Massive wood carvings & furniture of immense value
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E-mail CNTV, May 19, 2014
China red sandalwood museum specializes in the most luxurious type of wood carving, red sandalwood. 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.
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The museum strives to make the art of wood carving accessible to the public by charging only 50 RMB for an entry ticket. |
The gate of China red sandalwood museum is an impressive wooden structure, built with traditional techniques, it was constructed under the guidance of experts from the Palace Museum. The main building down there is the largest private owned museum of its kind in the world.
The five-storey museum is located in the East of Beijing. It is China's first and largest private museum specializing in red sandalwood sculpture and furniture.
And speaking of furniture, this is probably as good as it gets. This is an exact replica of the throne of the Qing Dynasty emperors housed in the Palace Museum. Only it is made entirely of red sandalwood and covered with golden foil.
More practical pieces of furniture are also a great attraction, like this reconstruction of a bedroom designed for nobility on their wedding day. Interestingly, all the components of this 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 6 billion USD, ranked second in China's richest woman of 2013. She invested 32 million USD dollars in founding the museum. She took me on a tour 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 Laiwa 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 from here. I speak to the head of security about measures for security and maintenance.
"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.
But no doubt burglars will have trouble moving this mammoth wood carving. This baby weighs 10 tons and is a replica of the Hall of good harvest at the Temple of Heaven. It sits on the top floor and is no doubt 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.
The museum strives to make the art of wood carving accessible to the public by charging only 50 RMB for an entry ticket.
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