Standing proudly on the banks of the Pengjiang River, the Jiangmen Museum presents its exhibitions under the theme “Cultural Heritage of Lingnan and the Imprint of the Overseas Chinese Hometown.” Its collection of 30,000 artifacts unfolds like a scroll through time. The taotie motifs on ancient bronzes interplay with the glaze tones of Song dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, bearing witness to the evolution of civilization from the Neolithic Age to modern times.
The museum features three distinctive core exhibition areas. The Ancient Civilization Zone displays Shang-Zhou bronzes, Han dynasty pottery figurines, and Song ceramics, including the unearthed “Double-Fish Bronze Drum,” which embodies the essence of Nanyue culture. The Modern History Zone houses precious qiaopi (overseas Chinese correspondence) archives and wartime relics, narrating Jiangmen’s storied role as a key node along the Maritime Silk Road. In the Interactive Experience Zone, VR technology recreates the construction process of Kaiping Diaolou (watchtowers), allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the architectural ingenuity of this overseas Chinese hometown.
As a vital landmark of Lingnan culture, Jiangmen has long served as a crossroads where Central Plain civilization merged with the Baiyue cultures. Documents related to “Chenpi Trade” (from Qing dynasty herbal merchants) and personal letters from Chen Rugui—a prominent industrialist of the late Qing and early Republican era—reveal the pioneering spirit of Jiangmen’s merchant communities, who embraced the world as their home. A specially curated “Memories of the Overseas Chinese Hometown” exhibition uses photographs, films, and artifacts to illustrate the patriotic devotion of Wuyi diaspora communities, who championed “industrial salvation for the nation.” Throughout the museum, models of diaolou towers and traditional architectural components silently articulate the Lingnan philosophy of harmony between humanity and nature. As morning light filters through the glass dome, the artifacts awaken in shifting rays of light and shadow, echoing millennia of cultural resonance—an invitation to join a timeless journey through history.
