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Zhejiang Provincial Museum
The Zhejiang Provincial Museum consists of two campuses: the main Zhijiang Campus (之江馆区, opened 2023) and the original Gushan Campus (孤山馆区) on an island in West Lake, connected to the shore by the Bai Causeway. The collection traces Zhejiang's history from the Hemudu Neolithic culture (7,000 years ago, first evidence of rice cultivation in the Yangtze Delta) through the Liangzhu jade culture (3,300-2,300 BC), the Yue Kingdom, the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279, when Hangzhou was the imperial capital), and the Ming-Qing golden age of Zhejiang celadon production. The Liangzhu jade collection is the finest in the world — ceremonial cong tubes and bi discs carved from nephrite with the enigmatic human-animal face motif that defines Liangzhu iconography. The celadon (青瓷) collection traces Zhejiang's Longquan, Yue, and Guan kilns from the 3rd through the 17th centuries.
Hangzhou · history museum2026-10-27
Quick Answer
Is Zhejiang Provincial Museum worth visiting?
Liangzhu Neolithic jade (5,000-year-old ritual cong and bi), the world's finest celadon ceramics, and Southern Song imperial artifacts — on the shore of West Lake. Free.
Quick facts
| Category | history |
|---|---|
| Ticket | Free. Both campuses free. Passport required. Reserve via the Zhejiang Provincial Museum WeChat mini-program. The Gushan Campus can be very busy on weekends — reserve at least 3 days ahead. |
| Hours | 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30). Closed Mondays. Zhijiang Campus is open Tuesdays-Sundays. |
| Recommended duration | 2.5-3 hours for the Zhijiang Campus (main collection). 1.5 hours for the Gushan Campus. |
| Best time to visit | Tuesday-Thursday mornings. Hangzhou spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) are the most pleasant seasons. Avoid National Day (October 1-7) and Qingming Festival — West Lake area is gridlocked. Winter weekday mornings are the quietest. |
| How to get there | Zhijiang Campus: Metro Line 6 to Zhijiang Cultural Center (之江文化中心), Exit C. Walk south 3 minutes. Gushan Campus: Take bus 7, 27, 51, 52, 118, or West Lake Outer Ring Line to Xiling Bridge (西泠桥) or Zhongshan Park (中山公园). The Gushan Campus is on an island — walk via Bai Causeway from the north shore or take a West Lake ferry to Zhongshan Park Pier. DiDi from central Hangzhou to Zhijiang Campus costs ¥35-55. |
| English signage | Yes |
Why visit
Liangzhu jade is one of the great artistic achievements of the Neolithic world — the cong tubes, with their precise geometric corners and incised mask motifs, were produced without metal tools using bamboo drills and quartz sand abrasives. The Zhejiang Museum holds the world's largest and finest Liangzhu collection. The celadon gallery, tracing 1,400 years of green-glazed stoneware from Eastern Han through Ming, is the authoritative collection in the birthplace of celadon.
Collection highlights
- Liangzhu "King of Cong" (玉琮王) — a 8.9 cm tall, 6.6 kg nephrite jade cong tube, the largest and most elaborately carved Liangzhu jade ever found. Each of the four corners carries the complete human-animal mask motif (神人兽面纹) incised in lines as fine as 0.1 mm
- Liangzhu jade bi disc (玉璧) collection — 5,000-year-old ritual discs in nephrite, ranging from palm-sized to 26 cm diameter, some plain, some with incised bird or cloud symbols
- Southern Song Guan ware (官窑) celadon — the rarest of all Chinese ceramics, produced exclusively for the imperial court in Hangzhou for only about 20 years (c. 1190-1210). Crackle-glazed vases, bowls, and brush washers in characteristic bluish-grey-green
- Longquan celadon (龙泉青瓷) — Song through Ming Dynasty celadon from the Longquan kilns in southern Zhejiang. The plum-green (梅子青) and powder-green (粉青) glazes are the technical peak of Chinese celadon
- Yue Kingdom bronze swords — Warring States (475-221 BC) swords from the state of Yue, the rivals of Wu. Yue swords are famous for their patterned bronze blades with high-tin edges for hardness and low-tin spines for flexibility
- Hemudu Culture black pottery — 7,000-year-old pottery with impressed cord and mat patterns, the earliest evidence of rice cultivation culture in the lower Yangtze
Tips
- The Zhijiang Campus (opened 2023) has the Liangzhu jade and celadon collections — it is the main campus and the one to prioritize. The Gushan Campus is smaller and focuses on West Lake cultural history
- The Zhijiang Campus is about 12 km southwest of West Lake — a 35-40 minute Metro ride from the lake area. Plan accordingly
- I visited the Zhijiang Campus in April 2026 and the Liangzhu gallery was superb — the lighting on the jade is designed to catch the incised lines so the human-animal masks emerge from the stone as you move around the display cases
- Combine the Gushan Campus with a walk along the Bai Causeway (白堤) and a visit to the Zhejiang West Lake Gallery (浙江西湖美术馆) next door
- The museum shop sells Liangzhu jade replica pendants (¥80-300) and Longquan celadon tea cups (¥120-500) — both are tasteful and authentic
- Hangzhou in spring (March-April) pairs the museum with West Lake cherry and peach blossoms — one of China's best museum-plus-nature combinations
Frequently asked questions
What is Liangzhu culture?
