China Daily

Exhibition highlights unique origins

- By ZHENG CAIXIONG in Guangzhou zhengcaixi­ong@chinadaily.com.cn

A special exhibition in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, showcases unique Bronze Age civilizati­ons and long-standing Chinese culture.

The exhibition, Nurtured by the Same Water, Bronze Age Civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin, demonstrat­es the unique temperamen­t and styles of the three ancient Chinese cultural circles of Ba and Shu, Jing and Chu and Wu and Yue, as well as the cultural atmosphere of mutual integratio­n and promotion.

The exhibition in Guangdong Museum in this southern metropolis displays a collection of 137 sets of precious exhibits from the Yangtze River Basin, including 54 first-class cultural relics, depicting the politics, military, culture, society and life in the ancient Chinese dynasties in the region, one of the cradles of Chinese civilizati­on.

Major exhibits include bronze masks, swords and ancient chime bells, which were unearthed in the area.

The exhibition, which opened on Feb 6, will run until June 2. It is co-organized by 18 museums and cultural units from the Yangtze River Basin.

Ye Wei, curator of the exhibition, says it allows visitors to experience, and get a sense of, the unique charm and cultures of Bronze Age civilizati­ons along the winding Yangtze River.

“Meanwhile, throughout the exhibition period, visitors can also participat­e in various related activities, including interactiv­e digital exhibition­s, and making rubbings of bronze ware patterns, to gain a deeper understand­ing of the Bronze Age civilizati­ons,” says Ye, who is also deputy research librarian of the collection management department of Guangdong Museum.

The exhibition consists of four parts, including “Ba and Shu Shine Together”, “Heroes Rose Together”, “Unity in Diversity” and “Unificatio­n of the Country”.

Of them, the first part “Ba and Shu Shine Together” interprets the ancient Shu civilizati­on, represente­d by the Sanxingdui Site, Jinsha Site, and Xindu Majia Wooden Coffin Tomb, from the perspectiv­e of the Yangtze River Basin, showcasing the mystery and uniqueness of the Ba and Shu civilizati­ons from multiple perspectiv­es.

Ba and Shu were regions associated with modern-day Chongqing municipali­ty and Sichuan province, named after ancient Chinese states during the Shang (c. 16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c. 11th century-256 BC) dynasties.

Ba and Shu were the two most important ancient states coexisting in the area during the pre-Qin period (before 221 BC).

The section “Heroes Rose Together” reveals the grandeur of the feudal kingdoms, the unique and romantic customs of the Jing and Chu, and the advocating of boating and martial arts practice by the ancestors of the Wu and Yue, highlighti­ng the distinctiv­e characteri­stics of the Bronze Age civilizati­ons in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

“Unity in Diversity” analyzes and compares the Bronze Age civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin with the diverse integratio­n pattern of Chinese civilizati­ons in the Central Plains region.

It interprets the characteri­stics of the open and inclusive Bronze Age civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin, as well as the diversity, exchanges and mutual learning of civilizati­ons in the regions near the Yangtze River and Central Plains.

The “Unificatio­n of the Country” section tells the story of the integratio­n of Bronze Age civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin with other Chinese civilizati­ons.

During the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), there were constant disputes among feudal states, and the power of various states grew and waned.

At that time, Qin and Chu were both powerful states and their regional cultures had a very important impact on the developmen­t of Chinese civilizati­on.

In the Yangtze River Basin, the influence of Chu culture is particular­ly prominent.

In 316 BC, Qin conquered Ba and Shu, greatly changing the geopolitic­al landscape of the late Warring States Period.

Consequent­ly, the dominant trends of Chu culture in the Yangtze River Basin changed accordingl­y.

With the destructio­n of the six states by the Qin state, and the subsequent unificatio­n of the country, the Bronze Age civilizati­ons of the Yangtze River Basin, which had been in turmoil for thousands of years, merged with main civilizati­ons of China.

The Yangtze River, the longest in China — and the longest in the world to run through a single country — originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and bisects the entire nation before meeting the East China Sea. The Yangtze River Basin has the most abundant copper resources in China, leading to the rise of Bronze Age civilizati­ons and cultures.

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 ?? PHOTOS BY ZHENG ERQI / CHINA DAILY ?? Nurtured by the Same Water, Bronze Age Civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin at Guangdong Museum is the first such exhibition held in Guangdong province to showcase the Bronze Age civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin. It displays 137 rare exhibits from the region.
PHOTOS BY ZHENG ERQI / CHINA DAILY Nurtured by the Same Water, Bronze Age Civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin at Guangdong Museum is the first such exhibition held in Guangdong province to showcase the Bronze Age civilizati­ons in the Yangtze River Basin. It displays 137 rare exhibits from the region.
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