Rain, rain, rain, rain, come to the umbrella umbrella museum to take shelter from the rain.
On rainy days, Tadpole Jun often wonders when he walks on the road. The weather forecast clearly says that it will rain today. What are those who don't have an umbrella thinking?
is there a lotus pond on the way to work, and it rains, which is a big deal?
or ... she's looking forward to running onto the overpass, just when "Xu Xian" is willing to hold a small oiled paper umbrella with her?
or ... there is a good wife and craftsman like Lu Ban's wife, Yun Shi, who not only makes her own umbrella, but also sends it all the way?
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The China Umbrella Museum to be visited today is located in the historical and cultural block west of Gongchen Bridge in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
If you really love Tadpole Jun, you may remember that I once introduced the "China Fan Museum" (→ Portal) which is also here. This block, together with Hangzhou Arts and Crafts Museum, China Knife and Sword Museum and Handicraft Living Exhibition Hall, forms a museum community full of rich history and culture, which has become a new cultural landscape in the north of Hangzhou.
misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River has spawned a unique umbrella culture. The aesthetics, poetry and symbolic meaning of umbrellas are accompanied by this wheel of historical development, which has crushed a unique cultural track.
China Umbrella Museum is a museum that comprehensively displays the umbrella culture, umbrella history, umbrella story, umbrella making technology and umbrella art represented by China, and it is the first umbrella theme museum in the world.
The exhibition of the museum is divided into six units. You can catch all the unexpected things about umbrellas:
Unit 1: The Origin of China Umbrella
Who was the umbrella and how was it invented? There is no exact statement. Inspired by the lotus leaf, it is one of the guesses (the picture comes from Sohu culture)
The origin of the umbrella is a problem that cannot be clearly explained at present. In ancient China, there are many legends and documents about the invention of umbrellas, and there are also some archaeological materials for us to explore. Although these materials can't give an accurate answer, they can open our infinite imagination. We will show our speculative views here and let the audience make their own judgments. Perhaps one day, it is your point of view that has solved the mystery of the origin of China Umbrella, and it has become a recognized conclusion.
Unit 2: Oil-paper Umbrella and Oil-cloth Umbrella
Oil-paper Umbrella is a traditional daily umbrella of the Han nationality, which has been used for more than 1 years. Hand-cut bamboo strips are used as the umbrella frame, and lint paper coated with natural waterproof tung oil is used as the umbrella surface. Oil-paper umbrella is the earliest umbrella in the world. It is made by hand, all made from natural materials, and it is the crystallization of the wisdom of ancient people in China (the picture comes from the beehive)
During the Republic of China, the octagonal oil-paper umbrella (from official website, China Umbrella Museum)
Before the Han Dynasty, the umbrella was large in size, and the umbrella cover was probably woven from silk and bird feathers, which was mainly popular in the upper class because of its high price. In the Han Dynasty, with the invention of paper, the situation changed fundamentally. When paper is used as an umbrella cover, the umbrella becomes an appliance that people can consume and begins to have a close relationship with daily life. The paper umbrella is coated with tung oil to enhance its water repellency, which is called oil-paper umbrella, and has good rain-proof performance. After the rise of cotton spinning industry, oilcloth umbrellas with cotton cloth as umbrella cover materials also appeared. It is more durable and more expensive than oil-paper umbrella, and it is still popular. In modern times, the traditional umbrella industry was violently impacted by the modern umbrella industry, and a craft umbrella with clear aesthetic function was developed. It brings people beautiful enjoyment, but also brings a trace of nostalgic attachment.
Unit 3: Beautiful Xihu Silk Umbrella
Workshop (model) for making Xihu Silk Umbrella (the picture comes from the beehive)
Silk has long been used as an umbrella material, especially after the middle Tang Dynasty. With the popularization of silk, silk umbrellas became more and more popular. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Lin 'an was the center of umbrella making in China. There were many kinds of silk umbrellas in the market, such as large and small yellow umbrellas, cool umbrellas, small red and green umbrellas and square umbrellas for customers to choose from. In modern times, Hangzhou Xihu Silk Umbrella, as the most beautiful branch of the silk umbrella family, stood out and became the outstanding representative of China Silk Umbrella. The silk umbrella in the West Lake is made of bamboo and covered with silk. It is small and exquisite and elegant in style. The shape of the umbrella head draws on the "three pools" in the West Lake. Besides paying attention to artistic changes, the shape of the umbrella handle also requires comfortable feel and smooth lines. At the same time, the threading of the flower thread and the shape of the umbrella buckle are full of folk flavor, which also sets off the exquisite craft of the silk umbrella and has a strong local color in the south of the Yangtze River.
