[2024 Wuwei Attraction] Travel Guide for Wuwei Museum (Updated Sep)
Museums
Address:
武威市涼州區宣武街姑臧路25號
Opening times:
Open today at 09:00-17:00(Admission ends at 16:30)Opening Soon
Recommended sightseeing time:
1-3 hours
Phone:
0935-2228884,0935-2216530
It's amazing to move the entire grotto into the exhibition hall, this first-class museum is extraordinary
Wuwei Museum is a national first-class museum with a very high status in Gansu, and its collection of cultural relics is second only to Gansu Provincial Museum and Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum. When traveling to Gansu, experiencing the local history and culture, especially the history and culture of the Hexi Corridor of the ancient Silk Road, you must visit Wuwei Museum.
【Special Recommendation】
In addition to the permanent exhibition on the historical development of Wuwei, Wuwei Museum especially recommends the special exhibition - The Charm of Tianti Mountain Grottoes - Special Exhibition of Tianti Mountain Grottoes.
The special exhibition of Tianti Mountain Grottoes is located in the west exhibition hall on the third floor, displaying 81 cultural relics cleaned, relocated, and restored from Tianti Mountain Grottoes. A batch of precious cultural relics such as the Northern Liang Stone Pagoda, murals, and colored sculptures, which are exhibited for the first time, allow visitors to experience the charm of the grottoes firsthand.
The special exhibition of Tianti Mountain Grottoes is also one of the permanent exhibitions of Wuwei Museum, so don't miss it when you visit the museum.
【Exhibition Features】
It makes up for the regret that a large number of Tianti Mountain Grottoes were submerged due to the construction of a reservoir. In the 1950s, a large number of grottoes were submerged near Tianti Mountain Grottoes due to the need to build a reservoir. The statues, paintings, and murals in the grottoes were cut and sent to cultural relic management agencies for preservation.
Now only the Great Buddha Grottoes excavated in the Tang Dynasty remain in Tianti Mountain Grottoes for visitors to visit.
Nowadays, to fully understand the history and culture of Tianti Mountain Grottoes, you can only visit the special exhibition of Tianti Mountain Grottoes in Wuwei Museum, where a large number of murals and colored sculptures are presented in the exhibition hall. The exhibition hall also uses modern means to restore part of the grottoes and the Great Buddha Grottoes of the Tang Dynasty, so visitors who cannot visit Tianti Mountain Grottoes in person can see the grandeur of the Great Buddha in the museum.
【Exhibition Hall Location】
Located on the third floor of the museum.
Special Tips:
1. After going up the stairs, you will be at the exit of the exhibition hall. Remember to go around the corridor to the entrance on the right-hand side and then enter to visit in order.
2. The end of the special exhibition tells about the cultural relic protection work of Tianti Mountain Grottoes and the restoration and preservation methods of the grotto murals, which is very detailed. There are many first-hand materials on display, so friends interested in archaeology can learn more about it.
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【Tips】
1. Wuwei Museum is closed every Monday. Currently, there are not many visitors, so there is no need to make a reservation in advance. You can enter the museum with your ID card on-site registration.
2. Wuwei Museum is not far from historical sites such as Wuwei Confucian Temple and Kumarajiva Temple, which can be visited together in one day.
3. Wuwei Museum is adjacent to Wuwei Library, so friends interested in cultural and museum venues can visit together.
IinaKoskinen
Gansu｜Wuwei Museum
Wuwei City Museum, located at No. 25 Guzang Road, Xuanwu Street, Liangzhou District, Wuwei City, Gansu Province, is a national first-class museum that showcases the profound historical and cultural heritage and rich cultural resources of Wuwei City, Gansu Province.
The Wuwei City Museum was established in September 1982; in May 2019, the new Wuwei City Museum was completed and opened; in May 2024, it was rated as a national first-class museum.
The Wuwei City Museum houses 46,111 cultural relics of various types, including 1,036 precious relics, among which there are 2 national treasure-level relics, 170 first-class relics, 274 second-class relics, and 592 third-class relics. The museum is particularly notable for its Han and Tang Silk Road relics, Western Xia relics, Buddhist relics from various dynasties, and ethnic minority relics. The total number of collections is second only to the Gansu Provincial Museum and the Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum.
