National Museum of China hosts dragon-themed exhibition

As 2024 is the Year of the Dragon in China, what kind of creature is the dragon like in the country's long history of over 5,000 years? The National Museum of China in Beijing offers some clues.

The museum is hosting an exhibition featuring over 200 pieces of dragon-themed cultural relics from different historical periods of China.

In Chinese culture, the dragon is regarded as an immensely revered and auspicious creature, resembling nine different creatures in appearance. Ancient Chinese believed that the dragon deity controlled the winds and rain, safeguarding the harvest.

Various cultural relics, such as bronzeware, jade artifacts, porcelain items, gold and silver ware, lacquerware and paintings dating back from the Neolithic Age to the early 20th century, are being showcased at the exhibition.

One of the most attractive exhibits is a C-shaped jade dragon of Hongshan culture in the Neolithic Age dating back some 5,000 to 6,500 years, which is an important material evidence for studying the original images of the dragon in ancient times.

"These patterns of dragon serve as indirect evidence that the Neolithic Age was the cradle of early Chinese civilization, characterized by both diversity and unity," said Sun Mengying, a staff member of the museum.

The exhibition also features a bronze plate adorned with depictions of dragons and tigers from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), a vase boasting double dragon handles from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and a hardwood screen carved with multiple dragons, representing a typical piece of palace furniture from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The Houmuwu square cauldron is currently the largest known ceremonial vessel from the Shang (1600-1046 BC) and Zhou (1046-256 BC) dynasties.

Adorned with various decorative patterns such as dragons, tigers and faces of animals and humans, the vessel conveys special cultural meanings.

"The dragon patterns on the Houmuwu square cauldron are particularly unique. We can see two upright dragons on each sides of the vessel. When we observe the corner, we can find that these two dragon patterns form a pattern of animal face. These patterns serve as a significant medium for worshipers to communicate with deities," said Zhai Shengli, a researcher of the museum.

(Cover: C-shaped jade dragon of China's Hongshan culture in the Neolithic Age. /CFP)