Xian Shaanxi History Museum Photo Gallery
Most major Chinese cities have a very decent museum displaying historic artifacts. This one is no exception, and it offers a large number of free tickets everyday, but the queue didn't seem to move so I opted for a paid admission, which had barely a queue and the small charge was for entry to special exhibits.
The museum is laid out in chronological order, starting with the Neolithic Age.
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This musical instrument appears well-kept despite its age.
The Zhou Dynasty wine decanter had a tiger-shaped lid and a detailed animal pattern on the surface. It was excavated in 1967.
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Although the Qin dynasty was short-lived (221-206BC), their artifacts showed great extravagance.
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Han dynasty (206BC-220AD)
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This is how they made coins back then.
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Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern dynasties (220-589AD)
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Sui (581-618AD) and Tang (618-906AD) dynasties
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I came across quite a number of camel figurines at various attractions. Perhaps they were very popular transport vehicles during the Silk Road days.
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After the Tang dynasty fell, subsequent dynasties moved the capital away from Xian. This museum didn't have a big collection of post-Tang items.
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Although Xian was the imperial capital for a thousand years, the actual location of the capital differed. For example, the Qin and Han capitals was northwest of the present city, the Zhou capital was due west. During the Tang dynasty, the city of Chang'an was the largest city in the world.
The basement level has 2 exhibitions. One of them requires the special ticket that I had bought to bypass the free entry line. This paid exhibit hosts a number of precious artifacts, such as the below bowl with calligraphy written on it. Wonder if the ink would disappear if the plate is used for dining?
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This interesting item is well-advertised on the museum literature. Since it seems to be a "must-see", no wonder this part of the exhibit required extra payment. Dating from the Tang dynasty, this cup is shaped like a beast but it clearly can function as well. The gold snout is a stopper that can be taken out.
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