Shanghai - Day Three

Friday Dec 28

More RAIN! The weather forecast said 25% chance of rain on Thursday, and nothing about Friday. I guess Canadian and Chinese weathermen have something in common.

We plan our day. We have to check out, go to the train station and stow our luggage, then do more sight seeing. Our train does not leave until 7 PM and we need to check out by noon. We pack everything, and hail a taxi. The train station is close to the hotel, so no problem. Linda shows the taxi driver our tickets, and off we go ... in the wrong direction. I get worried. I have a great sense of direction, but we are going south. The train station is north. I ask Linda where we are going ... she tells me there are TWO train stations, we depart from Shanghai-South Terminal. As we drive we pass an IKEA. Maybe we can go there and look around.

We arrive at a beautiful new terminal, round silver, clean, new, three floors. The architecture here defies words. In 2010 when the World’s Exposition comes here, people will be absolutely amazed. For all my friends, this is a place to visit in 2010. For my enemies, you can visit too. Go to VEN ICE, then get Shanghaied to work on a ocean steamer ...

We check our luggage, They have a baggage storage room. For 20 ¥ (2.50) they will store and protect your luggage. We walk to the subway and head off to downtown and people’s square again. The Shanghai Museum closes at 5 PM, so yesterday, when we got there at 4, I told Linda to wait until today. We get there around 1.

On the subway, there is a women and a young boy. It looks like the grand mother. The boy is curious about me. I am strange, funny eyes, a westerner. He tries to use his limited English. Linda and I play with him. HE asks where we are gong and Linda tries to say says “People Square” but something happens to the “square” sounds more like “squirrel” The jokes start. We are going to people’s squirrel. I ask her to say other “sq” words, like “squirrel”, “squash” and “squid” They all sound the same. Now I get downright mean. I say “Linda, please say ‘the square squirrel squashed the squid in Shina (rhymes with China .. Remember)” we laugh for 20 minutes. Off to the museum, like two giddy school kids.

The first exhibit is on loan from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. According to their web site "The exhibition was put together by the Rijksmuseum and consists of over 100 paintings and other works of art, including works by Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Ruisdael and Frans Hals.” And the Shanghai Government web site says “Two of Rembrandt's oils and 20 of his prints and self-portraits go on display in the exhibition "Rembrandt and the Golden Age" of Dutch painting and fine arts of the 17th century. On loan from the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, the show is comprised of more than 70 pieces: oil paintings, prints, silverware and Delft faiences (glazed earthenware), among others.”

I have never been a connoisseur of museums, but walking around here, looking at artifacts from the year 900 ... B.C. .. almost three thousand years ago, can change that. We look at a one hundred year old building or three hundred year old artifact and admire it. There were things here from a 6000 year old culture that date back two and three thousand years. A new perspective on time.

We start with the Rembrandt and the Golden Age exhibit in the main exhibit hall. NO pictures were allowed, but the display was breath taking. So vivid, the works come to life. I stood for several minutes to admire some of the paintings. Even the sketches were seemed to jump out of the wall.

Moving across the atrium, we enter the "Ancient Chinese Bronze Gallery” The first picture I take is from the main floor, “Bells of Marquis Su of Jin” a set of bells dated "around 9th Century BC” We walk around the first floor looking at bronze works covering three thousand years. Bells, bowls, tools and weapons are all on display.

Displays explain the various chemical components of Bronze, made primarily from copper (Cu) and tin (Sn) and zinc (Zn), and the various blends can show when and where the bronze was made.

After a short rest and look at the floor plan, we head of to the fourth and top floor. Linda is keen on seeing the “Chinese Minority Nationalities Art Gallery” China has 56 nationalities, with the Hans in the majority. There were traditional costumes for many of the different nationalities, and each costume showed some characteristics of the region they inhabit. The quality of cloth, ability to keep the wearer warm, and colours of the dyes all showed the uniqueness of each nationality. There were fishing boats there resemble the native canoes of North America, and a variety of masks used in rituals and ceremonies.

Next was a large collection of coins, going back to the Jin State of 770 - 376 BC. We then see a historic review of traditional Chinese cons, round with a square hole in the center. Paper money appeared much later, and a side room showed the coins used in the various kingdoms along the Silk Road.

The Chinese Ming (1368 to 1644) and Qing (1644 to 1911)Furniture Gallery was next on the fourth floor. Hand carved furniture from woods such as Mahogany and Sandalwood. There was a variety of chairs, beds and cabinets with hand carving through the wood. The skill displayed to carve these intricate pieces is almost as great as the fact they lasted all these years without being damaged.

The Jade gallery was closed. Just as well. Based on Wednesday’s view of Jade at the previous Art gallery, I may not have left. Down to the third floor.

We start with the seal gallery. I do my impersonation of a Seal, clapping my hands with elbows held close to my body, and the hoarse laugh made by seals.. Linda does not get it, then I explain what a seal is ... too many of my jokes need to be explained.

The history of seals is explained, and how delicate the hand carvings are on both the actual stamp and the handle. We look for unique small seals ... Is this a baby seal hunt?

The Painting Gallery and Calligraphy Gallery are next, with displays of old Chinese characters. I take a picture of a horizontal scroll by Lui Ji ( 1311 - 1375). I ask Linda what is says, and she says she can’t read the old characters.

The “Ancient Chinese Ceramics Gallery” take up most of the third floor. A display case explains how old villages were situated on hill sides to efficiently make ceramics. An old potters wheel, and three different types of kilns, varying from a small igloo shaped one to a “long house” style, up to 80 metres long, built up the side of a hill. Difficult to express the high quality of work and beauty in the displayed works. There were bowls, idols, animals. Of note were a “Qingbai Glazed Buddha Statue” from the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368 A.D.) and a “Polychrome Glazed Pottery Statue of Heavenly Guardian” from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). Various bowls, plates and wine vessels with ornamental lids also were on display.

The museum visit was over, and we headed off to eat before returning to the train station. A few final shots of the buildings, and ready to go. We sit for a few minutes, and I look up to see the Oriental Pearl Tower perfectly framed by several office towers. My final picture of Shanghai would be perfect if it was a little clearer. We return to the Shanghai South Train Station, and await or train.