SDCHM Permanent Exhibition

    History has always been a powerful reminder of our connection with others.  Our permanent exhibition showcases a prominent timeline on a central wall to bridge our displayed items with their respective histories.  One side of the wall depicts a timeline of Chinese history from the Shang to the Qing dynasty, while the other side depicts the Chinese American immigration story with a focus on the community in San Diego. The history of our organization is displayed on a segment at the end of the long wall, which honors the individuals who were key players in establishing the museum that we know today. 

The permanent exhibition in our Mission building is story-based and presented in several sections.  For example, we have a corner dedicated to Traditional Chinese Medicine. This area includes a herbal cabinet grinding tools, herb samples and other artifacts that you would find in a typical herb shop.  Other sections include Religion and Philosophy, Chinese Folk Art, Chinese Laundries, and much more! 

Images of the permanent exhibition are available @https://photos.app.goo.gl/WaX5k41ayHcEi4Z29

     Homes across China are called “residences.”  They include structures and the outdoor living environments that extend from them.  All across the vast territory of China, situated in its patchwork of different natural and geographic conditions, likewise reflecting the unique production and life characteristics of more than 56 ethnic groups, China’s residential buildings make for a fascinating subject of study.  They are the principal subject of the artworks displayed in this exhibition, which showcases over thirty paintings and prints by Chunming Yu, produced from 1985 to the present.  

Lan Wang (王藍, 1922–2003), was a Taiwanese writer and artist, and Mr. Yu’s friend. He was famous for Blue and Black, a major Chinese novel about the second Sino-Japanese war.  Wang was born in Tianjin, China, studied art from a very young age, and entered the military, which provided rich material for his novels about WWII. The exhibition includes many of Wang’s watercolor paintings which often illustrate Chinese opera.

This exhibition will be on display until March 2, 2025

Images of the exhibition are available here.