Permanent Exhibition

The Relics Unearthed from the Tomb of the Nanyue King

   The tomb of the Nanyue king was one of China's most important archeological discoveries in the 1980s. There unearthed 10,434 relics, mainly jade wares and bronze works. The jade shroud sewn with silk thread and the rhinoceros horn-shaped jade drinking vessel were the cream of jade works of the Han period. The bronze bucket with boat pattern, the tiger-shaped "Jie" and the "Pan Yu" bronze tripod were also rare treasures.
These relics have provided valuable materials for research on the development of both the Lingnan region in the Qin and Han Dynasties and Guangzhou City in its initial stages. They also have helped develop an understanding of the cultural and commercial exchanges between the Han and Yue people, and between China and the rest of the world at the time.
The exhibition is classified into five sections. They are respectively:
1. The Seals of Emperor Wen
2. The Treasures from the King's Coffin Room
3. The Articles with the Human Sacrifices
4. The Treasures from the Storerooms
5. The Musical Instruments and the Banquet Utensils.

Temporary Exhibition

The Ceramic Pillows

   Pillows are indispensable items in our daily lives. Their history dates back to at least three thousand years ago. Besides wood pillows, there were also stone pillows and bronze pillows, etc. in the ancient time. Ceramic pillows were first produced during the Sui and Tang Dynasty, and became popular during the Song and Jin Dynasties. As they were produced in different provincial kilns, their shapes and decorative motifs reflect the popular favor at that time.
   The museum has a collection of over 400 ceramic pillows, among which over 200 pieces were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Yeung Wing Tak, the famous Hongkong collectors and industrialists. The pillows range in date from the Tang to the Yuan Dynasty, with the majority produced during the Song and Jin Dynasties. Most came from the kilns of Henan and Hebei, which were the major producing areas in North China from the Tang to Yuan period. Gongxian Kiln, Cizhou Kiln, Dengfeng Kiln, Ru Kiln, Ding Kiln, Yaozhou Kiln in the North and Changsha Kiln and Jingdezhen Kiln in the South were well-known kilns in history. The collection of ceramic pillows in our museum is unparalleled at home and abroad in terms of quantity, variety and places of the kilns.