Traditional Chinese arts like dough figurines, paper cuts and folk musical instruments have gradually become unfamiliar to children in Shanghai.   Chinanews, Shanghai, Dec. 27 – Folk collectors and artists have new homes in Shanghai. According to Wu Shaohua, head of Shanghai Collectors Association, Shanghai’s first folk collection museum and artistic performing area have been set up in Oriental Plaza.

 

There are hundreds of renowned folk collectors in Shanghai, their collections ranging from cigarette cases, wine bottles to abaci, watches and coins, of which most have been collected by several generations, and some have become invaluable cultural relics. Because of limited space, folk collection activities have been on the brink of extinction in recent years.

 

Zhao Jinzhi, a folk collector in Shanghai, said that he used to have a private exhibition center covering an area of 100 sq m, which was formerly an abandoned warehouse. But later when the warehouse was to be destroyed by bulldozers in the process of building new apartment houses, he had to move his 20 thousand craftworks were forced into his own apartment, and some of broken in the course of removal.

 

Guo Longsheng, a collector of butterfly specimens, said that he was forced to move his exhibits from place to place in the past. “My butterflies finally have a wonderful home since the local government has built this center for me,” he said.

 

Traditional Chinese arts like dough figurines, paper cuts and folk musical instruments have gradually become unfamiliar to children. Zhou Songgen, an artist who once performed in the famous “Great World,” one of the largest show places in China, has been very sad over the decline of Chinese folk arts. “Our performance was popular at that time, fascinating tourists from home and abroad,” he recalled.

 

Local government officials hope the new folk cultural performing center can make children know with the customs and folkway of an ancient Shanghai.