Exhibition unveils the splendor of the Han Dynasty

The exhibition Han Jades of the Chu Royal House: Fine Artifacts from the Chu Principality of the Western Han Dynasty, jointly organized by the Beijing Archaeological Site Museum and the Xuzhou Museum in Jiangsu province, was officially opened to the public on Friday at the Beijing Archaeological Site Museum.

This thematic exhibition of Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) cultural relics offers audiences a panoramic view of the unique and splendid landscape of Chu, a vassal state of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24).

The Han Dynasty served as a bridge between the past and the future, fully displaying the magnificence of its golden age and laying the fundamental framework and cultural roots of Chinese civilization. Xuzhou, known as Pengcheng in ancient times, was the hometown of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty. The Han Dynasty's Chu state established its capital here, and 12 generations of Chu kings succeeded one after another, with the state lasting for over 190 years.

This exhibition features 100 cultural relics from the Chu state, with more than 60 percent of the exhibits being national treasure-level cultural relics. Centered on the curatorial concept of "perceiving charm through vessels and contemplating the heart through jade", the exhibition is divided into two sections.

The first section presents, from the perspective of material civilization, the era's panorama of flourishing rites and music. The second section, from the perspective of spiritual civilization, reflects on the wearing of jade as a mark of dignity and the imperishability of the mineral, as well as gold, elucidating the profound humanistic connotations of the Han Dynasty's ideals of "comparing virtue to jade" and "jade as a symbol of eternity".

The exhibition weaves together multiple thematic threads, including courtly rituals and etiquette, military might, daily life and ceremonial music, and the love of jade. These ancient artifacts, inscribed with the stories of the Han period, revive the political majesty and the refined way of life of the Chu state, leading visitors to explore the aesthetic beliefs and spiritual world of the Han people.

This special exhibition will run until Nov 8.