Curator’s words

Welcome to the official website of Hubei Provincial Museum and Hubei Provincial Institute of cultural relics and Archaeology.

Hubei Provincial Museum is one of the eight key museums sponsored jointly by the central and local governments, a vice president of China Museum Association, and the primary institute of cultural relic collection, protection, exhibition, education and research in the province. It is the place of promoting Jingchu culture and a window of local civilization. As the largest professional institute with the strongest technical force in Southern China, it is mainly responsible for archaeological investigation, exploration and excavation in Hubei province and correlational research.

Hubei provincial Museum has a collection of more than 230,000 cultural relics, which are mainly of three series, namely, the prehistoric series represented by Qujialing and Shijiahe，the bronzeware series represented by those from Panlongcheng, Chu State and Zeng State, the Ming-dynasty series represented by those from Liangzhuangwang, Yingjingwang Tomb and relics of Wudang. What is more, the beautiful jadeware unearthed from Guojiamiao and Jiuliandun, the Lacquerware of Qin and Han dynasty, the bamboo slips unearthed from Guodian, Baoshan and Yunmeng and the silk in Chu period are quite distinctive too. Some cultural relics like the Chime bells and the Bronze Zunpan from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of the Zeng State, the human skull fossils from Yunxian County, the Blue and White plum vase of the four loves in Yuan Dynasty and the Wudang Golden book enjoy great reputation both home and abroad.

Our archaeological work has made great achievements. So far, we have established the archaeological cultural sequence from the Paleolithic period to Ming and Qing dynasty. Seven of our excavation projects have been selected ”the One Hundred Archaeological Discovery in the 20th Century”, and six have been selected “Top 10 National Archaeological Discoveries”. In recent years, we have achieved more in the archaeological research in prehistoric civilization series of Jujialing and Shijiahe, Zeng State series of Yejiashan, Guojiamiao and Wenfengta, Chu State series of Wanfunao, Tonglvshan and Jinancheng.

We are the key research base recognized by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage in the protection of unearthed lacquerware, a director member of China Museum Association of Musical Instrument, and the secretary of Chu Culture Institute among the four provinces Hunan, Hubei, Henan and Anhui. Our magazine “Jianghan Archaeology” is based on the middle areas of Changjiang river and has currently been issued "China's most internationally influential academic journal".

In recent years, we have culturally exported to the United States, Italy, Russia, Japan, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other countries and regions by temporary exhibitions, among which are “Rites and Music in China — Exhibition of Selected Bronzeware”, “Pre-imperial China — Special Exhibition of Chu relics ”, “Royal Taste —— the Tetrarch Court Art in the 15th Century Ming Dynasty”. We also introduced foreign exhibitions like The Treasures of the Italy Uffizi Gallery”, "The Indian world" and “The Exhibition of Etruscan Civilization“. We have collaborated with other museums and have founded the China-Italy Association of Museums. We have hosted significant cultural events like“the 2012 conference of Asian-Pacific Alliance of the International Council of Museum”and “the Cross-strait Forum”. Our creative cultural products, our chime bell orchestra, and our school of rites and music have played an important role in promoting cultural awareness and educating the public.

In the 63rd anniversary of Hubei Museum, the revised and updated official website was published on March 16th, 2016. Thank you all for your concern and support of our museum and our institute of archaeology. We are hoping to build a platform of cultural exchange and sharing.

Curator of Hubei Provincial Museum

Director of Hubei Provincial Institute of cultural relics and Archaeology.