Jiangnan Folk Custom Museum

 

Jin family in Dongshan used to be one of the richest families in Wuzhen. Today, the residence of this family plays the role of exhibiting the folk custom of traditional life in Jiangnan. Over here, the folk custom of Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China connected with etiquettes of the senior’s birthday ceremony, wedding ceremony, and new-born infant ceremony as well as traditional custom on season change and festivals in Wuzhen is both shown visually.

The reproduction of the wedding scene in the excellent waxworks shows the real atmosphere of the wedding ceremony and the custom concerned, and it thoroughly shows the reality and beauty of traditional life. The garment hall plays the role of exhibiting the clothes custom several hundred years ago via the display of real articles, waxworks and photos and so on. From this hall, visitors can see the epitome of the changing history.

Festival and Folkway Hall is themed with the lifestyles of Wuzhen civilians in different seasons all around the year. Such as giving greetings during Lunar Spring Festival, Crossing Bridge on Lantern Festival, Sacrificing to Late Ancestors on Tomb-Sweeping Day, Weighing People on Summer Begins Day, Eating Zongzi on Dragon Boat Festival, Water-Dragon Gathering to Show the Importance of Fireproofing, Showing River Lanterns on Ghost Festival (also called Zhongyuan Festival on 15 July), Eating Moon-cake and Appreciating Moonlight on Middle-Autumn Festival, Climbing Mountains on Double-Nine Festival, and Sacrificing to Late Ancestry on the Winter Solstice Day and so on.

Wedding Ceremony Hall is centered on the main hall for wedding ceremony and its themed decorations. The displays are the waxwork of the bride and bridegroom, female matchmaker and their parents, and the real articles of the beautiful sedan and marriage portions. It shows the joyful atmosphere of wedding. Birthday Ceremony Hall is themed with the articles connected with birthdays of the senior. The articles include the calligraphy and painting work, longevity peach, longevity noodles and longevity veil. It shows the tradition of respecting the senior.