As a specialized museum oriented to collect, display and study stone carvings of the Han Dynasty, the Nanyang Art Gallery of Han Dynasty Stone Carvings is the earliest founded museum in history that features the most collectibles and the largest exhibition space.
Built in October, 1935, it was located in the former Nanyang People's Education Center. A total of 118 image stones are in the collection of the museum.
After the founding of PRC in 1949, numerous image stones were discovered and collected and the museum was relocated in the Wuhouci Historic Area. The new exhibition hall is expanded to over 900m2 and there is a collection of more than 500 image stones.
In the middle of 1970s, the number rose sharply to over 1,000. In 1976, another addition was made to the original museum and was completed in 1979. The present exhibition hall has an area of over 1,700m2, featuring 187 finely-selected image stones. Currently the collection has amounted to 1,500.
The gallery, built on December 27th, 1999, is situated on Wolonggang, southwest of Nanyang City. The hillock is rolling at its back and the Baihe Rive is flowing by upfront. On its north is the Temple of Marquis Wu (Wuhou Ci). With its convenient transportation and favorable location, the gallery covers an area of over 5 hectares and the central architecture is the grand Display Building as large as 400 hectares.
At the entrance stand a pair of 11m high, Han-styled towers and a marble wall is right in the middle of the gate, on which it reads Han Hua Guan——Art Gallery of Han Dynasty Stone Carvings. Walking by the green lawns on both sides and into the square, the grand and elegant Display Building in Han style is right before you. Into the exhibition hall, a pair of round carvings is quite eye-catching. Made in the Eastern Han Dynasty, they are expected to bring blessings to humankind. On the west wall there is a large Han-styled sculpture work which mirrors the rich and profound culture of Nanyang.
The layout of the exhibition hall looks like a T. With an area of 2,000m2, there are 11 display halls. The main hall, the Stone Carvings of Han Dynasty is divided into 10 parts, such as the Prologue, Labor, Architecture Art, History, Social Life, Horseback Riding and Hunting, Astronomy and Myths, Wrestling, Dancing, Expelling of Diseases and Becoming Immortals and so on.
In the middle of 1970s, the number rose sharply to over 1,000. In 1976, another addition was made to the original museum and was completed in 1979. The present exhibition hall has an area of over 1,700m2, featuring 187 finely-selected image stones. Currently the collection has amounted to 1,500. |
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