The China National Arts and Crafts Museum is showcasing a rich tapestry of artworks and handicrafts that highlights both traditional and contemporary craftsmanship of exceptional quality.
Since its opening in February 2022, the museum, also known as the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, has welcomed over 2 million visitors. On the first day of the seven-day National Day holiday, which begins on Tuesday, the number of visitors who made appointments to visit reached 6,144.
To enhance the visitor experience during the holiday, the museum has launched several new exhibitions that emphasize both appreciation and artistry.
The museum has a total floor area of 91,126 square meters, comprising six above-ground floors and two underground floors, and houses fourteen exhibition halls and one multi-functional hall.
The museum currently collects a wide range of artworks and handicrafts. The main focus is on works created after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Among them, four large jade artworks - "Magnificent Scenery of Mount Tai", "Condensing Fragrance and Auspiciousness", "Diverse Blooms", and "Joyful Celebration Across the Seas" - are considered national treasures due to their large scale, excellent materials, ingenious design and exquisite craftsmanship.
One of the key techniques employed in some of the jade artworks is hollow-out carving, which involves hollowing out part or most of the jade material. This craft originated in the Neolithic Age and has evolved over thousands of years.
"This piece is a stone carving that applied hollow-out carving techniques, with the smallest carving knife used to work on the central part being thinner than an embroidery needle," said Zhang Yue, a guide of the museum.
Museum in Beijing attracts visitors with exquisite artworks and handicrafts during National Day holiday
Museum in Beijing attracts visitors with exquisite artworks and handicrafts during National Day holiday
Growing people-to-people connections between Ireland and China are driving more bilateral collaboration, building on efforts to make China a welcoming destination for Irish visitors, said the chairperson of the Irish Chamber of Commerce in China Peter Markey.
Markey underscored that the visa-free policy for Irish passport holders has significantly enhanced accessibility, fundamentally changing perceptions of China.
"It certainly makes it a lot easier. For people who know it's now visa-free, it does change your perception of China. This is much more of a welcoming country. And they are happy to include it on the list of places they want to go," said the business advocate.
In addition to tourism, he underscored the potential for growth in educational exchanges as well as technology and nutritional industries.
"Certainly education is an area where we think there's quite a bit of growth. We do see more and more Chinese people going to Ireland for their education, as well as the Irish universities and technical institutions setting up joint ventures here in China. One of the big areas of Irish exports to China is around IT, computer services, and so forth. Irish food produce is growing strongly, as are Irish beverages, particularly whiskey and similar kinds of drinks. Tourism is growing strongly," he said.
The cultural dimension of the China-Ireland relationship is also gaining traction. Markey highlighted the upcoming performance of the Irish pop band Westlife in Shanghai, which symbolizes the growing appreciation for cultural exchange. He said that these interactions are instrumental in deepening people-to-people ties.
"The cultures are not totally different. We have a lot of common things that we build our cultures on. And, obviously, in China, one of the most important things is eating food. And obviously, Irish people like eating as well. When we all sit around a table, you build rapport and you build cultural connections. What we have in common is the basis to build relationships and build business on," he said.
China’s visa-free policy, innovative market help strengthen bilateral ties: Irish Chamber of Commerce
