How deep is Jiaxing's history?

Seven thousand years ago,

the ancestors of Majiabang

were already living here.

Set aside a day

to walk from the Majiabang Museum

to Jiaxing Museum

and explore the past and present of this city

all at once.

The two museums are close together

and their content flows naturally from one to the other.

One traces the origins of Jiangnan civilization 7,000 years ago,

while the other showcases a millennium of urban change in Jiaxing.

Start your morning at the Majiabang Culture Museum.

This is the birthplace of Jiangnan civilization

and the perfect place to begin your journey into the past.

The building itself is grand yet minimalist,

with an atmosphere of rustic weight.

The main highlight inside

is the large collection of prehistoric artifacts unearthed locally.

The galleries display distinctive Majiabang stone tools,

stone chisels and bone spades,

along with all kinds of red and black pottery vessels.

Their primitive, unadorned shapes

let you directly appreciate the wisdom of ancient daily life.

There are also many exhibits on rice cultivation remains,

showing that people in Jiaxing

were already growing rice 7,000 years ago.

Jiaxing is the birthplace of Jiangnan rice-farming culture.

Beyond the artifacts,

the most interesting part is the scene reconstruction area,

which recreates ancient swamp environments

and scenes of fishing, hunting and farming.

Paired with lighting and background sound effects,

it feels like stepping back into ancient Jiangnan.

You can clearly see

how people cooked,

fished and hunted,

and made pottery—

vivid and engaging.

The gallery layout is easy to follow.

After finishing at the Majiabang Museum,

head to Jiaxing Museum in the afternoon

to discover even more highlights.

Jiaxing Museum offers richer content,

covering everything from prehistoric cultures

to modern times.

Following the chronological route

makes for a very engaging visit.

Cleverly, the opening gallery

connects directly to Majiabang culture,

displaying prehistoric artifacts from the same series

that echo what you saw earlier,

so you can clearly trace the inheritance and evolution of civilization—

the historical thread suddenly clicks into place.

Further inside, Liangzhu jade,

Wu-Yue bronzes,

and Tang and Song porcelain appear in sequence,

with exquisite craftsmanship

and fine details

that invite slow appreciation.

A must-see is the water town folk customs gallery,

which recreates

old street life in Jiaxing,

Grand Canal commerce

and water town wedding customs.

Old objects and vintage scenes

are all here,

full of everyday charm.

You'll also find

exhibits related to local figures,

offering insight into Jiaxing's long tradition of scholarship.

The museum features plenty of interactive displays

combining text, images and real objects,

keeping the visit relaxed and never dull.

Visiting both museums together

is rewarding because the history connects so smoothly.

At the Majiabang Museum,

focus on the mystery of early civilization,

the ecology of ancient Jiangnan

and the daily lives of its people.

At Jiaxing Museum,

take your time admiring exquisite artifacts from every era

and soaking in the prosperity and cultural depth of this water town.