HenryFrost23
Gansu Wuwei Stop Five - Wuwei City Museum
Early in the morning, we set out from the Leitai residence and walked to the Wuwei City Museum. No need to make an appointment in advance, just enter with your ID card.
Upon entering, I asked the service desk about the free tour times, which are available on the hour. The closest one to our entry time was at 10:00.
At the service desk, I saw many young girls collecting stamps and checking in. I joined in the fun to see what kind of stamps young people get at the museum nowadays. The staff were very helpful and explained all the interesting stamps available.
I browsed through my favorite exhibits in the museum first, and then gathered under the archway at 10:00 sharp for the guided tour.
(Image four) The painted lacquer pigeon is a handle from a pigeon cage held by people over seventy years old during the Han Dynasty. It is a physical piece of evidence for studying the Han Dynasty's system of respecting and caring for the elderly.
(Images five and six) The 'King's Staff Edict' bamboo slips, totaling 26 pieces.
The slips clearly stipulate that society must show respect to people over the age of 70. The slips record words spoken by Emperor Xuan of Han: 'Since the time of the High Emperor, up to the second year of the Ben Shi era (72 BC), I have felt deep compassion for the elderly. I have bestowed the king's staff, which has a bird on top, so that when the common people see it, they will respect it as if it were a festival. Any officials or citizens who dare to curse, insult, or assault them are acting against the way.' It is also stipulated that the elderly who are granted the king's staff can enter and exit official buildings freely, walk on the emperor's road, conduct business in the market without paying taxes, and if they are not the principal offenders in a crime, they may not be prosecuted.
The 26 bamboo slips are a valuable addition to the previously unearthed 'Ten King's Staff Slips' from Wuwei. The original 'Ten King's Staff Slips' are now housed in the Gansu Provincial Museum. (The 'Ten King's Staff Slips' were unearthed in 1959 from Han Tomb No. 18 at Mouchouzi in Wuwei, Gansu. There are ten wooden slips in total. The content is divided into three parts: the first part consists of two edicts issued by the Western Han emperor regarding 'the bestowal of the king's staff to those aged seventy'; the second part is a case where an elderly person who received the staff was insulted and the subsequent judgment of the offender; the third part records the tomb owner's receipt of the king's staff.)
(Image seven) A replica of the 'Galloping Horse of Wuwei', a symbol of Chinese tourism. I asked the guide, 'The two rings on the horse's buttocks, are they a brand specifically for this type of horse or something else?' The guide explained that they were marks left at the bottom during casting. (This was confirmed later when I saw the original at the Gansu Museum.) Why did I ask this? Because the replica had the marks on the horse's buttocks cast very neatly, like two flowers imprinted on it.
(Image nine) Western Xia dynasty clay movable-type printed Buddhist scriptures, which are the earliest known records proving the existence of movable-type printing. The guide asked, 'What features indicate that movable-type printing was used?' I answered correctly, but I'll leave this point for the children to observe carefully.
(Image 18) The epitaph of Princess Honghua of the Tang Dynasty, which includes the characters for 'Wu Ze Tian Zao', meaning 'Heaven-made'. Attentive friends, can you find which characters they are?
(Image 19) 'The Charm of the Heavenly Ladder and the Buddha's Light of Liangzhou - Special Exhibition of the Tianti Mountain Grottoes', on the third floor of the west exhibition hall, displaying 81 cultural relics from the cleaning, relocation, and restoration of the Tianti Mountain Grottoes. The questions I had from my previous visit to the Tianti Mountain Grottoes were answered here. Our order of visit was reasonable; it is essential to see the Tianti Mountain Grottoes on-site first, then come to the museum for a detailed understanding of the history.
(Image 20) The emblem of the Wuwei Museum, we asked and were told it represents a wooden chariot and horses. Since the 'Galloping Horse of Wuwei' has become a symbol of Chinese tourism, they could only use the wooden chariot and horses. If I go again, I will explore the original wooden chariot and horses.
NomadicNavigatorNetwork
Once you become 'Liangzhou', a touch of desolation lingers upon you
Everyone knows the Ballad of Liangzhou, but few recognize the history of Wuwei.
