Zigong Salt Industry History Museum

Introducing Zigong Salt Industry History Museum, Zigong Salt Industry History Museum Guide.
Article from China Culture
Edited by Sharleen

The Zigong Salt History Museum is a specialized museum of Chinese technological history. The site of the Zigong Salt Industry History Museum was built in 1736 and was originally a guildhall for salt merchants from Shaanxi Province during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The whole building complex highly represents Qing Dynasty's architectural achievement in the combination of imperial and civilian styles.

Built in 1959, the Zigong Salt Industry History Museum collects historical books, literature and archives about the well-salt development, including 1,322 real objects and tools. Among these items, one significant display is a unique and treasured collection of over 130 different types of ancient Chinese well-salt drilling tools, represented by over 500 individual pieces. This display illustrates, through the different sizes, weights and shapes of tools, what must have been required to deal with the complicated situations faced in well-salt mining. Other displays in the museum show well-salt historical cultural relics. All this is of great value for research on social economy of that era.

Tools
The Display of the Well-Salt Production Technological Development re-presents the evolution and development of well-salt production technologies in well drilling, salt collection, natural gas exploitation and salt making, demonstrates the ancient well-salt production techniques with drilling technology as the core, and reflects the wisdom and creative ability of ancient Chinese. Outside the Zigong Salt Industry History Museum, there is the restored Xiaoqiao Well drilled in 1772. It is said the well reached 1001 meters deep in the year 1835, setting a world record. The publication of the museum is Study of Well-Salt History.

Quick Facts on Zigong Salt Industry History Museum

• Name:Zigong Salt Industry History Museum
• Location: 9 Km Northeast of Chengdu
• Phone: +86-28-86702366
• Dates: Built in 1959AD
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 Hours
• Opening Hours: 08:30-17:30
• Admission Fee: CNY 17