Tang West Market Museum

Tang West Market Museum is the first civilian on-site museum in China, which is established on the site of the West Market of the Tang Chang’an city. The museum occupies a total area of 15 mu(mu:Chinese measurement for area, about 263 acres) land with a construction area of 32000 m2and display area of 8000 m2 including 2500 m2 on-site preservation area. In the total collection of more than 20,000 pieces of cultural relics, the collection mainly exhibits those of the cultural relics from the archaeological site of the West Market and the meticulously collected treasures from the founder of the museum as well, ranging a long history of over 3,000 years from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The collection includes exquisite and mysterious bronze wares, splendid and colorful pottery wares, rich postures of terra-cotta figurines, brilliant gold and silver wares, gorgeous and delicate silk remains and jade pieces which are of wonderful workmanship expelling the nature, as well as a great number of relics respecting currency, Epitaph, religions and architectures filling the storage of the museum, which has put a solid foundation for the remarkable exhibition.

Tang West Market Museum has a complete exhibition series including “Permanent Exhibition, Thematic Display, Temporary Exhibition, Special Exhibition & Treasures Appraisal Club ”. It gathers the collections referring to history, arts, folks and private collectors, which often brings to visitors new visual experiences. The museum with its magnificent and unique design, the beautiful environment, full-functional and first-class service will surely become a successive important architectural landmark, a cultural site of public- loved and a prominent window for the opening of Xi’an.

The Permanent Exhibition “A Thriving Trade Center at the Starting Point of the Silk Road” displays with a part of the unearthed relics and rutting from the archaeological site of “Cross Street” north-east of the West Market, tells about the once overview, trade category, commercial culture and flouring pomp of the West Market. The Thematic Exhibition “Experience of Craftwork on Silk Road”demonstrates several making process of traditional craftwork on ancient Silk Road for you; The Temporary Exhibition , as a communicating and displaying area of cultural relics, is going to successfully held a variety of exhibitions on Silk Road culture, commercial culture of Tang Dynasty and so on; The Special Exhibition “Gem of Museum Collections” will permit you have an eye-touching appreciation for cultural relics. You would have an immersed sense in its wonderful exhibition.

With the changing of the world, although the prosperous Tang Dynasty West Market has gone away, it remains people of the beautiful memories. Here you will seem to ramble along the corridor of history, returning back to the prosperous Tang Dynasty Chang’an city and reviewing the elegant demeanor of the West Market! 

Basic Collection——A Thriving Trade Center at the Starting Point of the Silk Road 

As the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, the Tang West Market was once an active and prominent participant in the history of the world trade. The inclusiveness and openness of the Tang Dynasty (AD618—907) contributed in making the market a place where businesses from everywhere of the world could be found.

At that time, stores were standing side by side and merchants flocked here from everywhere. The market boasted the center of all possible commodities one can imagine. People felt intoxicatingly free in making choices. For a period of 320 years the market remained a highly prosperous place of commerce, handicrafts and local culture. 

The West Market was not only the paradise for consumers, but also a dreamland for many merchants in making a fortune. Chinese culture and western culture met and melted harmoniously here. It highly demonstrated the diversity of the brilliant international metropolis of the capital city of Chang’an (name for Xi’an in the Tang Dynasty). This place is the only remaining commercial site found so far from the Tang Dynasty. 

The splendor of the place has gone with time. But the memories will be refreshed in the museum where you will be able to envision the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty by visiting the West Market Museum on the original market site.

Special Exhibition——Selected Exhibits 

With a collection of over 20,000, the cultural relics displayed in the Tang West Market Museum boast a long history ranging from the Shang Dynasty (16th -11th century BC) about three thousand years ago to the Qing Dynasty (AD 1636-1911). Various artifacts can be found here, including mysterious bronze wares, colorful porcelains, life-like clay figurines, shining gold and silver vessels, exquisite silks, delicate jade carvings, ancient coins, epitaphs, religious objects and architectural antiques. These collections are good reflection of profound Chinese culture and wisdom of ancient Chinese people. Great respect should be paid to the relic collectors as we appreciate the high value of the exhibits.

Zhu Guangqian, a famous aesthete, once said: “Art is the form of one’s temperament, which originates in real life.” The aim of collecting is to explore the profound meaning behind it. That is why we are more than happy to offer the carefully selected bronze wares, gold and silver vessels, ancient coins and elegant porcelain vessels to the visitors. We sincerely hope that such a cultural banquet can feast your heart, and that we can make friends by displaying and sharing these exquisite exhibits.