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Museums, Art and Literature

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After being awarded the 2010 World Expo, Shanghai set a goal of having 100 museums in place by the time of the event. In a city that already valued history and museums, this initiative reinforces Shanghai’s commitment to the preservation of culture. Some of China’s best museums are found in Shanghai, including the world famous Shanghai Museum, with its eleven distinctive world-class galleries displaying works of bronze, sculpture, painting, calligraphy and more.

Shanghai offers a museum in just about every category, ranging from the city’s history, to folk art, to arts and crafts, to banking, and even to a museum specifically devoted to the history of sexual relationships in China. History and art buffs will find Shanghai to be an endless source of interesting options.

The Shanghai Art Museum displays a wonderful collection of Chinese artwork, some of which fall into the Shanghai School. The Shanghai School is a specific approach to art that emerged during the end of the Qing Dynasty and was popular throughout the 20th century. It built upon previous art styles in China, modernizing them and in some ways forecasting China’s growth into a new world power. The Shanghai School of art was known for its subtle political and social commentary. Leaders of the movement included Ren Xiong, Ren Yi, Zhao Zhiqian, Wu Changshuo, and Pan Tianshou.

In the world of literature, Shanghai’s most famous and influential writer was easily Lu Xun. He is considered the creator of modern Chinese literature. Revered by the people, his home was converted to museum about his life, which can be toured. He is buried in Hongkou Park, where his fans can now go to pay homage to his life.

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