The Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou is a comprehensive cultural venue built to commemorate Tang Xianzu, one of the world’s hundred great cultural figures and a master of Ming‑dynasty drama in China. It is also one of Jiangxi Province’s ten major memorial halls dedicated to historical luminaries.
5·18 International Museum Day Event Recap | Bridging Past and Present, East and West, to Embark on a Journey Through Four Dreams
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2026-05-18
The year 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the International Council of Museums, and this year’s International Museum Day theme is “Museums: Bridges to the World.” On May 17, the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou City hosted the themed event “Three Sages Share Dreams Across Three Lives, the Fragrance of Yuming Endures with the Resonance of Jade Chimes,” using Tang Xianzu’s cultural legacy as a bridge to create an immersive cultural experience featuring multi-layered interactions and connections between China and the rest of the world, allowing the world… Different Civilizations meet and converge at the memorial hall. In addition, special exhibitions have been officially unveiled both within the hall and in Anqing City, Anhui Province.
This event featured a host of highlights: guided tours by young docents, stamp‑collecting check‑in activities with rewards, immersive NPC‑led interactions, exclusive “Dreams in the Garden” stickers, and guqin performances—each drawing enthusiastic participation from visitors. The atmosphere was vibrant and festive, successfully achieving the event’s goal of using the museum as a bridge to share stories and emotions through dreams.
At the event, a group of young docents became a striking presence. Wearing volunteer guide vests, they confidently and gracefully introduced visitors to Tang Xianzu’s life and the historical origins of Yuming Hall, conveying the charm of traditional opera with their youthful, clear voices. In the first-floor exhibition hall, these young guides actively led visitors in interactive activities, smoothly linking the second-floor treasure hunt with the third-floor opera experience. In doing so they not only honed their communication skills but also helped traditional culture take root in the hearts of young people, becoming the museum’s most moving “voices of heritage.”
This event features an interactive stamp‑collecting and check‑in activity with free gift exchanges, spanning all four major areas of the museum and delivering maximum fun and a sense of occasion: Visitors receive a stamp‑collecting booklet upon entry; by completing activities on the first floor—sticker‑pasting, on the second floor—treasure hunting, on the third floor—enjoying musical performances, and in the special exhibition hall—participating in hands‑on exhibits—they can collect four exclusive “Four Dreams of Linchuan” stamps. Once all four stamps are collected, participants can redeem a set of commemorative badges celebrating Shakespeare and Cervantes. Sharing their experience on social platforms like Xiaohongshu, WeChat Moments, or Douyin will also earn them additional badges of different designs. Moreover, those who successfully complete the treasure hunt on the second floor will receive an extra gift bag.
The event drew large crowds throughout, with visitors eagerly checking in at each stop. Children were thrilled, leading their parents from one photo‑op to the next, thoroughly enjoying themselves. The stamp‑collecting activity wove together the visitor route, enabling participants to gain a deeper understanding of Tang Xianzu’s cultural legacy and the rich interplay between Eastern and Western theatrical traditions—all while engaging in playful exploration.
To reinforce the “Connecting the World” theme, the event features immersive interactions with iconic NPCs:
Chinese Classic: Du Liniang and Chunxiang recreate the operatic classic “The Peony Pavilion: A Stroll in the Garden” for visitors at the exhibition area. and posed for a commemorative photo with the audience, recreating the delicate and graceful mood of “A Dream in the Garden.”
Western Classic: Romeo and Juliet, dressed in European-style attire, make their appearance in the special exhibition hall, echoing the historical convergence of the simultaneous deaths of the three great literary giants—Tang Xianzu, William Shakespeare, and Miguel de Cervantes—and highlighting a dialogue between Eastern and Western civilizations.
Close‑up interactions between NPCs and visitors bring the theatrical story to life, making it the event’s most atmospheric and photo‑worthy highlight.
The event leverages the memorial hall’s three exhibition floors and special‑exhibit spaces to create a seamless cultural experience pathway:
First Floor · Entering the Dream · The Origin of Fate: A biographical exhibition of Tang Xianzu, paired with handmade stickers and a brief guided explanation, offers an introductory cultural experience.
Second Floor · Chasing Dreams · Deep Affection: A massive immersive screen production of “The Peony Pavilion” plus a “Four Dreams Treasure Hunt,” offering an immersive experience of the classic storyline.
Three Levels · Fulfilling Dreams · Connecting: 360-degree interactive experience + tea-picking opera performance + guqin livestream—witness the global influence of “The Four Dreams.”
Special Exhibition Hall: Focusing on a cross‑temporal dialogue among Tang Xianzu, William Shakespeare, and Miguel de Cervantes, it builds a bridge between Chinese and Western theater.
Held concurrently at the Anqing Museum in Anhui Province, this touring exhibition features a carefully curated selection of 204 treasured artifacts, spanning ancient opera relics, modern and contemporary play scripts, and performance costumes and props, thereby offering a comprehensive portrayal of the enduring legacy and artistic allure of “The Four Dreams of Linchuan” from its inception to the present day. By enabling audiences across regions to experience firsthand the profound depth and richness of traditional Chinese theater, the exhibition broadens the reach of cultural dissemination and truly builds a bridge through dreams, propelling Tang Xianzu’s cultural heritage into an even wider global arena.
To align with the theme of International Museum Day 2026, foster mutual learning and exchange among world civilizations, and build a platform for cultural dialogue between China and other countries, our museum has organized a series of events designed to enable the public to appreciate the rich diversity of global cultures, fostering both cultural understanding and emotional connection. In doing so, we aim to transform the memorial hall into a true cultural bridge that links tradition with modernity and the East with the world, thereby supporting the continued vitality of Fuzhou’s cultural heritage and allowing the legacy of Tang Xianzu to shine with the brilliance of our times.
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Submissions are welcome. ： 363036353@qq.com
National Level-3 Museum
Chinese Qu Culture Education Base
Chinese Overseas International Culture Exchange Base
On-site Teaching Site of the Jinggangshan Cadre Academy of China
Jiangxi Province Patriotic Education Base
Jiangxi Provincial Base for Popularizing Social Sciences
Jiangxi Province Museum Demonstration Unit for Integrated Development
Jiangxi Province Primary and Secondary School Research-and-Practice Education Base
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