Date: March 14–May 18, 2025

Venue: Galleries 11 and 12

Since its opening in 2021, the China Grand Canal Museum (CGCM) has embarked on a new phase of collecting artifacts and accepting donations. With the support of higher-level authorities and all sectors of society, we have explored the Grand Canal’s millennia-old legacy and its 6,000-li (approximately 3,200 km) route. Guided by our mission to promote Grand Canal culture and showcase the “the wonderful life brought by canals”, our artifact-collection efforts have yielded remarkable results. From 2022 to 2024, through purchases, donations, and transfers, the CGCM collected 4,411 pieces (sets) of artifacts ranging from the Neolithic era to modern times. The collection includes ceramics, metalwork, jade, paintings and calligraphy, textiles and embroidery, lacquered wood, ivory and horn carvings, as well as natural specimens. Among the new collections, 367 items (sets) of precious cultural relics have greatly enriched the museum’s collection of valuable artifacts. Seamlessly integrated into the exhibition system, these relics vividly showcase the profound historical and cultural heritage of the Grand Canal.

To share the results of our three-year collecting efforts with the public, the CGCM has launched this exhibition featuring over 300 newly acquired cultural relics. We hope not only to showcase the results of our efforts, but also to foster greater public interest in museum acquisitions and heritage conservation. Above all, we wish to help the Grand Canal’s cultural legacy flourish with renewed vitality in the modern era.