Guiyang Museum of Memory on Hands: Capturing nature's beauty through art of batik

In Guiyang, there exists a museum unlike any other, nestled amidst towering mountains, embraced by lush ancient forests, overlooking rice fields, and right next door to folk art workshops.

This unique gem is the Guiyang Museum of Memory on Hands, located in the Sanyoupo, Wenggong village, Jinhua town, Guanshanhu district, Guiyang. It is the seventh folk museum in Guiyang and a crucial site for the preservation of intangible cultural heritage in Guizhou province.

Originally just a small courtyard, the museum has been expanded through the continuous integration of surrounding resources and now has a construction area of 5,000 square meters and an exhibition area of 2,000 sq m.

The museum's first exhibit is a unique and compact structure – the Blue Flower Narrative Life Pavilion, housing the museum's collection of treasures.

The Guiyang Museum of Memory on Hands houses ethnic costumes and embroidered items from Guizhou. [Photo/WeChat account of Shuangshuang Guiyang]

Wang Xiaomei, curator of the museum, said, "The museum was established in 2018. Initially, we reclaimed the old wood materials from three old local houses in Zunyi and meticulously restored them using traditional architectural methods. We employed various traditional techniques, salvaging old bricks from the dismantled ancient city in Tongren and decorative window grilles from Zhenyuan. Through the restoration of cultural heritage, we transformed this house into a museum exhibit, aiming for it to become a future cultural heritage site."

Since its establishment in 2018, the museum has built up an extensive collection of ethnic ritual and lifestyle objects primarily focusing on ethnic batik crafts in the province. The museum currently houses over 6,300 items, including batik, embroidery, and folk artifacts, showcasing the unique charm and rich cultural heritage of Guizhou's diverse ethnic groups.

Wang emphasized, "Our exhibitions primarily revolve around batik, as some of the best-preserved and most exquisite batik patterns can be found in Guizhou. Our collections span across Southeast Asia and southwestern China, with a predominant focus on Guizhou's batik artistry, complemented by embroidery. Our collections include costumes and embroidered items of almost all ethnic groups from Guizhou."

The Guiyang Museum of Memory on Hands focuses on ethnic batik crafts. [Photo/WeChat account of Shuangshuang Guiyang]

The museum was initiated by Wang as part of the Blue Flower Narrative Cultural Preservation Initiative. Utilizing years of research on Guizhou's intangible cultural heritage, the museum employs anthropological, oral history, and museological methods to study and transform the region's diverse ethnic cultures, fostering an eco-museum model that stimulates the development of surrounding villages.

In addition, the museum features an oral history archive display, a documentary screening room, an anthropology library, handicraft experiences, cultural and creative exhibition and sales spaces, a tofu restaurant, and the Blue Flower Cultural Inn. It serves as a multifunctional hub encompassing museum facilities, cultural lodging, intangible cultural heritage research and training, cultural talent development, research and development on cultural and creative products of intangible cultural heritage, and cultural display.

It also cooperates with local villagers to establish intangible cultural heritage family workshops, forming a "cultural and artistic village" in the local area.

Duan Zehong, secretary of the Party branch of Wenggong village, remarked, "Since the museum opened, it has provided jobs for local residents and preserved the cultural heritage of many ethnic groups. Due to its influence, Wenggong village is now planning to establish a unique cultural and artistic village."

The museum offers a vibrant cultural feast, welcoming people from all corners of the world. Every visitor becomes a witness to the museum's growth and legacy.