Liangzhu (良渚, 3,300-2,300 BC) was a highly advanced Neolithic jade-working culture centered on the lower Yangtze River near modern Hangzhou. The Liangzhu people built a walled city with an elaborate water management system (dams, canals, reservoirs), produced the finest jade objects in Neolithic China, and developed a hierarchical society with distinct social classes. Their jade cong tubes and bi discs with the human-animal face motif are their most famous artifacts. In 2019, the Liangzhu Archaeological Site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, confirming it as one of the world's earliest urban civilizations. The Zhejiang Provincial Museum holds the definitive Liangzhu collection.
What is celadon?
Celadon (青瓷, qīngcí) is a type of stoneware or porcelain with a translucent green glaze produced by firing iron oxide in a reducing (oxygen-deprived) kiln atmosphere. The green color ranges from olive to blue-grey to pale jade-green depending on the iron content, kiln temperature, and reduction conditions. Celadon was invented in Zhejiang during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) and reached its artistic peak during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) at the Longquan kilns. It was widely exported across Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa — celadon shards have been found at medieval ports from Zanzibar to Kyoto. Zhejiang is the birthplace and historical center of celadon production.
Which Zhejiang Museum campus should I visit?
If you can only visit one: the Zhijiang Campus (之江馆区, opened 2023). It has the main collection — Liangzhu jade, celadon, Southern Song artifacts, and comprehensive Zhejiang history galleries. The Gushan Campus (孤山馆区) is smaller, older, and worth visiting for its location on a West Lake island (beautiful setting) and its focus on West Lake cultural history. The two campuses are about 12 km apart (35 minutes by Metro or DiDi).
What is the "King of Cong"?
The "King of Cong" (玉琮王, Yù Cóng Wáng) is the largest and most elaborate Liangzhu jade cong tube ever discovered, found in 1986 at the Fanshan cemetery near Hangzhou. It measures 8.9 cm tall, weighs 6.6 kg, and is carved from a single piece of dark green nephrite jade. Each of its four corners bears the complete Liangzhu human-animal mask motif (神人兽面纹) — a figure with a feathered headdress, round eyes, and a wide nose, riding or merging with a beast with large round eyes and bared fangs. The motif is incised in lines as fine as 0.1 mm, an almost unbelievable precision for a Neolithic culture working without metal tools. It is the defining artifact of Liangzhu civilization and a Chinese national treasure.
Is the Zhejiang Provincial Museum free?
Yes, both campuses are free. Reserve via the museum WeChat mini-program. Passport is required. The Gushan Campus (on West Lake) can be busy on weekends — book 3 days ahead.
Can I see the Liangzhu archaeological site and the museum in the same day?
Yes, but it is a full day. The Liangzhu Archaeological Site (良渚古城遗址, a UNESCO World Heritage site) is about 25 km northwest of Hangzhou, while the Zhijiang Campus museum is 12 km southwest. Rent a car with driver or use DiDi (site to museum is about 45 minutes, ¥80-100). Start at the archaeological site in the morning (8:30-12:00), then the museum in the afternoon (13:00-16:30). The combination is ideal — the site shows you the scale and engineering, the museum shows you the artifacts.
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Grand Canal (Hangzhou Section)
The 1,776 km Grand Canal's southern terminus — a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2014 — runs through Hangzhou as a working waterway past the 1631-built Gongchen Bridge and free museums.
Hangzhou Museum
Hangzhou's local-history museum, holding nearly 30,000 relics and the Warring States crystal cup (15.4 cm) as its treasure; free, 09:00-16:30, closed Mondays.
Hefang Street (Near West Lake)
Qinghefang is Hangzhou's most famous old street — 1,000-plus years since the Southern Song, free to enter, a 10-minute walk from Metro Line 1, lined with century-old shops like Hu Qingyu Tang.
