Journey through dragon-related cultural relics in Shanxi

The culturally-rich province of Shanxi recently unveiled two exhibitions featuring dragon artifacts, offering the public an opportunity to explore the evolutionary journey of the dragon motif. Over a hundred artifacts excavated from Shanxi are put on display, shedding light on the roots of Chinese civilization.

One exhibition, which opened on February 2 at the Shanxi Archaeological Museum, features over 130 artifacts related to dragons, spanning from prehistoric times over 4,000 years ago to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Divided into three sections, the exhibition systematically presents the historical evolution of dragon imagery.

Archaeological discoveries reveal that from prehistoric times to the Shang (1600-1046 BC) and Western Zhou (1046-771 BC) dynasties, dragon motifs underwent a transformation from representational to abstract. The forms and patterns gradually standardized and found widespread use in the decoration of bronze and jade artifacts.

During the Qin (221-207 BC) and Han (202BC-220 AD) dynasties, the dragon motif assumed a basic form, serving as a template for subsequent variations and acquiring richer cultural connotations. This not only provides insights into the origins of Chinese civilization, but also unveils the developmental journey of Chinese culture.

Simultaneously, another dragon-themed exhibition opened at the Shanxi Museum, showcasing a painted-dragon plate unearthed from the Taosi archaeological site in Xiangfen County of Linfen, Shanxi Province. This plate depicts the "dragon figure" of Chinese prehistory.

On the inner wall of the Taosi dragon plate, a coiled dragon with snake-like scales, a square head, and a large mouth with an extended tongue is painted in red. Inside the mouth, there is a cluster of auspicious grains, symbolizing good weather, national prosperity, and people's well-being.

Originating from the grand tomb of Taosi, this dragon plate reflects the reverence people had for dragons and indicates that the upper echelons mainly enjoyed such "dragon artifacts." The presence of this dragon image at Taosi marks the first known symbolic unification of the divine and royal authority at the site.