Encounter the artsy side of Beijing
Not many of us know that there are at least 140 museums in Beijing, offering a range of historical, artistic and cultural highlights to this ancient imperial city. Here’s a pick of some of the lesser-known places and spaces that proffer a feast of fine arts.
Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy
This small museum is situated in the Beijing Art Academy, approximately a 10-minute walk south from Chaoyang Park’s west gate, and showcases classical Chinese watercolor paintings. The third and fourth floors are committed to the 20th century’s greatest Chinese watercolor master, Qi Baishi (齐白石, 1864-1957).
Qi’s flowers and insects are famous – it is said his finest work can only be properly appreciated through a magnifying glass. This museum offers a unique opportunity to touch the pulse of this master, with more than 1,100 of his artworks on permanent exhibition. Accompanying these works is a small display of Qi Baishi’s paint brushes, ink slabs and engraving tools.
In addition to Qi Baishi, the first and second floors exhibit more than 4,000 watercolor paintings from the Song dynasty to modern times, including such greats as Xu Beihong, Zhang Daqian, Fu Baoshi, Li Kuchan, Wu Guanzhong and Huang Zhou. The museum also hosts fine arts events and lectures throughout the year.
Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy
RMB 10, RMB 5 for students. English audio guide available (RMB10 for two hours) on the third and fourth floors
Mon-Sun, 9am-5pm (last ticket sold at 4pm)
1 Liulitun Beili, Chaoyang District
6502 5171
北京画院美术馆
朝阳区六里屯北里1号
www.bjaa.com.cn (Chinese only)
China National Film Museum
If you or your kids are movie buffs, this museum is a must for expanding your knowledge of both Chinese and international films. Purportedly the largest national film museum in the world, there are 20 exhibition halls, with the second and third floors displaying more than 4,000 photos introducing 1,500 movies and 450 filmmakers. Examples of galleries include The Invention of Film, Animation, Children’s Film and Documentaries and Translated Films. On the fourth floor, learn all about filmmaking and production in ten multi-functional exhibition halls, including Traditional Special Effects, Digital Stunts and Sound Recording. You can even shoot a short film for RMB 5, then take your film home on a CD.
In addition to the exhibits and hands-on activities, the museum houses five movie theaters playing the latest Chinese and foreign movies. The IMAX cinema’s screen is 21 meters high and 27 meters wide, providing top-of-the-line sound and visual effects. A digital cinema offers high-quality pictures with surround-sound stereos, and three 35mm film projection halls on the first floor project Chinese and classic foreign films. The room often hosts premieres and events where people can meet directors, producers and actors. You can also attend lectures by movie critics and analysts, or join in discussions with fellow movie aficionados.
China National Film Museum
Free; RMB 10-20 for movies (foreign films, either dubbed or with Chinese subtitles, are shown every week)
Tue-Sun, 9am-4.30pm (last ticket sold at 3.30pm, last admittance is at 4pm)
9 Nanying Lu (near Dashanzi), Chaoyang District
6431 9548, 6434 6100
中国电影博物馆
朝阳区南影路9号
www.cnfm.org.cn (Chinese only)
Hu Guang Guildhall Opera Museum
For more than a century, intellectuals, artists and Peking Opera singers gathered and mingled at the Hu Guang Guildhall (湖广会馆), today’s site for the Peking Opera Museum. Built in 1807, the Guildhall saw many a great performance by many a great master during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Hu Guang Grand Opera House was built inside the Guildhall and opened in 1997.
This two-story museum consists of two major exhibition halls. The first floor offers a tour of Peking Opera’s history – from the first opera group that came from Anhui province to Beijing in the Qing dynasty to modern-day opera repertoires and records. Study famous performers’ biographies, stage photos, precious historical opera relics, opera costumes, special instruments and props used during their performances. On the second floor are costumes worn by the late masters Yang Xiaolou and Zhang Junqiu and four erhus crafted to fit the voices and styles of opera greats Mei Lanfang, Shang Xiaoyun, Cheng Yanqiu and Xun Huisheng.
The Hu Guang Grand Opera House hosts daily evening performances ranging from Farewell, My Concubine to Story of the Red Lanterns (红灯记). The gift shop has some spectacular opera masks, fancy tiaras and wooden swords. Both Chinese and English captions are available for most exhibited items.
Hu Guang Guildhall Opera Museum
RMB 10, RMB 5 for students
Mon-Fri, 9-11am; 1.30-5pm
(opera performance 7.30-8.40pm)
Hu Guang Guildhall,
3 Hufang Lu, Xuanwu District
6351 8284
北京戏曲博物馆 (北京湖广会馆内)
宣武区虎坊路3号
www.beijinghuguang.com (Chinese and English)
Kuai Xue Hall Calligraphy Museum
The Kuai Xue Hall Calligraphy Museum inside Beihai Park is a fine place to get a firsthand look at the rich history and tradition of Chinese calligraphy (see Playing Inside on p16).
First built in 1779, Kuai Xue Hall was a Qing dynasty storage facility for books, scriptures and paintings. Consisting of three halls – Cheng Guan, Yu Lan and Kuai Xue – the complex now displays calligraphy masters dating as far back as the Qin dynasty (221-207 BC). The Yu Lan Hall houses a comprehensive display dedicated to the four treasures of calligraphy – brush, paper, ink and ink slab. The exhibition explores the invention of paper, the composition of ancient brushes and the production process of ink and ink slabs.
The Kuai Xue Hall contains 81 stone tablets engraved with the writings of calligraphy masters explaining the peculiar beauty of this refined art. Children might like the gift shop, where they can try their hand at brush and paper with local artists and purchase their own personalized chop.
Kuai Xue Hall Calligraphy Museum
Free. Chinese only
Mon-Sun 9am-4.15pm
North side of the Lake, Beihai Park
1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng District
6406 2280
快雪堂书法博物馆
西城区文津街1号北海公园内
Other museum options:
Capital Museum
Eleven exhibition halls display works of ancient Chinese art, with two additional wings rotating works from other parts of the world.
Free. RMB 30 for temporary exhibitions.
Tue-Sun. 9am-5pm
16 Fuxingmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District
6337 0492
首都博物馆, 西城区复兴门外大街16号
www.capitalmuseum.org.cn
Beijing World Art Museum
This museum, inside the China Millennium Monument, often hosts prestigious international art and culture exhibitions.
RMB 30, RMB 20 for students
Daily 9am-5.30pm
A9 Fuxing Lu, Haidian District
5980 2222
中华世纪坛北京世界艺术博物馆
海淀区复兴路甲9号
www.worldartmuseum.cn
798 Art District
Galleries of innovative work from up-and-coming artists in Beijing and beyond.
Free (with the exception of some major studios and galleries)
Daily (venues open at various hours)
2 and 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
8457 2188
大山子798艺术区
朝阳区酒仙桥路2号和4号
www.798art.org
