By Ban Zhuo

Special to the Tsinghua News Center

A student gazes into a replica of a “dougong,” an ancient architectural accent. (Photo by Ban Zhuo)

What is a “dougong” in traditional architecture? Why did ancient Chinese people make a drink by marinating arsenic sulphide ore in spirits? What are the Palace Museum’s most treasured collections?

The answers to these and many other intriguing questions of Chinese history were available at the first Museum Day, an outdoor exhibition for 13 major museums in Beijing held on campus Dec. 3.

Museum workers at the exhibition, held in the glade next to the No. 10 Dining Hall, explained that “dougong” is an architectural feature typical in ancient Chinese building design that links the wall to the roof; that an arsenic sulphide drink is said to help the drinker avoid snake bites; and that all of the Palace Museum’s 930,000 exhibits are national treasures.

The 13 museums participating in the Museum Day included the Palace Museum, Museum of Chinese History and Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture. The majority of them have never held exhibitions in universities before.

“We consider the Museum Day a good opportunity for the students to know more about ancient Chinese culture,” according to Wang Ying, Director of the Publicity & Education Department of the Palace Museum. “It also gives us a chance to better understand the needs and interests of university students, which may help shape our future exhibitions.”

Despite chilly weather and gusts of wind that upset exhibition information boards from time to time, the Saturday activity was well-received by Tsinghua students. At the counter for the Geological Museum of China, for example, organizers were surrounded by students who waited in line to answer quiz questions concerning geological science, and the souvenirs the organizers prepared for correct answers soon ran out.

The idea for a museum day to be held in Tsinghua was first raised by a group of sophomores in the School of Architecture. “We were impressed by the success of Beijing’s Museum Day, and thought it would be a good idea to organize something similar on campus,” said Wang Xi, one of the organizers. Beijing Museum Day is an annual event held every May 18, when major museums and galleries in the city seek publicity by throwing a joint exhibition.

Their plan was supported by the Student Union, which has also decided to make the Museum Day an annual event.

 “There will definitely be more Museum Days for Tsinghua in the future. We plan to make this an annual event for the university to be held sometime in November each year,” said Student Union member Wang Jian.

“It will be warmer in November and thus more desirable for an outdoor activity like this,” he added.