The Zigong Salt History Museum is located on the middle of the Liberation Road, opposite from the Department of Cultural Affairs.
In 1959, at Deng Xiaoping’s suggestion, the Zigong Salt History Museum was built in the “Xiqing Assembly Hall” which was listed as an important cultural relic site under state-level protection by the Chinese Central Government. The Zigong Salt History Museum is the only salt history museum in China, and it is also one of the AAA state-level scenic spots.
Zigong Salt History Museum was built in 1959. This museum mainly collects and displays cultural relics and materials from Chinese salt history. It also does researches on them.
China has enormous experience in drilling wells, producing salt and using gas to make salt and has naturally achieved a high level in the salt industry. Exhibits in the museum cover the entire history of salt mining beginning from the Qin Dynasty. Here travelers can find many precious historical relics such as ancient drilling tools. The museum makes good use of advanced technology and uses various kinds of electronic displays to show the development history of the salt industry in Sichuan Province. There are also a large number of original tools and pictures.
Zigong Salt History Museum has made great achievements in Chinese salt history research. Many books have been published by the museum staff such as “The History of Chinese Well Salt Technology ”, “The History of Zigong Salt Industry”, “The History of Sichuan Salt Industry”,” The Study of Chinese Ancient Drilling Tools”. In addition, a journal , “The Study of Salt Industry”, has been issued by the museum staff throughout the country.
Because of the remarkable achievements in academic research and protection of historical relics, the Zigong Salt History Museum has been awarded successively the titles of “National Science Popularization Base” and “Sichuan Patriotic Education Base”.
There are two ancient buildings standing in the Zigong Salt History Museum. One is the “Xiqing Assembly Hall” which was built in the year of emperor Qianlong by the Shaanxi salt tradesmen, and the other is the “Wangye Miao Temple” which was built in the year of emperor Xianfeng also by the salt tradesmen. Both of the two buildings are appraised as important protected cultural relics of the province. The two buildings have a splendid exterior and exquisite internal structure and decoration. They represent the highest level of architectural technology of their age.
Travelers can take the city bus line 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 31, 33, 34, 35 and 37 to get there.