History Collections: The Shanghai History Museum

History Museum
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Introduction
Shanghai played an important role in the growth and development of the Chinese society including in the arts, education and culture from the 16th century. Since Shanghai lies on China’s central coast it was entry point for products and people from different parts of the world as the maritime industry developed other cultures influenced the place. Thus, when analyzing the important aspects of life in China, it is necessary to look at the history of Shanghai, a city that connects China with the rest of the world. The Shanghai History Museum communicates and exhibits of collections on the city’s history as sea port and part of a trade route from the seventeenth century.
Analysis
The city of Shanghai evolved over centuries as China’s largest seaport was a convenient gateway to the hinterland and maritime trade flourished making it one of the most prosperous Chinese towns. The exhibit “Port Where Rivers Seas Converge” highlights that the Yuan and Ming dynasty developed the seaport town to be an important link in trade including the silk road and the Qing dynasty (1644-1911A.D.) further developed the Customs House further facilitating trade and maritime transport to and from the city. The Ming dynasty partially diverted the Wusong River, which over time became a tributary of the Huangpu River and in doing so reclaimed land that expanded the trade port area (“Southeast Metropolis” exhibition).
The exhibits dedicated to the city at different times in Shanghai’s history highlight the importance of the trade port and customs house in the city. In part...