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CHINA: REJUVENATION OF SHANGHAI MUSEUM AS ECONOMY BOOMS

(26 Dec 1996) Mandarin/Nat Shanghai is emerging from the cultural darkness of the communist years. Once known world-wide as the "Paris of the Far East" for its unique cross-roads of cultures, Shanghai went into decline after the communist take-over in 1949. But things are changing. With the economy booming, Shanghai wants to be recognised once again as an international cultural capital. A shining example of its rejuvenation is the completion of the Shanghai Museum. With its colonial buildings facing the Huangpu river, the Bund - the longest Avenue in the world- in Shanghai is the witness of the city's glorious past. These turn of the century buildings are among the few things that 50 years of communist regime didn't affect. And still if some old streets look unchanged, China's second largest city was for long time in the shadow of the its competitor, Beijing. But in the mid-80's, China's leader Deng Xiao Ping announced the launch of the socialist market economy in Shanghai and the city has never looked back. Facing the old Bund and as a direct result of the reforms, new shiny buildings emerge from the ground proclaiming that the city is back on the international scene. And culture hasn't been forgotten. On People's Square in the middle of Shanghai, the modern silhouette of the recently completed Shanghai New Museum proves this new urge for culture. The Museum, supposedly representing an ancient Chinese bronze urn, was completed in less than one year. It opened its doors to the public last October. The Museum has since been hailed as the world's greatest showcase of Chinese culture. Around a central lobby decorated with Italian marble, the Museum's various collections are displayed on three floors, each of them with four galleries. The Museum displays are innovative by any standard and contrast strikingly with the existing Chinese museum. Gone are the dull, bad lit and dusty exhibits. Now visitors can get close to the well lit grey stone statues and enjoy every single detail. Each of the Museums twelve galleries has a different system of lighting and colour to emphasise the beauty of the displays. The story of the Shanghai Museum is also an intriguing tale of perseverance and courage. The two directors- Ma Chengyuan and Wang Qinzheng- triumphed against all odds. After 40 years spent in China's museums, more than 20 of those in Shanghai itself, the two knew exactly what they wanted. For ten years they worked on their project. The major problem was, of course, to find the money. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) "At the beginning, because we were not put into the State Planning, and according to the regulation, the Central government was not supposed to give us a penny and it didn't. Later on when it knew that it was going well, the financial department came here and decided to give us money." SUPERCAPTION: Wang Qinzheng, Museum Deputy-Director Instead, Ma and Wan looked for private donors to raise 35 (m) million U-S dollars. The Chinese authorities eventually paid the other 15 (m) million U-S dollars needed. But to get the land they wanted they had to promise the mayor that the Museum would be built within a year. Construction began and the two men worked out of a makeshift office on the site overseeing the museum's design, construction, and interior decoration. Proof of their dedication had already been seen in the 1970s when they saved many relics from destruction. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) SUPERCAPTION: Wang Qinzheng, Museum Deputy-Director. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...