Around 70 years ago, the predecessor of Shanghai History Museum,
the preparatory office for the Shanghai Museum of History and Construction,
received a donation from the descendants of the Wuhua Rental Shop:
the Baizi Sedan Chair.
[Grade One Cultural Relic in the Collection of Shanghai History Museum: The "Wuhua" Baizi Sedan Chair, Republican Period]
If this sedan chair could speak, it would tell vivid stories of old Shanghai, filled with gongs, drums, and glowing lanterns.
Standing 2.88 meters tall, 1.50 meters wide, and 1.68 meters long and carried by poles stretching over 5.52 meters, the sedan chair was built by ten artisans from Xiangshan, Zhejiang, over a decade. Lavishly decorated with intricate carvings and gilded details, it required an extraordinary amount of labor, thus also known as the “Ten-Thousand-Workday Sedan Chair” (Wangong Jiao).
Its story traces back a century ago to a rental shop called “Wuhua”…
From Ningbo to Shanghai:
A Sedan Chair That Reflects a City’s Spirit
In old Shanghai, rental shops specialized in providing items and services for weddings, funerals and other important occasions.
Around the 19th century, large waves of migrants moved to Shanghai, with a significant portion coming from eastern Zhejiang. They brought not only their skills and livelihoods, but also local customs, aesthetics, and trade traditions. Gradually, rental shops flourished in Shanghai, becoming an integral part of the city’s folk life.
In 1908, 13-year-old Zhou Weicheng arrived in Shanghai from Ningbo to apprentice in the trade. Eight years later, he founded his own business named “Wuhua”
[Zhou Weicheng] [Handwriting of Zhou Weicheng]
[Line Drawing of the Original Wuhua Rental Shop Site in Jiumudi during the Republican Period, by Wang Zhuchi]
In 1916, Wuhua was entrusted with providing services for the funeral of the local tycoon Sheng Xuanhuai. The commission laid the foundation for the firm’s future success, helping it grow into one of Shanghai’s leading businesses in the trade.
[Wuhua Assisting with the Funeral of Sheng Xuanhuai in 1916]
In 1927, while preparing for the wedding of his son Zhou Zongyu, Zhou Weicheng hired ten craftsmen from Xiangshan, Zhejiang, to build a bridal sedan chair. Because of financial considerations and strict craftsmanship standards, the project took ten years to complete. In 1936, the magnificent Baizi Sedan Chair was finally finished.
Ten artisans. Ten years of work. That is how it earned the name “Ten-Thousand-Workday Sedan Chair” (Wangong Jiao).
[Wedding Procession Outside Tianchan Teahouse in Shanghai during the Republican Period, Courtesy of Shanghai Library]
This sedan chair represents more than a traditional wedding custom in Shanghai. Created in a thriving commercial and cultural hub, it blends the exquisite woodcarving techniques of eastern Zhejiang with the sophistication of modern Shanghai. Rooted in time-honored traditions while embracing urban life, it stands as a distinct expression of Haipai, or Shanghai-style culture.
From Craftsmanship to Creativity:
A Testament to Ingenuity and Collective Memory
The “Wuhua” Baizi Sedan Chair is an outstanding example of how traditional craftsmanship and Shanghai-style culture came together.
A rich selection of materials was used, including camphor wood, boxwood, gold and silver foil, silk, mirror glass, and colored glazed glass. Centered around the traditional technique of vermilion and gold lacquer wood carving, the sedan chair also incorporated gold and silver thread embroidery, reverse mirror painting, and other crafts, transforming it into both a means of transportation and a ceremonial artefact.
The defining highlight of the piece is the vermilion and gold lacquer wood carving. The wooden structure was first carved through techniques such as relief and three-dimensional carvings, followed by stages including plastering, lacquering, gilding, and coloring. Details were further enhanced with fine works involving gold and silver powders, mica, and shell fragments, before being coated with a final protective layer of lacquer. The result was a dazzling, richly layered finish.
The gold and silver thread embroidery adds further resplendence to the chair.
Using silk satin as the base material, artisans embroidered intricate patterns with gold, silver, and colored threads, creating a distinctive sense of depth and dimension while balancing grandeur with elegance.
