The Nanjing Museum () is a provincial public museum in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is owned by the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government and operated by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.
With an area of , the museum is one of the largest museums in China, with over 400,000 items in its permanent collection. Especially notable is the museum's enormous collections of Ming and Qing imperial porcelain, which is among the largest in the world.
History
The Nanjing Museum was one of the first museums established in China. The predecessor of the Nanjing Museum was the preparatory department of the National Central Museum, which was established in 1933. The museum took over in the Half Hill Garden of Zhongshan Gate. Cai Yuanpei, the first preparatory president of the council of the museum, proposed building three major halls, named "Humanity," "Craft" and "Nature". Because of China's political instability in the 1930s, only the Humanity Hall was built. During the Japanese invasion, part of its collections were transferred to Southwest China, and in the end moved to the National Palace Museum in Taipei when the Kuomintang lost the Chinese Civil War.
- The Historical Exhibition Hall shows the history of Jiangsu Province from prehistoric times to the Qing dynasty. It includes Neolithic pottery and tools, Shang and Zhou bronze vessels, Han lacquerware and jade burial suits, Tang sancai ceramics, and porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
- The Art Exhibition Hall displays Chinese painting, calligraphy, sculpture, jade, bronze, and ceramics, showing how artistic styles developed over time.
- The Republic of China Hall covers the period from 1912 to 1949, when Nanjing was the capital. It includes documents, photographs, clothing, and everyday objects from that time.
- The Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall presents traditional crafts and performing arts from Jiangsu Province, including Nanjing Cloud Brocade and paper-cutting.
- The Digital Hall uses multimedia and interactive technology to explain history and culture.
- The Special Exhibition Hall hosts temporary exhibitions on specific themes or new discoveries.
Gallery
Paintings
<gallery>
File:Giant Bamboos and Stones by Li Kan.jpg|Giant Bamboos and Stones by Li Kan (1245–1320), 13th century
File:Portrait of Jiang Shunfu.jpg|A Ming portrait of the official Jiang Shunfu, late 15th century
File:Watching the Spring and Listening to the Wind by Tang Yin.jpg|Watching the Spring and Listening to the Wind by Tang Yin (1470–1524), early 16th century
File:Camellia and a Lonely Bird by Zhou Shuxi.jpg|Camellia and a Lonely Bird by Zhou Shuxi (1624–1705)
File:Fisherman and Fisherwoman by Huang Shen.jpg|Fisherman and Fisherwoman by Huang Shen (1687–1772)
File:Four Beauties by Ni Tian.jpg|Four Beauties by Ni Tian (1855–1919)
</gallery>
Lacquer
<gallery>
File:Western Han rectangular lacquerware box.JPG|A Western Han (202 BC - 9 AD) red-and-black rectangular lacquerware box
File:Ming Dynasty lacquerware plate.JPG|A Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) black lacquerware plate
File:Ming Dynasty lacquered bowl.JPG|A Ming red lacquered bowl
File:Ming Dynasty mother-of-pearl and lacquer plates.JPG|A pair of Ming Dynasty black lacquerware plates with mother-of-pearl inlaid designs of domestic scenes.
File:Lacquered box with character for luck, Qianlong Period.JPG|A Qing red lacquerware box with the Chinese character for "spring" inscribed on the front, dated to the Qianlong Emperor's reign (1736–1795)
File:Lacquered plate, Qianlong Period, Qing Dynasty.JPG|A red lacquerware plate, dated to the Qianlong Emperor's reign
</gallery>
Ceramics
<gallery>
File:Western Jin Celadon pot (top) with decorations.JPG|A Western Jin Dynasty (265–316 AD) celadon ceramic jar with human figures, animals, and architecture.
File:Song Dynasty porcelain box with flower design.JPG|A Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) porcelain box with a flower design
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain dish, Hongwu Reign Period.JPG|A Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD) porcelain dish from the reign of the Hongwu Emperor (1368–1398 AD)
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain vase, Yongle Reign Period.JPG|A Ming blue-and-white porcelain vase from the reign of the Yongle Emperor (1402–1424 AD)
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain dish, Xuande Reign Period.JPG|A Ming blue-and-white porcelain dish from the reign of the Xuande Emperor (1425–1435 AD)
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain ding vessel, Xuande Reign Period.JPG|A Ming blue-and-white porcelain ding vessel from the reign of the Xuande Emperor (1425–1435 AD).
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain vase, Zhengde Reign Period.JPG|A Ming porcelain vase from the reign of the Zhengde Emperor (1505–1521 AD).
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain dish, Jiajing Reign Period (2).JPG|A Ming blue-and-white porcelain dish from the reign of the Jiajing Emperor (1521–1567 AD)
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain bowl, Wanli Reign Period.JPG|A Ming porcelain bowl from the reign of the Wanli Emperor (1572–1620 AD).
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain vase, Wanli Reign Period (2).JPG|A Ming blue-and-white porcelain vase from the reign of the Wanli Emperor (1572–1620 AD)
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain box, Wanli Reign Period.JPG|A Ming blue-and-white porcelain box from the reign of the Wanli Emperor (1572–1620 AD)
File:Ming Dynasty porcelain bowl, Chongzhen Reign Period.JPG|A Ming blue-and-white porcelain bowl from the reign of the Chongzhen Emperor (1627–1644 AD)
</gallery>
See also
- Nanjing Municipal Museum
- List of museums in China