Unit 4: Umbrella Culture
Borrowing an umbrella from a broken bridge (picture from Ctrip. com)
Umbrella is accompanied by people's life, and people also give their own feelings and ideas and symbolic meanings based on this concept to umbrellas. The cultural connotation formed by umbrella in historical accumulation is extensive, profound and complex. Its system, its form, its color, and even its Chinese characters have aroused people's infinite associations. It is not only a part of the ceremonial system that separates people, but also a medium that connects people with the same wish. It not only brings happiness and auspiciousness to people, but also becomes an unspeakable taboo in folk psychology. It is in this diversified mood that a rich and diverse umbrella culture has been formed in various places.
Unit 5: Umbrella Going to the World
Umbrella in japanese geisha (picture from Sina blog)
In some areas outside China, umbrellas appeared very early. In ancient Egypt, the umbrella was a part of Pharaoh's ceremonial ceremony; In ancient Greece, umbrellas were special devices for aristocratic women to shade the sun. In the long Middle Ages, umbrellas did not appear in people's daily life except for the ceremonial umbrellas kept by the Holy See. It is generally believed that umbrellas, which really serve as people's daily necessities, come from China, whether in the East or in the West. In the Tang Dynasty, China Umbrella spread to Korea and Japan, and developed in Japan. Sporadic umbrellas from China began to enter Europe after the mid-16th century, but it was not until the mid-17th century that umbrellas began to enter European life. Umbrella going to the world not only brings convenience to people from all over the world, but also enriches local culture. Today, many parts of the world have formed their own unique umbrella culture.
Unit 6: Various modern umbrellas
Until the second half of the 17th century, umbrellas in Europe were still bulky, and the use of umbrellas was not so much to keep out the sun and rain as to show identity. This situation changed fundamentally in the 19th century when the curved steel umbrella frame was successfully developed. With the advent of freely retractable umbrellas, umbrellas began to really enter people's daily lives. The richer and more varied textile materials provided by modern textile technology have also promoted the modern transformation of umbrellas. Although the shape of the umbrella has been preserved, the change of materials has brought a revolution to the umbrella making industry. This revolution, in turn, violently impacted the traditional handmade umbrella industry in China. In the process of modernization in China, modern metal umbrellas quickly replaced traditional oil-paper umbrellas and became the mainstream of umbrellas. Although the red oiled paper umbrella is still beautiful and vivid, it has finally entered the list of intangible culture and is gradually drifting away from people's lives.
umbrellas are attractive because of the rain. The China Umbrella Museum is inseparable from the rain. There are virtual rain scenes and water mist in the museum as renderings. The whole venue is dominated by white walls and gray tiles, which reminds people of Dai Wangshu's long and lonely rain lane, holding an oil-paper umbrella and wandering alone.
The scene simulating Rain Lane in China Umbrella Museum (the picture is from Sohu culture)
If you think it's just a walk, it's too lacking in participation, don't worry, the museum also has an interactive area, where you can assemble parts for the umbrella, draw the umbrella cover and repair the umbrella.
The interactive area in the museum allows you to have a DIY addiction (picture from the beehive)
* Visit guide *:
China Umbrella Museum is located in the historical and cultural block west of Gongchenqiao Bridge in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, with planning Okawaji in the west, Qiaoxizhi Street in the east, Tongyuanli in the south and Tongheli in the north.
Bus lines and arrival stops
◎ Get off at Taizhou intersection and cross Gongchen Bridge for 1 meters;
◎ Bus p>◎7, No.61 and No.63 get off at the Xiaohe intersection of Dengyun Road and walk north along Okawaji for about 6 meters;
◎ The p>◎K1 bus gets off at Dengyun intersection station in Okawaji, and heads north along Okawaji for about 5m;
◎ water bus and Yufang are under Gongchen Bridge Pier, and cross Gongchen Bridge to Qiaonong Street.
opening and closing time
◎ Tuesday to Sunday 9:-16:3
◎ It is closed all day on Monday (except holidays).