Today we present the first episode of our special series "If treasures could talk". The series features some of the most remarkable ancient treasures in China. Today, it's the Human Head Pottery Jar, which has a history of over 6000 years.

You have a new message from an ancient treasure. You come from the soil. Your eyes are raised, gazing at the sky. 6,000 years have passed. In that time, we have survived, multiplied and evolved. But we're still trying to find sense in it all.

This head-shaped red clay jar dates from 6,000 to 6,500 years ago. It was a product of Yangshao Culture, made at the dawn of the Neolithic Era, when humans began to polish stone, domesticate animals, farm, and form tribes. Producing pottery was human beings' first attempt at artistic creation. Using only their hands, they combined clay and water. By applying fire, they achieved a physical transformation of the mixture. Through their pottery, humans revealed their ability to be creative. Their minds became more open, and they began to imagine birth as the coming of light, and death, as encroaching darkness. Reflecting on life and death, they became more introspective. They imbued the heavy clay with the deeper questions they were asking themselves.

The depiction of human figures marked the artistic awakening of many ancient civilizations. This jar originated in Yangshao Culture. It's one of millions of perplexed faces abandoned in the earth. It's hard to tell the gender, but the up-turned lips suggest the innocence of a child. The jar's wide, round belly is also suggestive of the plumpness of a woman's form, and hints at her reproductive capability. On the back is a spout, through which liquid could be poured inside. The eyes and mouth serve as outlets. They seem improbably narrow, but this may indicate that the jar served some special purpose. When liquid flows out through the eyes, it resembles tears, perhaps telling of the pain of childbirth. These figurine depictions of ancient people have far outlived their creators. Protected in the earth's womb, they have retained their distinctive features.

Gazing into these most ancient eyes, we see a soul from another time, revealing the power of life to us. In 6,000 years, a village has become a country. Symbols have become poems. Cries have become songs. You have more new messages waiting.