China Knife, Scissors and Sword Museum, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

China Knife, Scissors and Sword Museum is a national museum funded by the Hangzhou Municipal Government. It was converted from the Qiaoxi Native Products Warehouse (a provincial-level cultural relic). The museum has an exhibition hall with a floor area of 2,460 square meters and a temporary exhibition hall with a floor area of 1,060 square meters. It was opened to the public in September 2009. The museum was built in Hangzhou because of the city's traditional handicraft industry. Brands like Zhang Xiaoquan and Wang Xingji have been included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List and have a nationwide influence. Their history and craftsmanship are ideal examples of the Chinese knife and scissors industry. The exhibition hall is divided into two parts: "Knives and Swords" and "Scissors". The "Knives and Swords" section features themes such as "History of Knives and Swords", "Knives and Our Life", "Chinese Knives and Swords in Cultural Perspective", "Sword Casting and Knife Forging", and "Fierce Knives and Swords", showcasing the relationship between knives and swords and human history, society, culture, and craftsmanship. Here, you can see the development of knives and swords from the Paleolithic Age to modern times, learn about the characteristics and uses of knives and swords in different periods and regions, and see many precious knife and sword relics, such as the bronze sword with patterns from the Warring States Period to the Western Han Dynasty and the 19th-century Bhutanese royal short sword. "The Story of Scissors" showcases the "great wisdom in small scissors", including the origin and evolution of scissors, various scissors in life, local customs of scissors, traditional scissor-making techniques, and various unique scissors in modern times. Visitors can learn that early Chinese scissors were cross-shaped and that Hangzhou became the national center of scissor-making in the Southern Song Dynasty. The visit takes about an hour.