Shanghai Museum

Today's main activity was to visit the Shanghai Museum. Located in the heart of Shanghai in Renmin Square, the Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan) has much beauty to offer, both in terms of its architecture as well as the treasures inside. The museum has four exhibition floors subdivided into two to four separate areas, each focusing on a different kind of artifact. While looking back at the maps of the different floors, I was struck by the way the fourth floor looks like some Chinese coins -- round with a square hole in the middle. I cannot find anything in writing to back up my interpretation of this design, but it is worth noting that the Chinese Coin Gallery is on this floor!

The other areas of interest were Chinese Ceramics, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Ming and Qing Furniture, Chinese Painting, Chinese Ethnic Minorities' Arts and Crafts, Ancient Chinese Jade, Chinese Bronzes and Ancient Chinese Sculpture. My favorite area, if I had to pick one, would probably be the Ancient Chinese Sculpture.

This area contained two lovely pottery female figures from the Western Han dynasty (206 BC - AD24). The carving is simple with elongated lines, long dresses, and elegant postures. I was struck by the age and beauty of these two ladies.

I was particularly interested in several sculptures of Bodhisattva. The pamphlet in English states, "Bodisattva is considered to be the closest follower of Buddha, who disseminates Buddhism and saves all beings. He was male in ancient Indian Buddhism, but turned into femal in China since he was regarded as the God of mercy. Most of the statues of Bodhisattva are in the image of a luxuriously dressed figure."

Two female sculptures with rounded faces and rounded bodies caught my eye, and as I feasted on their beauty, an elderly Italian woman walked up to me, looked the statues in the eye and then right at me. Her Italian words floated out of her lips, and although I did not understand a word she said, I can tell you without a doubt, that I agreed with her. So in my English, I said, "Yes, they are beautiful. I love their smiles." She did not understand what I said, but she nodded in agreement. Here we were -- women of two generations, of two different continents agreeing in two different languages about two beautiful female statues in a country far, far away from our two homes. A special moment....