The National Museum of Chinese Writing (中国文字博物馆), located in Anyang City, Henan Province, is a collection of modern architectural styles combined with the grandeur of the Yin and Shang Dynasty court. It represents a masterpiece of post-modern architecture, comprising a complex of buildings including the gatehouse, plaza, main hall, Cangjie Hall, Popular Science Hall, Research Center, and Communication Center, spanning a total area of 143 acres with a total construction area of 34,500 square meters. The museum houses a collection of 4,123 cultural relics, including 305 first-class cultural relics, covering various aspects such as oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, bamboo and silk manuscripts, the history of Chinese character development, the history of Chinese calligraphy, minority scripts, and world scripts.
Standing four stories above ground and one story below ground, the museum is graced by a towering gatehouse. The gatehouse stands at 18.8 meters tall and 10 meters wide, shaped like the character “字” (zi), taken from oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions. On each side of the main entrance stand two golden mythical birds, their exaggerated and peculiar forms adding to the grandeur. The main hall features a relief-gold top reminiscent of the Yin and Shang period, showcasing the characteristics of the Yin and Shang palace’s “four-cornered and multi-roomed” structure. Flanking the road leading to the main hall is a stele forest composed of 28 highly representative bronze oracle bone pieces, hinting at two representative elements of the Yin and Shang period – oracle bone inscriptions and bronze artifacts.
The exhibition halls of the National Museum of Chinese Writing primarily revolve around the development and evolution of Chinese characters. For example, the first exhibition hall introduces the emergence and evolution of Chinese characters, while the second hall showcases the emergence and development of bronze inscriptions. Furthermore, the museum also features thematic displays such as “A Piece of Oracle Bones Shocks the World,” “Chinese Character Folklore,” “The Splendor of Character and Calligraphy,” and “The Brilliance of Literary Collections,” providing in-depth interpretations of highlights and focal points in the history of character development and presenting a more comprehensive image of Chinese cultural heritage.
In terms of architectural design, the Xuanwen Hall, Huiwen Hall, and Bowen Hall, when viewed from above, resemble the Chinese character “合” (he), reflecting the traditional cultural concept of the unity of heaven and humanity. Meanwhile, through the exhibition of cultural relics and modern display methods, the museum showcases the essence of Chinese characters from various dynasties, revealing the structural characteristics and evolutionary processes of ancient Chinese characters, as well as the research achievements of Chinese civilization and language.
Basic Information
Estimated Length of Tour | 1 – 2 hours |
Ticket Price | Free |
Opening Hours | 9.00 – 17.00; Last admission: 16.30 Closed on Mondays |
Telephone Number | 0086-0372-2266059 0086-0372-2266060 |
Location and Transportation
The National Museum of Chinese Writing is located at 656 East Renmin Avenue, Anyang City, Henan Province, China. To get there, you can take bus 3, 41, 47, 48, 58, C7, H1, H2, or Y4, and get off at National Museum of Chinese Writing Museum Stop (中国文字博物馆站).
The museum consists of three independently separated halls, two of which are free to enter. I arrived early and first visited the Huiwen Hall. Inside, there are three permanent exhibitions and one temporary exhibition. The permanent exhibitions feature text and folk customs, showcasing various word games along with some interactive installations, which are quite enjoyable. I spent a fair amount of time there, as it felt like flipping through a book of words, and I learned quite a bit. Next,… Read more »
The Yin Ruins Museum and the Museum of Chinese Characters were not crowded at all. I could leisurely explore the exhibits without worrying about the typical weekend crowds.
The Chinese Character Museum in Anyang is, in my opinion, one of the few museums suitable for adults to visit with children. It consists of three halls: the Xuanwen Hall, which is the main exhibition hall and is open to the public for free, and the Huiwen Hall and Bowen Hall, which typically charge an admission fee. However, generally speaking, visiting just the Xuànwén Hall is sufficient. I recommend visiting in a bottom-to-top order, as this allows for a comprehensive… Read more »
The Chinese Character Museum felt quite average to me! I was on a business trip to Anyang and seized the opportunity to visit the museum during my break. The Xuanwen Hall (宣文馆) is free, and so is the Huiwen Hall (徽文馆)! However, it seems that many of the artifacts have been taken by the Chinese Archaeology Institute or are housed in other museums. There are really very few genuine pieces left! The actual oracle bone inscriptions on display are also… Read more »
This museum is truly educational, but the overall layout of the tour is problematic. The staff seems to do nothing to regulate things, and the entire museum has turned into a playground for children, with parents allowing their kids to shout and run around. At one point, a child even stepped directly onto a large archaeological site.
The China National Museum of Writing is located in the city center, and it only takes a quick taxi ride to get there. It features three large exhibition halls that clearly show significant investment in their construction.
It is inconvenient to store luggage. When we entered Xuanwen Hall, we stored our luggage, then we went out to see Huiwen Hall, only to find that the exit of Xuanwen Hall was a one-way door. We had to go around to re-enter Xuanwen Hall through the entrance to get our luggage. After coming out of the exit for the second time, we had to go around again before reaching the main entrance.
If you are looking to see artifacts, you may not want to visit this museum, but if you are seeking to learn and gain knowledge, this museum is excellently curated with informative panels. While most of the exhibits are replicas, they serve well for studying the history of writing. When it comes to the theme of writing, the authenticity of the objects is not as important as the content and significance they represent.