The Beijing Jin Merchants Museum, situated at No. 58 Jianguojie on the east extension of Chang’an Street, is a culturally rich industrial park known as the ’58th Courtyard’. It is currently one of the largest private museums in China dedicated to merchants and commerce. The museum houses over 40,000 pieces of Jin commercial artifacts and features exhibition halls, guild halls, and a comprehensive park. This park is equipped with Shaolin vegetarian cuisine, rosewood furniture, silk, ceramics, and various themed clubs, offering a unique and creative blend of classical elements for business cultural activities.
The park consists of nine architectural complexes. Building 1, the main building, includes the Jin Merchants Museum itself, as well as a large club integrating exhibition, conference, theater, broadcasting hall, and both Chinese and Western restaurants. Building 2 is a Shaolin vegetarian restaurant. Buildings 3 and 8 form an antique-style commercial street, while Buildings 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 are themed clubs for rosewood, silk, Buddhism, and traditional Chinese medicine, respectively.
The museum boasts over 40,000 items, including seals, printing plates, documents, silver tickets, contracts, accounts, letters, tickets, ledgers, and old photographs from different historical periods of the Jin merchants. These items reflect their five-century-long history of commercial dominance. Shanxi people have a long-standing tradition of commerce, with the Jin merchants rising to prominence in the early Ming Dynasty. They seized opportunities and endured hardships to start businesses across the country.They were known as being present “wherever there are sparrows”. The range of goods they traded was vast, “from silk to onions and garlic”. Prominent Jin merchants and the products they created established a commercial benchmark in China, enriching the material life of the people.
The museum is a treasure trove of Chinese residential architecture and folk culture, and a three-dimensional panorama reflecting various aspects of society, economy, and culture during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The museum is open from 09:00 to 17:00 all year round, except for Mondays. Holidays are observed as normal. Specific business hours are subject to the day’s opening status.
For preferential policies, please note:
1. Seniors over 60 years old with a senior citizen card or ID are admitted free of charge.
2. The above information is for reference only; please check the day’s disclosures at the scenic spot for accurate details.
