A private museum owner's devotion to cultural protection

Liu Guangrui, curator of the Bayu Plaque Museum, walks around the museum's exhibition hall in Chongqing, May 17, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Bayu Plaque Museum contains a private collection of more than 3,000 plaques ranging in age from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the Republic of China's Minguo Era (1912-1949). Among the subject categories are merits and virtues, prestige, virginity, filial piety, weddings, pedigrees, medical ethics, temples and ancestral halls.

The museum was founded by Liu Guangrui in 2010 at his own expense. He spent 30 years collecting the pieces in the collection, which were gathered in places nationwide. The collection, spanning a long period and with such a large quantity, are quite rare.

Admission to the museum has been free since its opening. Daily maintenance costs, including cleaning, protecting the collection against dampness, fireproofing, and security are all paid by Liu.

His motivation is a desire to pass on the culture and help more people get to know the uniqueness of plaque culture.

Plaques, containing adages and usually hung above the doors of ancient houses, are a precious part of traditional Chinese culture.