The day I entered Wuwei city, it was already afternoon. The sky was somewhat overcast, and there were few people and vehicles on the road.
I arrived at the Wuwei Museum at five in the afternoon, worried that I might not be able to get in. The security staff told us that our timing was perfect, as we could visit until six-thirty. Had we come a day later, the museum would close at five. The last day of August 2023 felt a bit special.
Everyone knows the 'Ballad of Liangzhou', but few are aware of Wuwei's history. This place, reclaimed by Huo Qubing, has been a fortress along the Hexi Corridor since the Han Dynasty. It was the second stop on our self-drive tour around Qinghai and Gansu.
The Wuwei Museum is not large, but it is well-maintained and the service is good, with a free beverage area provided. Most of the relics are from tombs, conventional and each tells its history, without any particularly stunning pieces, just like the city's millennia of understatement. History and culture make us remember and revere Dunhuang nearby, and when passing through Wuwei, it seems we only recall the 'Ballad of Liangzhou'.
'Grapes of the finest vintage fill the luminous cups at night, urging one to drink as the pipa hastens the rider.' Following this verse, I bought some local grapes. Then I went to Beiguan Market and had the famous 'three sets of carriage'.
We all yearn for big cities in our lives, yet we seldom come to, and know little about, the small towns in the great Northwest. But even as the world rushes towards prosperity, there are those who stay in a small town, recounting its thousand-year history. If you are fortunate enough to meet them, remember to offer a glass of grape wine.
Next time, I'll tell you about a legendary figure from Wuwei city.
VICTORIA PARKS
Wuwei Museum, the historical stories in the relics
Wuwei, a city I have longed for, not for the scenery, not for the food, but for the legendary stories that happened on this land thousands of years ago. The Yuezhi and Wusun once built cities and multiplied here, Emperor Wu of Han bestowed the name, the place where Huo Qubing fought, the place where the famous cultural relic 'Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow' was unearthed. Recently, after watching the documentary 'Hexi Corridor', I suddenly look forward to seeing it. I always feel it is like a mystery, extremely mysterious, and has some kind of touching solemnity.
I started to explore its history from the Wuwei City Museum. The 5000-year civilization unfolds slowly. There are a large number of cultural relics from the Western Xia period. The ancient black striped patterns on the pottery are like mysterious symbols. I wonder if they have any deeper meanings.
I saw a 1:1 replica of the Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow (5). I thought it was big, but it turned out to be quite small.
The Han Dynasty wood carvings are extremely exquisite, depicting people simply but vividly. How could the craftsmen of that time be so remarkable, I really want to own one.
Picture 7 shows a painted lacquer wood pigeon, a national treasure-level cultural relic.
In the Tianladder Mountain Grottoes exhibition area, I saw a large number of murals, Buddha statues, stone pagodas... it can be described as a feast...
Harper.Robinson@73
Come to Gansu to see the Flying Horse of Gansu unearthed in Wuwei
Gansu Museum is a must-visit for tourists in Gansu, with an excellent experience. As the excavation site of the Flying Horse of Gansu (Bronze Running Horse), Wuwei has a profound cultural heritage. The exhibition hall of Wuwei Museum is well guided and the exhibits are well displayed. The exhibited cultural relics are very exquisite, and photos can't fully present their beauty... The collection includes cultural relics from the Neolithic Age, Han and Tang Dynasties, Western Xia, Ming and Qing Dynasties, etc., which have great historical and viewing value.
Unfortunately, few people know about it now. If you travel to Hexi Corridor and pass by Wuwei, you must come and see!
Due to time constraints, I was in a hurry to see it today, which is a bit regrettable, but it also gives me the opportunity to come again next time~
Travel: You can take bus No. 27, No. 2, or No. 605 from Wuwei Railway Station to Wuwei Museum. You can also take a taxi, and the taxi fare in Wuwei is not expensive.
You must try the cultural and creative ice cream 'Color Painted Lacquer Pigeon', the milk flavor is very strong! It's also a great prop for taking photos and checking in. You can pick up the museum brochure and paper tickets at the front desk, and you can also tell the staff that you want to stamp, and you can stamp on the ticket yourself.