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New museum showcases ancient water gate
By Li Anlan |
April 15, 2013, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IN 2001, when a construction team was digging at the intersection of Zhidan Road and Yanchang Road W. in Putuo District, they couldn't go deeper than seven meters because they hit a sheet of rock.
Archeologists stepped in to find out more. They discovered wood boards were beneath the slates and underneath that were thousands of timber piles. It was later determined to be an ancient water gate.
Now a museum has been built on the site after a decade of archeological and protective works, and the Yuan Dynasty Water Gate Museum opened on January 1.
Chen Xiejun, the curator of Shanghai Museum, which was responsible for exploring and protecting the water gate, said the age of the water gate was verified after checking ancient water conservation documents.
"The water gate is indeed more than 700 years old," he said in an earlier interview.
The Wusong River, originating from Guajing Creek, was a main waterway in Shanghai before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
But back in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), the river was only 500 meters wide, because silt deposits had narrowed it, which eventually slowed down the economy of Yangtze River Delta due to inefficient transportation.
Both the government and locals wanted to invest money to clean up the Wusong River.
The water gate was constructed to solve the silt problem. The structure applied the slate building standards of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The well preserved site people see today is also an example for experts to study construction methods used 700 years ago.
In order to stop and wash away the silt, the gate would be closed when the tide came. When the tide went out, the water gate was opened so the river could wash away the silt.
The museum has left the water gate in its original form. About 2,000 of the 10,000 timber posts are exposed so visitors can see the details, though some are still wrapped in white plastic for protection.
The archeology team spent more than a decade studying the water gate and working out the best way to protect it.
"It is also an important witness of changes to Suzhou Creek," Chen said in the museum's introduction video.
The designed route leads the visitors to different sections of the water gate site. In the underground palace, it is cool and humid: the feeling of one's actually standing inside the water gate.
The museum features more than just photos. Visitors can learn how the water gate was built through an animated video.
Visitors can also walk above the water gate and see other remains including brick walls, a limestone slab pavement at the bottom of the water gate and miscellaneous limestone remnants.
The wooden piles are also known as the "ground nails" and vary in height and size. Some piles have characters written on them, which was a way of monitoring construction.
The museum has some transparent walkways so people can see directly beneath their feet.
Some valuable cultural relics dug up include celadon bowls, coins, porcelain and iron nails.
Zhou Haogao, a researcher at Shanghai Museum, said in an earlier interview: "It was a long process from the discovery of the water gate to protecting it. The subject of historical relic protection is just getting started among the public."
Yuan Dynasty Water Gate Museum
Address: 619 Yanchang Rd W.
How to get there: Metro Line 7, Xincun Rd Station
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-4:30pm
Tel: 1521-4380-020
Tel: Admission: Free
Putuo Library
Putuo Library was established in 1957. The new library covers 35,000 square meters and was opened in early 2010.
The collection contains 800,000 books, documents and periodicals, and 1,226 kinds of newspapers and magazines. The modern library combines book rental, academic research, information consultation, training and education, and provides database inquiry services.
The library also exhibits manuscripts by some Shanghai contemporary writers. It provides a children's library, and an educational library for young people.
The reading area has 1,107 seats, and visitors do not need a membership card.
The library hosts various exhibitions and lectures and is open free to public. It hosts activities to promote reading.
Address: 1278 Tongchuan Rd near Daduhe Rd
How to get there: Metro Line 11, Zhenru Station
Hours: Monday, 9am-4:30pm; Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-9pm
Tel: 5265-5000
Admission: Free
Archeologists stepped in to find out more. They discovered wood boards were beneath the slates and underneath that were thousands of timber piles. It was later determined to be an ancient water gate.
Now a museum has been built on the site after a decade of archeological and protective works, and the Yuan Dynasty Water Gate Museum opened on January 1.
Chen Xiejun, the curator of Shanghai Museum, which was responsible for exploring and protecting the water gate, said the age of the water gate was verified after checking ancient water conservation documents.
"The water gate is indeed more than 700 years old," he said in an earlier interview.
The Wusong River, originating from Guajing Creek, was a main waterway in Shanghai before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
But back in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), the river was only 500 meters wide, because silt deposits had narrowed it, which eventually slowed down the economy of Yangtze River Delta due to inefficient transportation.
Both the government and locals wanted to invest money to clean up the Wusong River.
The water gate was constructed to solve the silt problem. The structure applied the slate building standards of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The well preserved site people see today is also an example for experts to study construction methods used 700 years ago.
In order to stop and wash away the silt, the gate would be closed when the tide came. When the tide went out, the water gate was opened so the river could wash away the silt.
The museum has left the water gate in its original form. About 2,000 of the 10,000 timber posts are exposed so visitors can see the details, though some are still wrapped in white plastic for protection.
The archeology team spent more than a decade studying the water gate and working out the best way to protect it.
"It is also an important witness of changes to Suzhou Creek," Chen said in the museum's introduction video.
The designed route leads the visitors to different sections of the water gate site. In the underground palace, it is cool and humid: the feeling of one's actually standing inside the water gate.
The museum features more than just photos. Visitors can learn how the water gate was built through an animated video.
Visitors can also walk above the water gate and see other remains including brick walls, a limestone slab pavement at the bottom of the water gate and miscellaneous limestone remnants.
The wooden piles are also known as the "ground nails" and vary in height and size. Some piles have characters written on them, which was a way of monitoring construction.
The museum has some transparent walkways so people can see directly beneath their feet.
Some valuable cultural relics dug up include celadon bowls, coins, porcelain and iron nails.
Zhou Haogao, a researcher at Shanghai Museum, said in an earlier interview: "It was a long process from the discovery of the water gate to protecting it. The subject of historical relic protection is just getting started among the public."
Yuan Dynasty Water Gate Museum
Address: 619 Yanchang Rd W.
How to get there: Metro Line 7, Xincun Rd Station
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-4:30pm
Tel: 1521-4380-020
Tel: Admission: Free
Putuo Library
Putuo Library was established in 1957. The new library covers 35,000 square meters and was opened in early 2010.
The collection contains 800,000 books, documents and periodicals, and 1,226 kinds of newspapers and magazines. The modern library combines book rental, academic research, information consultation, training and education, and provides database inquiry services.
The library also exhibits manuscripts by some Shanghai contemporary writers. It provides a children's library, and an educational library for young people.
The reading area has 1,107 seats, and visitors do not need a membership card.
The library hosts various exhibitions and lectures and is open free to public. It hosts activities to promote reading.
Address: 1278 Tongchuan Rd near Daduhe Rd
How to get there: Metro Line 11, Zhenru Station
Hours: Monday, 9am-4:30pm; Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-9pm
Tel: 5265-5000
Admission: Free
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