Echos of antiquity

Echoes of antiquity

The three statues displayed at the entrance are representative sculptures of those unearthed from major archaeological sites in China: Yinxu, Sanxingdui and Liangzhu (left to right). Yinxu, located in Anyang, Henan Province in central China, dates back to the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.); Sanxingdui, in Sichuan Province in the southwest, reflects a civilization that thrived 4,500-3,000 years ago; and Liangzhu, situated in Zhejiang Province in east China, traces its origins back 5,300-4,300 years
An iron sword with a turquoise-embedded gold hilt dating back to the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 B.C.)
The Hezun, a bronze vessel dating back more than 3,000 years, bears the first written form of the word zhongguo, which means "China"

An exhibition exploring early Chinese civilization opened at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing on September 28. It presents the cultures of 13 major heritage sites in China, including Yangshao, known for its painted pottery culture along the middle reaches of the Yellow River 7,000-5,000 years ago; Erlitou, identified by archaeologists as one of the capital cities during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), China's earliest known dynasty; and Yinxu, the ruins of one of the ancient capital cities of the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.).

Early Chinese civilization's allure is brought to life through sculptures, new media art and interactive installations.

(Text and photos by Wei Yao)

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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