China’s Institute of Zoology offers curious visitors views of extensive animal specimen collection
Showcasing an enormous collection of creatures including insects and birds, China's National Zoological Museum, also known as the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has been offering visitors a learning space on biodiversity. Specimens of more than 500 species are on display at the bird exhibition hall of the National Zoological Museum, which contains one third of all bird species in China. For people who don't have the opportunity to travel and see the rare birds, they can get a clear picture on what a specific bird looks like by viewing its specimen. [There are specimens] of very precious [birds], such as the oriental white stork, crested ibis, the brown tailed pheasant, the green tailed pheasant, and the eared pheasant, which all are endemic to China," said Zhang Jinshuo, associate curator and research fellow of the museum. The bird specimen collection in the museum not only covers a wide range but also enjoys a long history. The crested lapwing from Anqing County, east China's Anhui Province for example, is one of the earliest bird specimens collected in China. With a history of 152 years, the specimen is of high scientific research value. Scientists can obtain a lot of important information about the ecological environment and climate conditions at that time through scientific and technological methodology on the specimens, according to Chen Jun, a research fellow at the museum.
Besides feather and fluffy creatures, butterflies and insects are also popular and often attract younger audiences.
Visitors can learn a lot at the museum such as the fact that although insects are small, the insecta is the largest group in the animal kingdom. Butterflies, with multi-hued wings, are also good at mimesis to fend away their natural enemies.
"In addition to our own exhibitions, there are also many popular scientific
activities, including the popular science lecture and the museum magic night. We also have a lot of field research bases which a lot of young people can personally participate in the research projects of
scientists as well as in wildlife protection work," said Zhang.
A wide range of traditional folk-art pieces that have the theme of the Chinese Lunar Near Year and represent good health and prosperity are now on display at the Beijing's Yanhuang (Yellow Emperor) Art Museum.
The collection of folk-art pieces used to create festivity for the celebration spans from embroideries and paper-cuts made by local craftsmen to new year paintings printed by renowned studios across the country.
"This Spring Festival exhibition is quite timely for its purpose of good fortune, praying for good fortune, and expectation of a good life," said Li Peng, the exhibition curator.
Highlights include paper-cutting, a folk craft especially prominent during the Spring Festival, in which people paste intricately cut works on windows or hang them on doors using sticky rice glue.
Although each part of China has different styles of paper cuts, these festival decorations typically contain auspicious symbols and words cut out from red paper.
As ancient Chinese believed that pictures have a lot of power to change events, images of gods and spirits along with heaven and earth, are constant features of Chinese folk art and home decoration for the Lunar New Year, which will help ward off evil spirits and bring in health and wealth in the coming twelve months.
The museum has a variety of "nian hua", or New Year paintings, which are believed to bring peace and fortune to households. While door gods are pasted on the main door of a home to fend off bad luck, pictures of chubby babies with lotuses and gold fish are also popular, as they symbolize fertility and many children.
Another highlight of the exhibition is its vast collection of hand-made toys such as frogs, roosters and horses. However, tigers are paramount in Chinese folk beliefs, in which the patterns are commonly found in lots headbands, mittens, toys, and pillows.
"At the very beginning, some animals in the wild that pose threat to human beings in the primitive state have turned into guardians over time, in which tiger is the most typical example," said Li.
Li said that people believe that the pattern of tiger sewn onto clothing for newborns or young children may scare off evil forces and protect the wearer from being harmed and children may grow up strong and healthy.
The exhibition runs through March 1.