Hefang Street
Hangzhou's most historic antique-style shopping street, about 1800 m of Ming, Qing and Republican buildings; free entry, shops 09:00-22:00, 10 minutes from Ding'an Road metro.
Leifeng Pagoda
Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow, one of the Ten Scenes of West Lake and home of the White Snake legend. CNY 40 buys the climb for sweeping lake views and the excavated underground palace.
Lingyin Temple
Hangzhou's oldest temple, founded in the Eastern Jin dynasty, still thronged with worshippers and rich in precious stone carvings. Combo ticket for Feilai Peak and Yongfu Temple CNY 75.
Longjing Tea Plantation
The heartland of West Lake Longjing tea, home to the 18 Imperial Tea Trees honored by Emperor Qianlong. Wander the tea fields free of charge and taste tea at the source.
Meiling Tunnel Trail
A classic Hangzhou hiking route linking Lingyin with Meijiawu by way of the Meiling Tunnel — about 8 km of quiet woodland and fine tea-terrace scenery.
Putuoshan Island
Buddhist island sacred to Guanyin — 3 major temples, 33 m golden statue. Ferry ¥160 round-trip from Zhoushan. Half-day minimum. Pilgrimage site with a serene coastal atmosphere.
Gongchen Bridge & Grand Canal
The Grand Canal's signature three-arch stone bridge in Hangzhou, built in 1631, with the Xiaohe Straight Street heritage quarter just west — free, and best explored on foot.
Six Harmonies Pagoda
A 60-meter Song-era pagoda on Yuelun Hill above the Qiantang River — 7 interior floors hiding behind 13 exterior eaves, climbable in about 90 minutes for a river-and-bridge view.
Southern Song Imperial Street
The central artery of the Southern Song capital Lin'an, carrying 1,000 years of history and a preserved underground road layer. Free to stroll, linked to Hefang Street, loveliest lit up at night.
Su Dongpo Memorial Hall
Memorial hall to poet Su Dongpo in Hangzhou, built in 2003 with about 2500 sqm of exhibits; free entry 09:00-16:30, closed Mondays, at the south end of the 2.8-km Su Causeway.
West Lake
Hangzhou's defining lake — 6.38 sq km ringed by 15 km of shore, free to all, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2011. Boats from CNY 55; Metro Line 1 to Longxiang Bridge. Allow 4-8 hours.
Xiang Lake Park
Hangzhou's second great lake and West Lake's 'sister' — about 5 sq km of water and a 15 km cycling loop. Free entry; the Kuahuqiao museum covers an 8,000-year-old culture. Allow 3-5 hours.
West Lake Musical Fountain
Free nightly shows at 19:30 and 20:30 at the Hubin gardens on West Lake in Hangzhou; the 126-m fountain has 333 jets, so arrive early for a spot.
Xixi National Wetland Park
China's first national wetland park — 11.5 sq km of reed beds, lotus ponds, and persimmon groves threaded by water lanes, about 20 minutes west of West Lake.
Museums in Hangzhou
China National Silk Museum
The world's largest silk museum. Live silkworms, weaving demonstrations on 19th-century looms, and 2,000-year-old Silk Road textiles. Free. Hangzhou's most underrated museum.
China National Tea Museum
China's only national-level tea museum, set among actual Longjing tea plantations in Hangzhou. Tea ceremony demonstrations, 1,000+ tea artifacts, and fresh Longjing at the source. Free.
Hangzhou Museum
West Lake cultural history from Neolithic Liangzhu through Southern Song imperial glory. Free entry near Hefang Street. Celadon ceramics and Song Dynasty urban life. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
National Archives of Publications and Culture — Hangzhou Branch (Wenrun Ge)
China's newest national "version" repository, opened July 2022 in a 100,000 sqm hillside complex beside the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins in Hangzhou's Yuhang district.
Zhejiang Museum of Natural History
Hangzhou's natural history museum at West Lake Culture Square — dinosaurs, fossils, minerals, and the biology of Zhejiang's unique ecosystems. Free. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
West Lake Museum
China's first museum devoted to a single lake — West Lake's geology, 2,000 years of dredging and poetry, the Ten Scenes, and the 2011 UNESCO inscription. Free. On the lake's south shore.
Zhejiang Museum
Zhejiang's premier museum at the foot of West Lake — Neolithic archaeology (Hemudu, Liangzhu), Longquan celadon, and Hangzhou's Southern Song history. Free; 3–4 hours.