A museum dedicated to painter Dong Qichang (1555-1636) and his peers opened in Zuibaichi Park in Songjiang District on Tuesday.

The museum houses a collection of more than 90 paintings and works of calligraphy, including 30 by Dong and other painters from Songjiang.

Dong and his works have influenced Chinese painting, calligraphy and art theory for hundreds of years.

The park is said to be the place where Dong came to drink with friends and seek inspiration.

Xu Jiesheng, head of Songjiang administration of culture and broadcasting, said: “We made prints of 200 works by Dong from Taipei and Beijing, and some of them are being exhibited.

“We have also worked with East China Normal University and published a collection of Dong’s works.”

Apart from the museum, the district has plans for other ways to raise its cultural profile.

Art is an important part of the district’s history, many artists have lived there for thousands of years.

The district has started work on a Jiangnan culture base, dedicated not only to preserving local culture, but to carrying it forward and giving it new meaning in a new era. “Songjiang is the very root of Shanghai,” said Xu.