Cast in bronze
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2013-03/14/content_16307821.htm
The communities of Baoji are
forever linked with China's
ancient metallurgy. Wang Kaihao reports on the pride and the preservation.
For residents in Baoji,
Shaanxi province, also known as
"the hometown of bronze ware", protecting historical treasures is one
way to safeguard their homeland. At least, that is what they want to express
through a compelling exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing.
The one-month free exhibition Watching and Guarding Home
continues through March 31. It includes 156 bronze artifacts ranging from
sacrificial vessels to musical instruments, all accidentally discovered by Baoji's residents since
1975.
"It's not too exaggerated to say these are national
treasures," says Yan Zhi, the museum archaeologist and also the curator of
this exhibition.
Yan says that among the exhibits, 62 items have been
appraised as national grade-one artifacts and 76 are still waiting to be
graded. He estimates two-thirds of the exhibits will be top-graded national
treasures.
"And it is not often that our museum is able to exhibit
such a huge number of rare antiques, and all of them were discovered by local
villagers."
Baoji
was the birthplace of Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC) and a major
cultural hub in the following centuries. Innumerable items of bronze ware,
symbolic ancient Chinese artifacts, have been unearthed in the area. Yan says
90 percent of the nation's bronze ware carved with long inscriptions was found
around Baoji.
Yan adds this is also the first time that more than 100
bronze artifacts from Baoji has ever been
assembled outside of Shaanxi
province