中国紫檀博物馆：价值不菲的木雕和家具
A museum in east Beijing specializes in the most luxurious type of wood carving: red sandalwood. At the China Red Sandalwood Museum, this precious type of wood is used to depict various symbols of Chinese culture, making the museum a beacon of Chinese cultural heritage in Beijing.
China red sandalwood museum is located in the East of Beijing. It is China's first and largest private museum specializing in red sandalwood sculpture and furniture.
The museum’s gate is an impressive wooden structure, built with traditional techniques, it was constructed under the guidance of experts from the Palace Museum.
The five-storey museum is located in east Beijing. It is China's first and largest private museum specializing in red sandalwood sculpture and furniture.
One of the museum’s highlights is an exact replica of the throne of the Qing Dynasty emperors, which housed in the Palace Museum and is made entirely of red sandalwood and covered with golden foil.
More practical pieces of furniture are also a great attraction, like a reconstruction of a bedroom designed for nobility on their wedding day. All the components of the furniture are made to fit together, so no nails or glue are needed.
The founder of the museum, Mrs. Chen Laiwa, is an entrepreneur with a fortune of $US6 billion, and ranked second in a list of China's richest woman in 2013. She invested $US32 million in founding the museum.
Mrs Chen Laiwa, founder of the museum.
Chen is particularly proud of the red sandalwood version of the Yongding Gate. The famous gate was torn down in 1957, but this version certainly makes an impression.
"There are 9 inner gates and 7 outer gates in Beijing, and we want to make red sandalwood replicas of them and preserve their style. I am determined to follow through with the project and preserve these cultural treasures for future generations," Chen said.
Preserving red sandalwood carvings is not easy. They are sensitive to heat, and humidity must be kept under control. All the showrooms are monitored 24-7.
"We use special fire extinguishers for emergency use, as the wood is sensitive to water. Curious tourists and burglars alike will want to get their hands on the exhibits, so we have the entire place under surveillance, with patrols on an hourly basis," Wang Shihong, Head of Security of China Red Sandalwood Museum said.
There is one item burglars would have trouble moving: a giant 10-ton wood carving replica of the Temple of Heaven’s Hall of Good Harvest. It sits on the top floor and is a crowning piece of the museum.
The museum strives to make the art of wood carving accessible to the public by charging only 50 RMB for an entry ticket. It is definitely a museum not to be missed on this year's International Museum Day.
