern Song Dynasty Exhibition Dec 30, 2023–Apr 28, 2024 Special Exhibition Hall 1, Wu Culture Museum The exhibition features more than 200 pieces of Song Dynasty artifacts from 15 cultural institutions in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, including the Wu Culture Museum and Wuyi Museum. It recreates the social landscape of the Southern Song Dynasty that Xu Weili experienced from two perspectives: "The Southern Song Dynasty in Xu Weili's Eyes" and "How We See Xu Weili." The original "Record of White Paper" from the 12 volumes of "Xu Weili's Documents" will be exhibited in three rotations. Also on display are rare artifacts from the "Tomb of Zhao Boyun," the only unlooted Southern Song tomb in Zhejiang Province. Xu Weili's documents provide a complete record of Xu Weili's 32-year political career, including 12 promotions and 13 assignments. They are the most systematic and complete "official archives" of the Song Dynasty unearthed in China, and the first Song Dynasty documents unearthed from a tomb. They were looted in 2005 and recovered by the Wuyi Public Security Bureau in 2012. Xu Weili's documents consist of 17 volumes, including 15 volumes of written documents, two volumes of "Record of White Paper," one volume of "Record of White Imperial Edict," and 12 volumes of "Record of White Paper." They not only provide a complete record of the career of an ordinary civil servant, but also present the document system, official management, and government operations of the mid-to-late Southern Song Dynasty in detail. Wu Culture Museum

The Wu Culture Museum, in collaboration with the Lushun Museum, Changshu Museum, and Suzhou Silk Museum, presents an exciting exhibition: "A Dream of the Red Chamber: Image History and Material Culture." 🌟Highlights: The exhibition features the exquisite "A Dream of the Red Chamber" album by Sun Wen from the Qing Dynasty. Known for its meticulous brushwork, beautiful composition, and intricate details, this masterpiece is the result of Sun Wen's dedication from 1867 to 1903, spanning 36 years. It is a rare treasure, and 100 original works are on display. 👍Highly Recommended: The "A Dream of the Red Chamber" album is a masterpiece that has stood the test of time. Even after over 100 years, the paintings remain vibrant and lifelike. The characters and architecture are impressive, and the intricate details, such as cobblestone paths and lantern tassels, are captivating. Each painting, accompanied by textual explanations, brings the original story to life. ✅Must-Experience: In addition to the "A Dream of the Red Chamber" album, the exhibition also features "Illustrated A Dream of the Red Chamber," as well as incense burners, cloud collars, folding fans, and more. The exhibition showcases the interior decor and costumes from the original work, offering a wealth of details. ❤Recommended Reason: Fans of "A Dream of the Red Chamber" should not miss the opportunity to admire these national treasures up close and immerse themselves in the original work. 📍Address: No. 9, Dantai Street, Wuzhong District, Suzhou, Second Special Exhibition Hall of the Wu Culture Museum. 🕙Exhibition Period: Until February 23, 2025. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 📝Tips: [One] Free admission, no reservation required. [Two] The "A Dream of the Red Chamber" exhibition offers three public tours daily at 9:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 2:30 PM, each lasting approximately 60 minutes.

From the Stone Age to the modern era, experience the charm of Wu and the changes in history. The cultural relics include many national treasures. In addition to humanities, there are detailed introductions to animals and plants, and many interactive displays, which add a lot of fun. It is very suitable for children to visit. The museum is located to the north of Zhantai Lake Scenic Area. The Baodai Bridge, built in the Tang Dynasty, is located to the east of the scenic area and can be visited together.