The reverse mirror painting embodies an artistic cross of East and West. Introduced from Europe and widely adopted in China during the Republican period, the technique involved painting Chinese traditional folk motifs in reverse on the back of glass. The result brought together the delicacy of gongbi-style painting and the reflective visuals of glass.
It also illustrates how Shanghai folk art of the period harmonized local tradition with foreign influences.
A closer look reveals the extraordinary complexity and ingenuity of the sedan chair.
It features 98 carved dragons, 574 auspicious birds, 506 beasts, 30 fish, and 38 insects. Together with figures depicted in three-dimensional, relief, openwork carvings, and reverse mirror paintings, there are up to 600 human figures. Drawing inspiration from historical legends, folklore, and opera stories, every detail conveys blessings of good fortune. Such meticulous craftsmanship and elaborate decoration make the sedan chair a “mobile museum of folk art.”
Nearly one hundred small electric bulbs were installed on the roof. At night, the gilded wood carvings, glass mirror panels, and embroidered fabrics shimmered under the glow—a luxurious spectacle that doubled as brilliant advertising for the shop, an ingenious idea for its time.
[Small Electric Bulbs]
Behind the intricate craftsmanship and magnificent design lies the dedication of artisans, as well as the blessings held for the younger generations.
In the name “Baizi”, the character bai symbolizes abundance and prosperity, while zi represents descendants. The lotus on the roof symbolizes “continuous birth of offspring,” carrying wishes for many descendants, good fortune, and a life filled with happiness.
More than an artefact of technical mastery, the sedan chair embodied parental love, blessings, and family values—standing as a ceremonial vessel filled with heartfelt wishes.
[Lotus Motif Symbolizing Abundant Offspring]
From a Prized Possession to a Museum Treasure:
A Donation That Made Heritage Public
In 1957, Zhou Zongyu donated the “Wuhua” Baizi Sedan Chair to the preparatory office of Shanghai Museum of History and Construction, the predecessor of today’s Shanghai History Museum.
[The “Wuhua” Baizi Sedan Chair at the Time of Accession]
This donation brought a private possession into the public cultural space. No longer simply a wedding artefact or the hallmark of one rental shop, the sedan chair became a shared cultural heritage for the public to cherish, interpret, and appreciate.
With this shift came a new mission: telling the story of Shanghai’s wedding traditions and urban life to generations of visitors.
[The “Wuhua” Baizi Sedan Chair on Display at Shanghai History Museum’s Former Hongqiao Road Site]
Its accession into the museum collection marked the beginning of decades-long stewardship.
Since 1991, the sedan chair has been displayed in various exhibition spaces. During this time, conservators have meticulously dusted, reinforced, and cataloged its components. Three-dimensional digital scanning has also been conducted to capture detailed data for further research and conservation.
Conservators Maintaining and Restoring Chair Components
From December 2018 to February 2022, the museum launched a nearly four-year Preventive Conservation and Integrated Display Project to further strengthen its research, preservation, and exhibition efforts.
In April 2026, to optimize the exhibition environment and visitor experience, Shanghai History Museum relocated the sedan chair to a dedicated gallery on the second floor of the East Building.
[In April 2026, the “Wuhua” Baizi Sedan Chair Relocated to a Dedicated Gallery on the 2nd Floor of the East Building]
From its creation and collection, to preservation and display, from physical research to digital archiving, the journey of this single sedan chair reflects a relay across generations.
Its travel across a century to meet today’s audiences is no coincidence.
As China’s Cultural and Natural Heritage Day approaches, we once again turn our attention to these timeless objects.
The value of cultural heritage lies not only in its age or rarity, but in how it reconnects with people today. These artefacts are not merely remnants of the past; they are gateways to understanding cities, exploring life, and appreciating cultural continuity.
Through this bridal sedan chair, we glimpse a vivid narrative of modern Shanghai’s wedding customs: the lively traditional rituals, the dedicated master artisans, the open and inclusive spirit of an immigrant city, and the inheritance across generations.
Welcome to the second floor of the East Building of Shanghai History Museum
Come closer to the “Wuhua” Baizi Sedan Chair
In its new setting,
it continues to tell stories of yesterday—
and awaits new encounters
with visitors today.
