Hunan Provincial Museum
湖南省博物馆（曾名湖南博物院）Hunan Museum · Kaifu District, Changsha, Hunan, China
In the Mawangdui Han Tombs exhibition, see the coffins, silk painting and the gauze robe "as thin as a cicada's wing" from the tomb of Lady Xin Zhui.
Know before you go
- Do not make noise or take disrespectful photos in the area displaying the body of Lady Xin Zhui
- do not use flash on silk paintings and textiles
- do not eat or drink in the galleries or let children run
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Hunan Provincial Museum was first set up in 1951 and formally established in 1956 on Dongfeng Road in Kaifu District, Changsha; its new exhibition building opened in 2003, and in 2008 it was listed among the first National First-Class Museums. Its name was changed to Hunan Museum in 2022 and reverted to Hunan Provincial Museum in October 2025. The flagship Mawangdui Han Tombs exhibition displays artefacts from the three Western Han tombs at Mawangdui, Changsha, excavated in 1972–1974: from Tomb No. 1, the body of Lady Xin Zhui with her nested coffins, the T-shaped silk painting and the plain gauze robe; and from Tomb No. 3, silk manuscripts including ancient texts such as the Zhouyi and the Laozi. There are also permanent exhibitions of Shang and Zhou bronzes from Hunan, ceramics from Hunan's famous kilns, and Ming and Qing painting and calligraphy, reflecting the history of the Hunan region from prehistory to modern times.
Local customs
The Mawangdui Han Tombs exhibition is the first choice for the vast majority of visitors, and on holidays queuing in the galleries to see the body of Lady Xin Zhui and the plain gauze gown is the norm. The museum's permanent exhibitions have been free for many years, but you need to book in advance or collect an entry ticket, and ID is checked on entry. Many families visit Mawangdui in the museum and then take a walk in the nearby Martyrs' Park.
Religion & beliefs
Lady Xin Zhui's body and coffins are burial remains, and the exhibition hall is dimly lit and solemn. Please visit with respect for the deceased: do not joke about the body, do not take silly photos in the coffin and body display areas, and follow the signs in any areas where photography is prohibited.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: At Qingming tomb-sweeping, no burning paper or open flames in wooded areas
Do
- Check whether the cemetery requires a reservation before you go
- Stay quiet while laying flowers, bowing and observing silence
- Consider flowers, tree planting or online memorials instead of burning paper
- Dress soberly for tomb-sweeping
- Take offering wrappers and rubbish with you when you leave
Don’t
- Don't burn paper, incense or candles, or set off firecrackers, in woods or grassland
- Don't talk loudly or joke around in the cemetery
- Don't block cemetery paths for long to take photos
During fire-prevention periods, burning paper, incense and candles is strictly banned in forest and grassland fire zones, and anyone who starts a wildfire may be held legally liable. Whether and where a cemetery allows burning is set by its own rules on site.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Xinhua: Two departments deploy safety measures for the Qingming holiday
China: Go through security before the metro, and park shared bikes in marked zones
Do
- Cooperate with the security check at the entrance and put bags through the scanner
- On the platform, wait beside the doors and let passengers off first
- Register with your real name in the app before riding a shared bike
- Park in a marked bay or an app-designated spot, and make sure the lock clicks shut
- If the brakes or lock don't work, switch bikes and report it in the app
Don’t
- Don't linger in the doorway or force your way through closing doors
- Don't leave bikes in traffic lanes, fire lanes or on tactile paving
- Don't let children under 12 ride shared bikes
If you refuse the security check you will not be let into the station. Badly parked bikes are removed, and riders may face action under local rules and the operator's terms.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: People's Daily Online: Beijing issues standards for shared bike technology, services, parking
China: No smoking anywhere on high-speed trains, and no phone calls in quiet carriages
Do
- Sit in the carriage and seat shown on your ticket
- Put large luggage in the racks at the carriage ends or overhead
- Use headphones for videos and music
- In a quiet carriage, step outside to make or take calls
- Before getting off, check around your seat and take your rubbish and belongings
Don’t
- Don't smoke anywhere on the train, including toilets and vestibules
- Don't take someone else's seat
- Don't choose a quiet carriage when travelling with babies or toddlers (12306 advises against it)
Smoking on a bullet train can set off smoke alarms and slow or even stop the train. Smokers are fined by the police and, according to reports, may also be barred from buying bullet-train tickets; official rules prevail. If someone breaks the quiet-carriage rules, tell the train staff.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Travel China Guide: Smoking on Chinese trains
China: Stay on open sections of the Great Wall and never carve the bricks
Do
- Walk only on open sections and marked routes
- On steep stretches, stop and steady yourself before taking photos, and watch your step
- Wear non-slip shoes, carry enough water, and turn back if you are tired