Dingzhou, also known as the "Ancient Capital of Zhongshan", has a history of more than 2,600 years. Due to its superior geographical location, Dingzhou has been a place of prosperous economy, cultural convergence, Buddhist influence and exquisite craftsmanship for thousands of years. The local culture nurtured on this land has witnessed the changes of the times and the integration and coexistence of national cultures in the land of Kyushu. It is also a vivid portrayal of the diverse and unified cultural pattern of the Chinese nation. Dingzhou in history was a strategic point for communication between the east and the west, and between the north and the south. It had a prominent military position, and was a place where agricultural and pastoral cultures converged, Silk Road culture blended, Buddhist culture permeated, and craft culture flourished, resulting in the prosperity of local culture. Today, Dingzhou’s cultural heritage continues unbroken, lasting and ever-new, and it still shines brightly in the land of China today. History is as bright as stars, and the present is like the rising sun. The past has not gone, the future has already come. We are full of expectations for Dingzhou's bright future.

Ancient trees, rooted in the earth for hundreds and thousands of years, have witnessed the vicissitudes of life. They never compare themselves to the sky; they are living relics. Erecting monuments for ancient trees is a sign of respect for nature and history, and a way to preserve the passage of time for flora. As an independent painting subject, ancient trees date back to the Tang Dynasty at the latest. The aesthetic pursuit of twisted and gnarled forms has been passed down in ancient tree paintings ever since. Su Shi and Wen Tong of the Song Dynasty were skilled at painting withered trees, while Shen Zhou of the Ming Dynasty depicted the Seven Cypresses of the Star Altar, one of the Eighteen Views of Yushan, as a local scenic spot through live sketches. Subsequently, visiting ancient trees became a hobby among the intellectual class in Wuzhong, sparking a trend of travel paintings in the Wu School of painting. In the late Qing Dynasty, Wu Guxiang could only rely on the records of his predecessors to imagine and complete the Seven Cypresses of the Star Altar, one of the Eighteen Views of Yushan. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, many temples and monasteries in Suzhou planted cypress trees. The "Bai Gong Cypress" recorded by Fan Chengda is an early example of cypress trees being planted in private gardens in Suzhou. The oldest ancient cypress trees in Suzhou are the four "Clear, Strange, Ancient, and Peculiar" Han cypresses at the Guangfu Situ Temple, each 1900 years old. They are said to have been planted by Deng Yu, the Grand Situ of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and were named by Emperor Qianlong. Every year on the 28th day of the third lunar month, the Taiping Mengjiang Hall holds the "Heavenly King Liu Mengjiang's Parade." The Mengjiang belief, similar to that in the Taihu Basin, may hint at the possible true identity of the Taiping Wang clan's ancestors. At the Foji Temple in Changmen, Suzhou, there is a custom called "Crushing Immortals." Legend has it that on the 14th day of the fourth lunar month, the birthday of Lü Dongbin, he would transform into a beggar in the mortal world to save the suffering, which gradually evolved into a blessing activity. On the southern slope of Tianping Mountain, there are 121 ancient sweetgum trees from the Ming Dynasty, each over 420 years old, planted by Fan Yunlin, the 17th-generation descendant of Fan Zhongyan, during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The ancient town of Luzhi has been prosperous since ancient times and is known as the "Hall of Five Lakes." At its peak, Baosheng Temple occupied half of Luzhi, with the Tang Dynasty scripture pillar behind the Hall of Heavenly Kings. The Arhats of Baosheng Temple are famously known as "Two and a Half Halls of Arhats in the World." The ancient white magnolia tree in the Zhen Temple on Qionglong Mountain in Suzhou is said to have been planted by Emperor Qianlong during his southern tours, and it is over 200 years old. Each flowering tree is a product of time. The white pines in Suzhou gardens often appear crooked, known locally as "bent heads," and they complement the lake stones, curved bridges, and flowing water, presenting a literati painting style. The white pine in Chunxi Hall is 200 years old. During the Southern Ming Dynasty, Wang Xijue, the chief minister during the Wanli period, built the Southern Garden. On the Frost Crane Mound stands an ancient plum tree known as the "Dancing Thin Crane." The tea tree on the yellow stone rockery in front of the Grass Hall in the Couple's Retreat Garden once starred in "Dream of the Red Chamber." The crape myrtle in Qu Garden, about 210 years old, was a spiritual solace for Yu Yue when he retired to Suzhou. The only century-old banyan in Suzhou is in the Tianci Zhuang campus of Suzhou University, and the 320-year-old ginkgo outside the north gate, along with the Wenxing Pavilion on campus, are relics of the old Changzhou County School. The thousand-year-old ginkgo in Tinglin Garden is considered a relic of Huiju Temple. With ancient ginkgo and other historical sites, Yufeng Mountain remains a cultural and historical highland in Kunshan. The 310-year-old ancient Qionghua tree is one of the three treasures of Kunshan, renowned in Jiangnan. Wenxing Pavilion in the ancient town of Jinxi is a landmark. The 852-year-old luohan pine in front of the pavilion invites one to step into the spiritual space of ancient trees, feeling the "photosynthesis of the soul" and transforming the love for art and nature into the sweetness of a happy life.

