Exhibition featuring ancient Hongshan Culture to open in Shanghai

For archaeology and ancient Chinese culture enthusiasts, there is exciting news. An exhibition showcasing the ancient Hongshan Culture will open in Shanghai on Thursday, offering visitors an immersive journey going back thousands of years to explore the early forms of Chinese civilization.
The exhibition, titled “Legends of Dragon: The Ancient Civilization of Hongshan Culture,” will be held at the Shanghai Museum from June 26 to October 8 and is free to the public.

Bringing together a century’s worth of archaeological achievements and the latest discoveries related to Hongshan Culture, the exhibition showcases over 300 artifacts, obtained through the joint efforts of 20 museums and archaeological institutions across the country.

Hongshan Culture is recognized as one of the vital origins of Chinese civilization, often referred to as the “root system” of Chinese culture, said Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum.

“The archaeological findings surrounding the Hongshan Culture demonstrate the enduring, diverse, and inclusive characteristics of Chinese civilization, marking an important chapter in ancient Chinese history that we must promote and preserve,” Chu said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Dating back approximately 6,500 to 5,000 years, Hongshan Culture represents a significant Neolithic archaeological culture in northern China, covering an area of around 200,000 square kilometers. Archaeological evidence shows that Hongshan Culture developed a jade ritual system exemplified by the jade dragon, making it a representative archaeological culture that was among the earliest to shape China’s ancient civilization.

The jade dragon artifacts, a defining feature of the Hongshan Culture, are a major highlight of this exhibition. One of the most significant pieces, placed on display at the center of the exhibition hall, is the "C-shaped Jade Dragon." This intricately carved jade dragon forms a full-bodied C shape, and its surface is smooth and translucent, making it one of the most renowned artifacts from the Hongshan Culture.

Another key exhibit is the "Jade Dragon in the Shape of a Jue (slit ring)." According to Feng Yucheng, a curator of the exhibition, this Jue-shaped jade dragon was the first of its kind to be unearthed during archaeological excavations of the Hongshan Culture, marking the start of many similar discoveries by later archaeologists at various Hongshan sites.

"We can say that, the excavation of this artifact established a connection between the Jue-shape jade dragon and the Hongshan Culture," Feng told the Global Times during a media preview of the exhibition on Wednesday.

The jade dragon is the most notable type of Hongshan jade artifact, and it serves as a prototype for the Chinese dragon. "It is one of the key markers of the very beginning of Chinese civilization, which occurred more than 5,000 years ago," read a display board at the exhibition.

To enhance the visitor experience, the organizers have also drawn inspiration from representative elements of the Hongshan Culture to design 153 cultural and creative products, including toys, stationery, decorations, and food items, the Global Times learned from the Shanghai Museum.