Beijing Municipal Archives showcases 70 years of change in the capital

By Chen Xi Source:Global Times Published: 2019/6/12 19:08:40

Visitors view the new exhibits at the Beijing Municipal Archives Photo: Li Hao/GT



Visitors view the new exhibits at the Beijing Municipal Archives Photo: Li Hao/GT


While we may not have time machines to take us back to see what Beijing's hutongs(alleys) looked like 70 years ago, the Beijing Municipal Archives offers the next best thing.

Beijing Municipal Archives officially opened in its new location in Chaoyang district on Sunday, the 12th International Archives Day, with four exhibitions: Beijing Record in Archives, People's Republic of China (PRC)'s Memories, Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Peaceful Liberation of Beijing and The Development of Beijing Municipal Archives

Beijing Municipal Archives consists of six exhibition halls, two academic lecture halls with simultaneous interpretation in eight languages, 1,300 square meters of archive utilization area and 60,000 square meters of warehouses, which are used to collect, keep, and display historical materials.

Upon entering the museum, the first thing that catches your eye is the large-scale mural, Jinghuayun, in the central hall. The mural is 11.2 meters wide, 18 meters high and 200 square meters in size. 

The mural depicts discoveries, landmarks and events spanning more than 700,000 years of Beijing's history, from Peking Man at Zhoukoudian to Beijing Daxing International Airport. The mural is centered on Beijing's central axis and its extension line, running from the Great Wall in the north of Beijing to the high-speed railway line in the south of Beijing. The mural integrates important Beijing landmarks, including ancient sites like the Forbidden City as well as the capital's innovative modern architecture such as the National Stadium - Bird's Nest. The artist of the mural is applying for the Guinness World Records recognition for the world's tallest mural, Xinhua News Agency reported.


'Beijing Record in Archives'
 

The exhibition features Beijing's historical culture, urban development, ecology and environment and people's livelihood. It reflects the city's historical changes, development achievements and vision for the future based on historical data from more than 670 archives. Visitors to the exhibition can gain a robust understanding of the culture of Beijing and Beijingers. 

It includes 20 large maps. One of the most distinctive maps is The Latest Beijing Map (Liberation Edition), drawn in February 1949. It marked Beijing's major hotels, a list of bus routes and some suburban scenic spots to acquaint people with the city after Beijing was peacefully liberated on January 31, 1949. 

The most recent map on display is the administrative plan of Beijing in 2019, which presents the new layout of the latest Beijing city master plan.

Besides the maps, the archives offer a manuscript of the tablet inscription of the Monument to the People's Heroes, the sketch of the monument, a 1988 investigation report on the electronics market in Zhongguancun, a technology hub in Haidian district, and a model for the Bird's Nest.

Some archives show Maxim's, a famous restaurant that was China's first joint venture restaurant with France. In the archives, the visitor can see instructions from the municipal government to China's State Council and Ministry of Commerce about the opening of Maxim's.


'PRC's Memories'

The People's Republic of China (PRC)'s Memories exhibition shows the history of six companies, including BAIC Group, Beijing Public Transportation Group and Beijing Rural Commercial Bank through more than 1,200 historical materials, pictures and objects, aiming to reflect the innovation and achievement of the state-owned enterprises over the past 70 years. The exhibition commemorating the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Beijing showcases the People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s entry route to the city on February 3, 1949.

Many archival materials and records of meetings of Beijing's military control committee were made public for the first time for the exhibition, including materials on the discipline of troops and the distribution map of the troops stationed in Beijing.

"I like the new Beijing Municipal Archives because it provides a great experience to remind me of old Beijing through advanced technology. For example, I can scan the bar code of one item, and an audio introduction will appear on my mobile phone. I do like listening to the vendor hawking his fruit because it makes me feel I have returned to my childhood and went to a food market in a hutong with my mom," Tian Lijun, a 65-year-old retired woman living in Beijing, told the Global Times.

Tian also said she was impressed by the digitized area of the archives. "It is amazing that I can look through the information of the Palace Museum's history on a big screen after choosing the option on a computer," Tian said. 

Beijing Municipal Archives has also invited experts to demonstrate file repair techniques on site, and citizens can experience the production process with the help of experts.

Currently, Beijing Municipal Archives offers nearly 700,000 volumes to the public. Visitors can access archival information through multiple ways, including online bookings, telephone consultations and postal delivery.

"In fact, it's not just the Beijing Municipal Archives holding exhibitions to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China. Many other archives are also carrying out various activities. For instance, we are holding an exhibition called 'Red Base' showcasing photos of revolutionary sites in Beijing, and it has attracted many visitors," Zhao Jintian, one of the section chiefs in the archive museum in Chaoyang district, Beijing, told the Global Times.
Newspaper headline: Back in time



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