China Umbrella Museum

The unique umbrella culture is derived from Yanyu south of the Yangtze River. The aesthetic, poetic and symbolic meanings of the umbrella, along with the wheel of historical development, have rolled out a unique cultural track, and the Chinese umbrella Museum has collected such a culture. The museum introduces the umbrella culture, history, story, technology and art represented by China. It is the first umbrella themed Museum in the world. There are virtual rain scenes, water mist, etc. played by multimedia in the museum. The whole venue is mainly white walls and gray tiles, which reminds people of Dai Wangshu's description of a girl wandering alone with an oil paper umbrella in a long and lonely rain lane. There is also an interactive area where you can personally experience the process of making Umbrellas - assembling parts for umbrellas, painting umbrellas and repairing umbrellas.

China Umbrella Museum

China Umbrella museum is located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Yanyu Jiangnan, derived from the unique umbrella culture, umbrella aesthetic, umbrella poetic and umbrella symbolic meaning, along with the wheel of historical development, rolling out a unique cultural track.

Development history

China Umbrella museum is the first umbrella themed Museum in the world, which comprehensively displays umbrella culture, history, story, technology and art represented by China.

The construction area of the exhibition hall of China Umbrella museum is 2411 square meters, and the construction area of the temporary exhibition hall is 527 square meters. Located in the West historical and Cultural District of Gongchen bridge, with Gongchen bridge as the landmark, together with Hangzhou arts and Crafts Museum, China knife and sword Museum, China Fan Museum and Handicraft Exhibition Hall as a whole, it has formed a museum community full of rich history and culture, and has become a new cultural landscape in the north of Hangzhou city. Walking through museums is a journey of finding knowledge with nostalgic feelings and flowing memories of the canal.

The umbrella is beautiful because of the rain. The Chinese umbrella museum is inseparable from the rain. In the museum, there are virtual rain scenes, small water mist, etc. played by multi-media. The whole hall is dominated by white walls and gray tiles. It is reminiscent of Dai Wangshu's long and lonely rain lane, a girl holding an oil paper umbrella wandering alone.

The museum also has an interactive area for assembling parts, painting and repairing umbrellas.

architectural composition

Unit 1: the origin of Chinese umbrella

The origin of umbrellas is a problem that cannot be explained clearly. In ancient China, there are many legends and documents about the invention of umbrellas, as well as some archaeological materials for us to explore. Although these materials can not give an accurate answer, they can open up our infinite imagination. Let's show our speculative views here and let our audience make their own judgment. Perhaps one day, it is your point of view that has solved the mystery of the origin of Chinese umbrellas, and has become a recognized conclusion.

Unit 2: oil paper umbrella and oil cloth umbrella

Before the Han Dynasty, the size of umbrellas was large. The surface of umbrellas was probably woven with silk and bird feathers. Because of the high price, they were mainly popular in the upper class. In the Han Dynasty, with the invention of paper, the situation changed fundamentally. When paper was used as the umbrella surface, the umbrella became a tool that people could consume and began to have a close relationship with daily life. The surface of paper umbrella is coated with tung oil to enhance water repellency, which is called oil paper umbrella, and has good rain shelter performance. After the rise of cotton spinning industry, the oilcloth umbrella with cotton cloth as the umbrella surface material also appeared. It is stronger and more durable than the oil paper umbrella, the price is higher, and it is still popular. In modern times, the traditional umbrella industry was severely impacted by the modern umbrella industry, and a kind of craft umbrella with clear aesthetic function developed. It brings people the enjoyment of beauty, but also with a trace of nostalgic attachment.

