Dive into a world where art transcends time at the Guangzhou Oriental Museum. If you never visit Guangzhou Oriental Museum you won’t truly know breathtaking captivation. The Guangzhou Oriental Museum is truly one of China’s most extensive art museums.
Here at the Guangzhou Oriental Museum, we are surrounded by beauty. It is nestled between the Oriental Museum Bluffs and the Li River. Harmony Square lies to the West. Across the water, you can see the Asian Games Beach Volleyball Complex.
Inside the Guangzhou Oriental Museum, ancient porcelain, bronze wares and paintings await. Each piece has withstood the test of time. They remain superior to their contemporaries. Standing in these halls, you can feel the pulse of those who came before. You can also vividly sense and experience history.
The Guangzhou Oriental Museum’s exhibitions include China’s ancient porcelain. They are representative of ancient Chinese civilization. Most specifically, the Yuan Dynasty’s underglaze blue porcelain connects China of old and recent imperial China. The museum provides a multi-faceted approach to enjoying Yuan Dynasty porcelain. You can observe not only the aesthetic beauty but also learn its historical value. You can learn its technical value, investment value and learn to critique it too.
The Guangzhou Oriental Museum exhibits several hundred pieces. These pieces span over 3000 years of history. They are divided into six chronological exhibition halls. Let’s explore them.
First, we have the Bronze Ware Hall. History guides us through bronze wares of the Western Zhou Dynasty. We continue to The Spring and Autumn Period and The Warring States Period. Their shapes vary vastly and they are truly incomparable. Next, we encounter the simple potteries from the Qin and Han Dynasties. Finally, we enjoy Qing Dynasties exquisite bronze bodied cloisonné wares. They take western colors and apply them in Chinese taste and adornments. You can feel the ancient Chinese ability to use and mold nature. You can understand their progression in society, lifestyle and art.
Next up is the Tang and Song Dynasty Hall. Aesthetics guide us through the Tang Dynasty’s graceful gold gilded bronze wares. We then take in the vibrant yet simple sights of the Tang Dynasty’s Sancai or Three-colored porcelain wares. Finally, we enjoy the beautiful porcelains produced by the five famous kilns of the Song Dynasty. You will see how workers turned plain soil into objects that won China its name. You will feel the breadth and grandeur of China during the Tang and Song Dynasties.
After that, we arrive at the Yuan Dynasty Porcelain Hall. Creativity guides us through the raw materials, techniques, formulation and art of the Yuan Dynasty. You will experience the great underglaze blue and colored porcelain wares that they completed. By doing this, you climb the staircase that connects the porcelain of old with the renowned porcelain that followed.
Then we have the Ming Dynasty Porcelain Hall. Refinement guides us as we see the blossoming of Jingdezhen’s common and imperial kilns. They competed for their share of the porcelain market. Here you will have the pleasure of taking in the beauty of underglaze, overglaze, Doucai or complimenting color and monochrome porcelain wares of the Ming Dynasty. You will also get a taste of the stories behind the emperors Hong Wu, Yong Le, Xuan De and Cheng Hua.
Following that, we arrive at the Qing Dynasty Porcelain Hall. Critiques guide us as we get a taste of the shapes, forms, glazes, paints, adornments, markings, fen cai or famille rose, falang cai or enameled and bronze colored wares. This will help you to critique the greats: Kang Xi, Yong Zheng and Qian Long. You will see the decline of the late Qing and even see the relationship of porcelain to the colorfulness of life.
Finally, we have the Painting and Calligraphy Hall. Art guides us as we look for the deep and vast meaning expressed by the Chinese painter. Within each small square world, try to understand the sky, the earth, mountains, water, people and animals. In turn feel their vividness. From there you will take the artistic journey of China’s greatest and most renowned painters like Wen Zheng Ming, Dong Qi Chang, Tang Yin, Ba Da Shan Ren, Lang Shi Ning, Zhang Da Qian and Fu Bao Shi.
The Guangzhou Oriental Museum is more than just a museum. It’s a journey through time and art. It’s a testament to China’s rich cultural heritage. As you leave, carry with you the captivation. Remember the stories these artifacts whisper. Let them inspire your own journey of discovery.