May 28, 2023
Not so long time ago, I visited the wild in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. On my way out of the place, I traced the opposite route and came across this courtyard which I thought was a cafe.
Indeed, it was a cafe. But upon looking for the cafe counter, this seemingly portal at the end of this footpath caught my attention. So instead of dining at the cafe, I explored the place to feed my curiosity. However, the portal was closed for some reason, so I took the other side.
This led me to the Light of Jinsha, one of the five galleries in this Heritage Museum. There are several heritage museums in Hong Kong, this is just one of them located in Tsim Sha Tsui.
As mentioned above there are five galleries in this museum and Light of Jinsha houses relics from the Ancient Shu Civilization. Those relics were found at the Jinsha site in Chengdu, Sichuan China which is said to be the very first discovery in the history of China Archeology. There are also other relics displayed in this gallery found in the Sanxingdu site, Qianhe Xinching Cemetery site, Lanyuan Dwelling site, and other sites in China.
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
While checking all the displays, I was learning ancient history as well because all information was provided within the walls alongside the comparison of Archeological cultures from early periods.
 |  |
|---|
 |  |
|---|
Some of the significant artifacts excavated from different sites include the bronze head which was discovered in Sanxingdui, a pottery cup with a pointed vase, a vessel for warming wine, a pottery jar, a pottery urn, and other stone artifacts with different figures. There are also jade chisels, jade axes, jade adzes, jade cong, and jade bi-disc, including several bronze artifacts from Jinsha and Sanxingdui sites. All are significant in jade and bronze cultures.
(Four node jade cong)
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
This is the photo of the Shuangyuan Village Cemetery located in Chengdu China. This was claimed to be the largest ancient cemetery of the Spring and Autumn, and the Warring State Period in 475 BC. There were more than 2000 artifacts found on this site which proved of great importance in cultural studies and exchanges in China.
Going up the 2nd floor is the "Explore Our Heritage" gallery.
I was stunned as I stepped inside the room upon seeing a huge collection of artifacts housed inside the glass cabinet on the wall. Some are intact, some are broken, and some are shards. I couldn't believe I was seeing very old artifacts from early periods right before my eyes.
These are collections of artifacts found in different Archeological sites. There are pottery jars, burial urns, ceramics, porcelain dishes, coins, pottery pots, and others from different dynasties in the early periods.
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
 |  |
|---|
As I explored further, I discovered this interactive room where visitors can learn more about the Ancient Shu Civilizations by watching the video installations and browsing the screens on the table.
More rooms to Ancient Civilizations were discovered as I explored further. These rooms house artifacts from the Prehistoric Period to Han and Ming dynasties.
 |  |
|---|
But among all rooms, the Ming Dynasty caught my attention.
This room houses 7000 pottery pieces with different Chinese designs from the Ming Dynasty. They were excavated in Penny's Bay before the construction of Disneyland Resort on Lantau Island.
The pottery shards are buried under glass flooring and I was even hesitant to walk over. Yet, the glass flooring with those white pottery pieces in blue designs was a perfect subject for photography.
From Archeological artifacts to the architectural side showing Chinese, Western, and Modern architecture
In the next room are wood carvings as part of Chinese architecture.
 |  |
|---|
Outside are different traditional roof tiles. The pan tile, roll tile, drip tile, and tile end are among those on display.
As I reached the end part of the gallery, I came across these booths with screens playing documentaries of Hong Kong's developmental stages from old to new generations. Videos show how Hong Kong was urbanized and modernized, and how those iconic skyscrapers were built making how HK is today. There were also documentaries about the establishments of the old shops we are seeing in the streets of HK.
 |  |
|---|
Meanwhile, these rooms show the changes in urban landscapes and the heritage sites' conservation and revitalization over years.
As a part of learning about Chinese heritage, there are booths for gaming to test the knowledge you acquired in the art exhibition. It was fun solving puzzles and answering questions about historical landmarks I am seeing in this country. Some were already visited, and some are yet to explore.
 |  |
|---|
This museum is located in Tsim Sha Tsui inside the Kowloon Park premise. The entrance fee is free for everyone, even for tourists. If you are curious about Chinese history and Hong Kong's stories, this is definitely a great place to visit. Some displays are changing though. Just like the Light of Jinsha which ended on the 29th of March this year.
During those times that I can't hike mountains, I've been to different museums that can be found just within the cities, so expect more museum blogs in the next few weeks or months 😊.
That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by.
(All photos are mine)
Join her on her quest for self-discovery and wanderlust. If you like her content, don't hesitate to upvote, drop a comment, reblog, and follow for more wonderful adventures. |
|---|
You can also reach me on my socials and let's be connected: