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    Sanxingdui Museum


    Posted on: August 19, 2014 | | 中文

    The Sanxingdui Museum is near an archaeological site that dates back to the Neolithic, Shang, and Zhou periods. In 1988, the site was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protected Unit, due to its size, quantity of unearthed items, and the rarity and value of its excavated objects.

    Sanxingdui Museum

    The site is situated to the North of Nanxing Town of Guanghan City in Sichuan Province. It is mainly located on the higher land between the Yazi River and the Mamu River, covering an area of about 12 square kilometers. The most compact parts of the site are in the territory of the towns of Sanxing, Rensheng, Zhenwu, and Huilong.

    The artifacts from Sanxingdui had global influences. In 1986, two large Shang-period sacrificial pits were unearthed with more than one thousand gold, bronze, and jade objects, astonishing the entire country and attracting the attention of the world as well. Among other things, the finds proved that Sanxingdui area was the capital area of the ancient Shu Kingdom more than 3,000 years ago. Of all the objects excavated at Sanxingdui, the bronzes are the most fabulous and strange, with their high degree of historical, artistic and scientific values.

    The following is a brief of the findings at Sanxingdui site:

    Ceramics: Most of the ceramics unearthed at Sanxingdui are made of "jiashahe" clay, which had sand in it, and are made on a wheel. There are known to be four periods of the ceramics. The first period was from some 4,000 to 4,800 years ago, in a representative Neolithic culture period in the Sichuan Basin. The second is roughly in the time from the Xia Dynasty to the early Shang Dynasty (about 4,000-3,000 years ago). The third is contemporary with the time of the late Shang Dynasty (2,500-2,000 years ago), and the fourth between the late Shang Dynasty and the early Western Zhou dynasty (2,000-1,200). It can be concluded that the above ceramics unearthed there represent an unbroken line of development in the ancient Shu culture from the shape, patterning, base, and method of manufacture.

    Sanxingdui Museum

    Jade: Although not many in number, the jade items were also unearthed at the site. The techniques used to make these jade objects are fairly advanced and they are well preserved. Among them are ceremonial objects, military objects and tools, with the blades still as sharp as when they were buried. The blades of these objects are so thin that they seem to be ceremonial in nature and not for actual work or warfare.

    Sanxingdui Museum

    Gold objects: The gold objects excavated from Sanxingdui were not only very finely made but also quite unique in style and shape. There are face masks and various kinds of ceremonial items. Among them, a gold staff, with a human head carved on top with fish, birds, and grain, is executed in a fine manner with an extremely beautiful pattern.

    Bronze objects: The Sanxingdui bronze objects have been exhibited both in and outside China for many times and have astonished the scholars of archaeology, art history and the public as well. They are the most well known from  the Shang and Zhou periods ever unearthed, particularly bronze human statues, their artistic exaggeration, majestic style, unique design and shape.

    Sanxingdui Museum

    The unearthed Sanxingdui bronze objects can be divided roughly into two categories. All those belonging to the first category are mainly for use in ceremonies and rituals, ncluding "zun", (a kind of wine vessel used in ancient times),  "fou", (a kind of container), "pan", (plate), "yi", (a kind of ancient wine vessel). This can clearly be seen from the shapes and artistic styles of these Bronze objects. It is believed that there are some similarities between the unearthed bronze objects and the environment of the surrounding regions. Another type of bronze objects were made for religious purpose with religious connotations, and they include religious statues, or idols. Among them is a statue of a standing man that is 2.62 meters high and weighing 180 kilograms. His nose is high and straight, his eyes are large, his forehead is square and he has large ears with pierced earlobes. A long braid hangs down behind its head; he wears a resplendent tall crown on his head. The body is covered with a dragon-and cloud-patterned robe that folds to the left; the left hand is raised, the right arm is folded across his chest. The hands are large, the two feet are bare and the statue stands on a square pedestal. Of all the bronze objects of the Shang and Zhou periods ever unearthed, the shape and style of this one are very rare and absolutely unique.

    There are many bronze heads and face masks of the superlative bronze objects excavated at Sanxingdui site. Among them, one mask is 134 centimeters wide, 65 centimeters tall and weighs ten kilograms. If one estimates the full height of a statue with these proportions, it would be a magnificent four meters. The mask has large ears and high nose, and exaggerated eyes with protruding pupils.

    The environment of the new museum is exceptionally beautiful. The surrounding space is large and the buildings are arranged as if they were in a park, with pools, stones, flowers and trees; the setting also borrows from the natural beauty of the nearby streams.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021