Related stories

Siheyuan: Old Beijing Style Appeals to Many China's Pingyao Forms Yoke of Friendship with Provins of France Camerata of the Friends of Music Seiji Ozawa Returns to Beijing Aussie artist to send Beijing Olympic painting

Donated Relics to Help Revive Image of Old Beijing

Suo Daming is a 16th-generation descendant of a Beijing family which has lived in the city since the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Now he has finally found an ideal place for a treasured collection of items handed down by his relatives over the past 360 years. That place is the Capital Museum, expected to open a new building displaying collections from Beijing residents to the public this year, according to China Daily.

The collection Suo presented to the museum includes everyday articles from 100 years ago and coupons to buy rationed oil, food and other goods during the planned economy period between the 1950s and the late 1970s. One of the most eye-catching pieces is an old icebox -- literally a box containing ice kept food cool -- made of coloured glaze.

Wang Chuncheng, a museum official in charge of collecting historical relics from the public, said the museum has collected more than 22,000 sets of ancient treasures in the past four years for the new building at the Capital Museum. Wang said the collections from ordinary people in Beijing, most of which date from between 1840 and 1950, reflect how times have changed. The articles will be displayed in prominent places in the new building on Chang'an Avenue.