- Carry your rubbish down or put it in a bin
- Check opening arrangements before you go; official announcements prevail
Don’t
- Don't carve, write on or prise loose the bricks
- Don't climb over fences or onto closed, crumbling walls and watchtowers
- Don't run or push on steep sections
Carving the Great Wall counts as damaging a cultural relic: one visitor who carved his name at Badaling was given administrative detention and a fine by the police and was blacklisted by the scenic area. Closed sections are not maintained and can be dangerous.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China News Service: Man detained for five days and fined 200 yuan for carving on the Badaling Great Wall
China: book popular sights in advance, under your real name, through official channels
Do
- Check the booking rules on the site's official website, mini program or account before you go
- Enter every companion's ID details in advance and pick an entry time slot
- Children, seniors and others with free or reduced tickets also book as required and show ID
- Book early for holidays and summer; popular dates often fill quickly
Don’t
- Don't trust third parties offering to grab tickets or sell 'insider' tickets
- Don't assume a free ticket means no booking is needed
- Don't count on buying tickets at the gate on peak days
Once a popular date is fully booked, you may be turned away. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires sites to keep in-person ticket windows and to accommodate seniors and others, but on-site quotas are limited; booking windows, release times and visitor caps are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China Daily: Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires all scenic areas to keep ticket windows
China: set up mobile payment before you go; hotels and tickets are booked under your passport
Do
- Link a foreign bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure
- Carry some cash in yuan for small stalls, remote areas or payment glitches
- Expect real-name checks at hotels, for train tickets and popular sights; use your passport
- Make sure the name and number on bookings match your passport exactly
- If a station gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane
Don’t
- Don't wait until you arrive to set up payment; verification can take time
- Don't assume cash alone or a bank card alone will work everywhere
- Don't book with details that differ from your passport
Without a working payment method, or with mismatched ID details, you may be unable to check in, buy tickets or enter sights. Payment limits, fees and platform rules are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Gov.cn: Payment services for foreign visitors to China
China: Queue, don't smoke where banned, and never carve on heritage sites
Do
- Wait your turn in line, and follow staff directions when it's crowded
- On buses and the metro, let passengers off first and offer seats to those in need
- Book popular sights and museums in advance, under your real name, through official channels
- Sort your rubbish into the right bins
- Use serving chopsticks and spoons, and order only what you can eat
Don’t
- Don't cut in line or walk side by side blocking the way
- Don't smoke where it is banned; many cities ban smoking in indoor public places and on public transport
- Don't carve or write on historic buildings or ancient trees, or climb on or touch relics
- Don't use flash or tripods in exhibition halls
- Don't talk loudly or play music out loud in public places
Staff will stop you from queue-jumping, smoking where banned or marking relics, and smoking in no-smoking areas or damaging relics can also lead to fines under the law. Fine amounts, booking methods and opening hours are as officially announced.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Palace Museum official site: Visit
Don’t DON'T
- Do not make noise or take disrespectful photos in the area displaying the body of Lady Xin Zhui
- do not use flash on silk paintings and textiles
- do not eat or drink in the galleries or let children run
- do not turn up without a reservation, as you may not be admitted on public holidays
Locals appreciate DO
- After booking in advance, see the Mawangdui Han Tombs exhibition first
- appreciate Han-dynasty silk weaving in front of the plain gauze unlined robe
- look at the heaven, earth and underworld scenes on the T-shaped silk painting
- if you have energy left, see the Shang and Zhou bronzes
- take a walk in Martyrs' Park after your visit
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Allow 2–3 hours, or about 1.5 hours if you only see the Mawangdui exhibition. The museum is on Dongfeng Road in Changsha's Kaifu District, near the west gate of Martyrs' Park
- take the metro to a nearby station and walk, or about 15–20 minutes by taxi from the Wuyi Square area. Ticket policies, booking methods, opening hours and closing days are as announced on the Hunan Museum's official website and official WeChat account
- booking slots are tight in summer and on holidays, so book as early as possible. You can pair it separately with Martyrs' Park, Kaifu Temple, Yuelu Mountain or Orange Isle
- the Mawangdui Han tombs site itself is elsewhere in the east of the city, and the exhibition-based visit is concentrated at the museum. The museum has cloakroom and dining services
- details as on-site.
Sources & verification notes
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