Seeking out dragons at the Chinese Archaeological Museum

To meet the demands of the public during the eight-day Spring Festival holiday, the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing remained open as usual.

With the arrival of the Year of the Dragon, dragon-related artifacts attracted many citizens and tourists to embark on a "dragon-seeking journey" at the museum.

The turquoise dragon-shaped artifact known as the "Number One Dragon of China" was unearthed from the tomb of a high-ranking nobleman at the Erlitou site in Henan Province. Its exquisite workmanship and large size are rare among early Chinese dragon artifacts, marking a pivotal point in the evolution of the dragon motif in Chinese culture. It is currently on display in the Chinese Archaeological Museum in the same condition as when it was unearthed.

Each piece of turquoise is only about one millimeter thick, with the main diamond-shaped patterns symbolizing the scales that cover its entire body. There is also a bronze bell in the center of the turquoise dragon. It is speculated that this artifact may have been used for sacrificial purposes, possibly as a dragon flag.

As well as the many representative "Chinese Dragon" artifacts, other "dragon" elements can be found scattered among the numerous artifacts held in the museum's collection.

The "Fu Hao bronze plate" features exquisitely intricate dragon-patterned designs that have retained its majesty over millennia. Fu Hao was the wife of King Wu Ding, who led the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) to its zenith. Her tomb was discovered in 1976 near Anyang, Henan Province.

An enchanting and finely decorated vessel called the "Dengzhong Xi Zun" unearthed in Zhangjiapo, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province in 1984, vividly depicts sculpted dragons coiled around the chest and hips of an enigmatic quadruped creature from the mid-Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC).

Museum staff introduced special guidance for visitors to "seek the dragon," and launched an interactive "Dragon Quest" experience for the Spring Festival, with some activities continuing throughout the Year of the Dragon. Visitors can explore the museum, hunt for treasures, and collect corresponding artifact stamps based on clues from specimen labels or contour maps.