Mountain and Sea Culture Museum

📍 Address: 320 meters west of the intersection of Fuyu Road and Longxiang Road
🕰️ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–17:00 (closed on Mondays)
🎫 Admission: Free entry; advance reservation required

🏛️ Historical Origins

Nestled within the historically rich Longxiang district, the Mountain and Sea Culture Museum stands on the site of the former "Longxi Academy," a Qing Dynasty-era educational institution established during the Guangxu period. Once a vital center for scholarly lectures and imperial examination preparation, the academy was transformed in 2018 following assessment and restoration by cultural heritage authorities into a specialized museum dedicated to collection, research, and exhibition. It systematically highlights the unique role of "Mountain and Sea Civilization" within the broader tapestry of Chinese culture.

🏗️ Architectural Style

The museum follows the traditional layout of Jiangnan academies, incorporating classic Ming and Qing architectural elements such as blue bricks and gray tiles, horse-head walls, and intricately carved wooden window lattices. The symmetrical design and staggered courtyards reflect meticulous planning and harmonious spatial organization. The main exhibition hall features a three-aisle structure, preserving original timber frameworks and painted decorations, enhanced with modern display technologies to seamlessly blend historical ambiance with contemporary presentation.

🖼️ Highlights of the Collection

• Rare Hand-Copied Manuscript of the Classic of Mountains and Seas: A precious facsimile edition from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, annotated by Qing scholars—this rare surviving text is among the most significant in China.
• Ancient Rock Art Impressions: Traced to cave sites in eastern Fujian’s mountainous regions, these artworks depict primordial totems and hunting scenes dating back approximately 5,000 years.
• Bronze Ritual Vessels Set: Excavated from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, including the “Shan-shaped Tripod” and “Hai-patterned Zuo,” illustrating the early fusion of mountain worship and maritime belief systems.
• Folk Artifacts Display: Over a hundred authentic items, including fishermen’s prayer lanterns, mountain dwellers’ ritual banners, and festival firework masks, offering insight into indigenous spiritual traditions.

🌟 Cultural Significance

Centered on the concept of “harmony between mountains and seas,” the museum reveals ancient Chinese perceptions of nature and the cosmos, serving as a crucial lens for studying early Chinese religion, geographical thought, and cross-regional cultural exchange. In 2022, it was designated a Provincial-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Unit.

📌 Visitor Tips

• Recommended visit duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
• Audio guides available (bilingual Chinese-English)
• Features a cultural innovation bookstore and temporary exhibition space, regularly hosting the “Mountain and Sea Lecture Series”

✨ Explore the origins of civilization and encounter the enduring spirit of millennia-old mountains and seas.