Newman Huo

    ABOUT 300 pieces of historical and cultural relics from Shaanxi Province featuring early ancient Chinese history are on display at the Shenzhen Museum in the Civic Center until Dec. 9.

    The relics, ranging from the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 B.C.) through the Tang Dynasty (618-907), have been provided by nine museums in Shaanxi Province, including the Shaanxi History Museum, Museum of the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang, and the Baoji Bronze Museum.

    Highlights of the exhibition include bronze vessels, gold and jade ware of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 B.C.), terra-cotta warriors and horses of the Qin Dynasty, the Yangjiawan legion of terra-cotta warriors and horses of the Western Han Dynasty (207 B.C.- A.D. 25), and tricolor ware and porcelain of the Tang Dynasty.

    The bronze vessels, gold and jade ware of the Western Zhou Dynasty were excavated at the Zhouyuan site — birth place of the Zhou Dynasty — and also in a cemetery of the State of Rui, which was discovered in Liangdai Village, Hancheng in 2005.

    The cemetery of the State of Rui was one of China’s top-10 archaeological discoveries in 2005.

    A three-month field investigation which started in April 2005 uncovered 103 tombs including four grand graves with passages and 17 chariot pits in Liangdai Village, Hancheng.

    The following excavations produced a large number of funerary objects made of bronze, jade and gold from three graves and one pit.

    Judging from the size, shape and structure of the tombs as well as abundant funerary objects, archaeologists determined that the cemetery, covering a total area of 330,000 square meters, was the burial place of members of the aristocracy of the State of Rui dating back about 2,800 years from the late Western Zhou to the early Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 B.C.).

    The finds in the cemetery were considered to be of great importance for the continued research into the political and economic systems and funeral customs of the Zhou Dynasty.

    The Qin and Han dynasties are noted for the high quality and large number of pottery figurines they produced.

    In 1974 the famous terra-cotta warriors and horses of Qin Shi Huang were discovered just east of his mausoleum. The life-sized figures of men and hoses are in neat battle formation, with the men holding real bronze weapons of the time and reflecting the formidable might of the legions of the First Emperor.

    Han Dynasty figurines show clear influences of the Qin, but are smaller in size. About 3,000 painted pottery figures were discovered a few years ago in a tomb of the Western Zhou Dynasty at Yangjiawan, Xianyang.

    Most standing figurines in the tomb represent warriors and some of them are cavalry. Compared with human figures, horses are more expressive: some standing quietly and others rearing up with a silent neigh.

    For some visitors, another highlight of the exhibition could be the inscriptions on the memorial tablets in the tomb of Wei Yingwu (737-792), a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, and his wife.

    Experts believe the inscription on the memorial tablet for Ying’s wife was handwritten by the poet himself, and the inscription is the only way we can view the poet’s handwriting today.

    Dates: Until Dec. 9.

    Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Monday

    Add: The new exhibition hall of Shenzhen Museum, Block A, Shenzhen Civic Center , Futian District (福田区市民中心A区深圳博物馆新馆)

    Buses: 15, 34, 38, 71, 221, 235, 371, 373

    Metro: Shi Min Zhong Xin Station (Civic Center Station 市民中心站), Exit A