The local water and soil nurture the local trees. Suzhou has four distinct seasons. In the historical climate changes, extreme weather is rare, which has nurtured rich plant resources. As a result, many scattered plants in rural villages, temples, historical sites, mansions and gardens have been nurtured. of ancient trees. Ancient trees gaze at the changing of the seasons, witnessing all the vicissitudes of life, and their trunks are often covered with knotted scars. Shen Zhouwei from Wumen in the Ming Dynasty took the Seven Cypresses of Xingtan, one of the Eighteen Scenic Spots of Yushan, as a local scenic spot, and sketched the unique and ancient trees from life. Since then, visiting ancient trees has become one of the interests of the intellectual class in Wuzhong. Du Mu, Wu Kuan, Ren Shizhen, Wen Weiming and other literati have left records of viewing ancient trees and related literary and artistic activities. Travel paintings have become a popular activity in Wumen painting. There is a craze among pies. The project of erecting monuments and writing biographies was carried out by a group of volunteers who spent two years conducting field surveys and jointly completed tasks such as aerial photography, photography, sketching, editing, document review, writing, oral history interviews, and specimen collection to write biographies of ancient and famous trees. 🕙Exhibition time: 2024.05.18-09.01 🕙Business hours: 09:00-17:00 📍Detailed address: Suzhou Wu Culture Museum (No. 9, Tantai Street, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province) 🚉Transportation strategy: Suzhou Metro Line 2, Baodaiqiao South Station, Exit 4, walk for 15 minutes 📝 Note: It is recommended to drive or ride a bike (there is no direct bus along the way) 🌟Highlights: A great place to cool off in the summer, free of charge, to see exhibitions, bring children, and have fun ❤Recommendation reason: The exhibition's concept, level of care and presentation are all very good, and have certain local characteristics.

| Last 10 Days, 'Northern Wei Blue' is about to bid farewell to Gusu. The 'Classics and Paradigms - Pingcheng Era and Yungang Age' special exhibition at the Wu Culture Museum has traveled 1500 years from Datong to Gusu, interpreting the unique charm of the Yungang Grottoes through three units: 'The Pingcheng Era', 'Creating Classics', and 'Becoming Paradigm'. The exhibition not only displays sculptures from different periods of the Yungang Grottoes, but the most eye-catching collection belongs to a set of blue glass bowls from the Datong City Museum, which are early works of Chinese native blown glassware, also known as 'Northern Wei Blue'. This special exhibition is the first exhibition of the 'Yungang Model', and among the 10 selected stone sculptures from the Dingzhou Museum, 6 are being exhibited to the public for the first time, which is very rare. I just visited the Yungang Grottoes this June, and this special exhibition has helped me to more clearly sort out the early, middle, and late characteristics of the Yungang Grottoes. In Gusu, it has also completely fulfilled my Yungang dream. Exhibition Period: July 1, 2023, to October 8, 2023 📍Address: No. 9 Dantai Street, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City ⏰Business Hours: 9:00~21:00 (Entry stops at 20:30) 📌Transportation: Walk 1000 meters from Exit 3 of Baodaiqiao South Station on Subway Line 2