1、1Shanghai for Art and Culture HoundsSHANGHAI is not only an economic powerhouse, but also a cultural wellspring of China. A rough count will come up with more than 20 well-known museums, not to mention art galleries of various importance that number no less than 100. These cultural and art facilitie
2、s add diversity to the itinerary of visitors headed for the World Expo. The Shanghai Museum This is a comprehensive art museum located at 201 Renmin Road and simply the best place to appreciate ancient Chinese art within and around the city. The museum has a collection of nearly 1 million pieces, in
3、cluding 130,000 very valuable ones. It is best known for its trove of bronze ware, pottery, porcelain, paintings and calligraphic works. The architecture of the museum carries forward the concept of the traditional Chinese cosmos that the heaven is round and the earth square. The unique structure ha
4、s a square base and a round top surmounted by an arch. 2The first floor is dedicated to ancient bronze ware and sculpture; the second, pottery and porcelain; the third, paintings, calligraphy and seals from various dynasties; and the fourth, ancient jade ware and currencies, furniture from the Ming
5、and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), and arts and crafts of Chinas minority ethnic groups. The Ancient Bronze Hall houses over 400 exhibits, mapping Chinas bronze art from the 18th B.C. to the third century B.C. The most prominent of them is the Dake Ding (Tripod) from the late Western Zhou Dynasty (1046
6、-771 B.C.). It is a 201.5-kg heavyweight, standing 93.1 cm tall. The rim is engraved with animal faces; the outer surface of the round body is lined by wave designs; the inner surface bears an inscription of 290 characters. Background music played on bronze chimes echo in the hall. The Ancient Sculp
7、ture Hall on the same floor is also worth a visit. It showcases the developmental progression of Chinese sculpture from the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). A great number of them are Buddhist sculptures, which give a clue to the impact of Buddhism on traditional
8、 Chinese culture. The Ancient Pottery and Porcelain Hall has more than 500 artifacts traversing the great historic 3span from the Neolithic Age to the late Qing Dynasty; among them are the prototype celadon, tri-color porcelains of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the colorful porcelains of Jingdezhen
9、. The painting and calligraphy halls also feature priceless collections from different dynasties. The more than 70 pieces displayed in the Calligraphy Hall are original works by masters of various calligraphic schools. Rotating and irregular exhibitions of cultural relics and art works are mounted f
10、rom the collections of other museums in China and around the world. Currently, a choice selection from the collection of Italys Uffizi Gallery ?C a primary art museum in Florence, Italy ?C is on display at the Shanghai Museum till June 6. Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (year-round; no entry after 16:00)
11、Entrance fee: Except for special exhibitions, the ticket is free, and is provided upon requisition (a daily issuance of 5,000). Transport: Subway Line 1, 2 and 8 to the Renmin Square Stop 4Shanghai Art Museum Located at 325 West Nanjing Road, this art gallery is close to the Shanghai Museum and hous
12、ed in the building of the former Shanghai Racing Clubhouse, a good example of British-style architecture from the 1930s. The interior uses natural materials, such as stone and wood, in a minimalist style. The Shanghai Art Museum has 12 exhibition halls and a collection of 4,000 oils, prints and trad
13、itional Chinese paintings, including masterpieces by some celebrated modern artists from Shanghai. On display this May are some 60 works by Shanghai artist Chen Yifei, and a show of some 40 paintings, 40 digital photos and a multimedia video installation by Alwin van der Linde, a Dutch artist of Spa
14、nish origin. Famous contemporary Chinese artist Wu Guanzhong is on show year-round. The eighth Shanghai Biennale will open at the museum on October 23, 2010. Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (no entry after 16:00) Entrance fee: RMB 20 for a regular ticket. The ticket price 5for a special show is pending. T
15、ransport: Subway Line 1, 2 and 8 to the Renmin Square Stop MOCA Shanghai The Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai (MOCA Shanghai) sits inside the Peoples Park in the vicinity of the Shanghai Art Museum. It is an independently operated non-profit art institution funded by the Samuel Kung Foundation. M
16、OCA Shanghai is devoted to promoting Chinese and international contemporary art and often hosts solo shows and art lectures. On display in May are photographic works and installations by Italian artists. Visitors can obtain a free art map at the reception of the museum, for information on important
17、exhibitions and addresses of the major cultural and art venues in Shanghai. Opening hours: 10:00-18:00 daily except for Wednesday and Friday; 10:00-22:00 Wednesday; closed on Friday Entrance fee: RMB 20 for a regular ticket. Transport: Buses No. 18, 37 and 123 to the Renmin Square Stop or Xizang Cen
18、tral Road Stop; Subway Line 1, 2 and 8 to the 6Renmin Square Stop Others The Shanghai Postal Museum at 276 North Suzhou Road is an architectural artifact from the 1920s combining British, Roman and Italian styles. The museum showcases Chinese postal history through documents, artifacts, and a large
19、collection of stamps from different periods. The Liu Haisu Art Museum in Shanghais Hongqiao Development Zone, 1660 Hongqiao Road, is named after the famous Shanghai artist. It is a combination art gallery, miniature museum and memorial to the artist. The museums collection is built around donations
20、by Liu Haisu, including his calligraphic, oil and Chinese painting masterpieces and his collection of works by famous artists and calligraphers of various periods. The Bridge No. 8 Creative Art Center, at Nos. 8-10 Central Jianguo Road, is a conversion of an old factory district. The center incorpor
21、ates seven buildings, whose bulky walls and pipeworks remind visitors of the industrial phases of lively human settlements. Most of the art shops here specialize in interior decoration and sculpture. The No. 8 Bridge itself is 7also converted from old factory facilities ?C a combination of original
22、industrial practicality and new aesthetics. Tianzifang at 210 Alleyway on Taikang Road is a haunt for arts and crafts lovers. In the late 1990s, prominent artists Chen Yifei, Er Dongqiang and Wang Jiajun set up their studios here and were followed by a mass convergence of artists as well as arts and crafts shops, changing the once quiet alley into stimulating platform for artistic ideas and deals.