Unit 3: beautiful West Lake silk umbrella

Silk has long been used as an umbrella material, especially after the Mid Tang Dynasty. With the popularity of silk, silk umbrellas became more popular. Lin'an in Southern Song Dynasty is the center of umbrella making in China. There are many kinds of silk umbrellas on the market, such as large and small yellow Luo umbrellas, cool umbrellas, small red and green umbrellas and square umbrellas. In modern times, Hangzhou Xihu silk umbrella, as the most beautiful one of the silk umbrella family, stood out and became the outstanding representative of Chinese silk umbrella. The West Lake silk umbrella is made of bamboo and silk. It is small and exquisite with elegant style. The modeling of the umbrella head is based on the "three pools" in the West Lake. Besides paying attention to the artistic changes, the modeling of the handle also requires comfortable handle and smooth lines. At the same time, the wearing and making of the flower thread and the modeling of the umbrella buckle are full of folk flavor, which also set off the exquisite craft of the silk umbrella, with a strong local color in the south of the Yangtze River.

Unit 4: umbrella culture

Umbrella is accompanied by people's life at the same time, people also give their own feelings and ideas, as well as the symbolic meaning based on this concept to umbrella. The cultural connotation of umbrella is extensive, profound and complex. Its system, its form, its color, and even its Chinese characters have aroused people's infinite Association. It is not only a part of the honor guard system to distinguish the crowd, but also a medium to connect people with common aspirations. It not only brings happiness and auspiciousness to people, but also becomes an unspeakable taboo in the folk mentality. It is in this diversified mood that various umbrella cultures are formed.

Unit 5: umbrella to the world

In some areas outside China, umbrellas have appeared for a long time. In ancient Egypt, the umbrella was a part of the Pharaonic guard of honor; in ancient Greece, the umbrella was a special device for noble women to shade. In the long middle ages, the umbrella was not seen in people's daily life except that the Vatican kept the umbrella of honor. It is generally believed that the umbrella, which is really used as people's daily necessities, comes from China in both the East and the West. In the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese umbrella spread to Korea and Japan, and carried forward in Japan. Since the middle of the 16th century, sporadic Chinese umbrellas began to enter Europe, but it was not until the middle of the 17th century that umbrellas began to enter European life. Umbrella to the world, not only to the people of all countries to bring convenience, but also enrich the local culture. Today, many parts of the world have formed their own unique umbrella culture.

Unit 6: all kinds of modern umbrellas

Until the second half of the 17th century, European umbrellas were still bulky, and the use of umbrellas was not so much a shade as a display of identity. In the 19th century, with the successful development of arc steel frame umbrella, fundamental changes have taken place. With the advent of freely retractable umbrella, umbrella began to really enter people's daily life. The more abundant and diverse textile materials provided by modern textile technology also promote the modern transformation of umbrella. Although the shape of the umbrella has been preserved, the change of materials has brought a revolution to the umbrella industry. This revolution, in turn, severely impacted China's traditional hand-made umbrella industry. In the process of China's modernization, modern metal umbrellas quickly replaced the traditional oil paper umbrellas and became the mainstream of umbrellas. Although Dahong oil paper umbrella is still beautiful and vivid, it has finally entered the list of non-material culture and is far away from people's life.

Visit information

Admission: Free

Opening hours: 9:00-16:30 from Tuesday to Sunday, closed all day on Monday.

Traffic information

No. 70, 61 and 183 get off at Yunhe square and go straight through Gongchen bridge for 100 meters; No. 70, 61 and 63 get off at Xiaohe intersection of Dengyun road and go northward along Xiaohe road for 600 meters; No. 1 get off at Xiaohe intersection of Dengyun road and go northward along Xiaohe road for 500 meters; water bus and boat go under Gongchen bridge pier and cross Gongchen bridge to qiaonong street.

Address: no.336, Xiaohe Road, Gongshu District, Hangzhou

Longitude: 120.13729507069

Latitude: 30.31633411268

Tel: 0571-88099880

Official website: http://www.zgdjss.com/

Tour time: 1 hour

Traffic information: take bus No.79, 98, 129 to gongchenqiao west station and walk about 100 meters

Ticket information: Free

Opening hours: 9:00-16:30 from Tuesday to Sunday, closed all day on Monday