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CHINA: Grandeur of the Dynasties

  • Image of "Lacquered drum with pedestal of phoenixes on tigers’ backs, Warring States period, 4th century BC, Excavated from Tianxingguan Tomb No. 2, Jingzhou, Hubei province, China, Jingzhou Museum, China"

    Lacquered drum with pedestal of phoenixes on tigers’ backs, Warring States period, 4th century BC, Excavated from Tianxingguan Tomb No. 2, Jingzhou, Hubei province, China, Jingzhou Museum, China

    Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Special Exhibition Galleries
    October 10, 2012 (Wed) - December 24, 2012 (Mon)

    China has a population of 1.3 billion people, and is a country with the fourth largest area of land in the world. With more than 50 ethnic races, the giant country has maintained a history of as long as six thousand years. Cultures and philosophies unique to this country have developed and been passed on in China, where a sophisticated civilization developed alongside the bounties of grand rivers such as the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. This tradition connects to the origin of the spirit and culture of Japan.
    This exhibition focuses on the capitals and central regions of the dynasties of China. Based on the latest accomplishments of excavation research, this exhibition looks at unique objects from the provinces, and aims to view Chinese civilization from a new perspective. As we introduce the appeal of the treasures, this exhibition also looks into their backgrounds and presents an overview of the dynamism and spread of Chinese civilization that has developed with multiple elements.
     

General Information
Period Wednesday, October 10 - Monday, December 24, 2012
Venue Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30 - 17:00
Fridays until 20:00
until 21:00 on Saturday, October 20
(Last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Closed Mondays
Admission Adults: 1,500 (1,300/1,200) yen
University students: 1,200 (1,000/900) yen
High school students: 700(500/400) yen
Junior high school students and under: Free
* Prices shown in ( ) indicate advance / group (more than 20 persons) discount tickets.
* Persons with disabilities are admitted free with one accompanying person each.
* The admission ticket for this special exhibition can also be used once on the day of the ticket's use to enter the special exhibition "Treasures from Sacred Izumo: On the Occasion of the Renovation of Izumo Taisha Shrine and 1300 Years of the Kojiki Chronicle" (Wednesday, October 10, 2012 - Sunday, November 25, 2012).
Access 10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station
15 minutes' walk from Keisei Ueno Station, Tokyo Metro Ueno Station and Tokyo Metro Nezu Station
Organizer Tokyo National Museum, Art Exhibitions China, NHK, NHK Promotions Inc., The Mainichi Newspapers, The Asahi Shimbun
With the Support of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the People's Republic of China, Embassy of The People's Republic of China in Japan
With the Sponsorship of Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited
With the Assistance of All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., China Cultural Center
  This exhibition is covered by the Japanese Act on the Indemnification of Damage to Works of Art in Exhibitions.
General Inquiries 03-5405-8686 (Hello Dial)
Exhibition Website http://www.china-ocho.jp/ (In Japanese)
The website has closed with the end of the exhibition.

Next venue

Kobe City Museum : Saturday, February 2 - Sunday, April 7, 2013
Nagoya City Museum : Wednesday, April 24 - Sunday, June 23, 2013
Kyushu National Museum : Tuesday, July 9 - Monday, September 16, 2013

Related Events
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  October 12, 2012 (Fri)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  October 20, 2012 (Sat)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH

Highlight of the Exhibition

 

Part I: Dawn of the Dynastic Age: Gold of Sichuan vs. Bronze of the Central Plains
The Shu and the Xia and Yin Dynasties
一級文物　金製仮面（きんせいかめん）   Gold mask
Yin to Western Zhou dynasty, 12th–10th century BC
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 2001 from Meiyuan (plum garden) area of　Jinsha site, Chengdu, Sichuan Province
Jinsha Site Museum, Chengdu, China

 

Bronze jue tripod wine vessel
Yin dynasty, 16th–15th century BC
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Zhengzhou Museum, China
  
一級文物　爵（しゃく）

 

Part II: Radiant Rival States: Southern Mysticism vs. Central Tradition
The Chu and the Qi and Lu Dynasties
Lacquered winged figure
Warring States period, 4th century BC
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 2000 from Tomb No. 2 at Tianxingguan, Jingzhou, Hubei Province
Jingzhou Museum, China		    一級文物　羽人（うじん）

 

 一級文物　虎座鳳凰架鼓（こざほうおうかこ）   Lacquered drum with pedestal of phoenixes on tigers’ backs
Warring States period, 4th century BC
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 2000 from Tomb No. 2 at Tianxingguan, Jingzhou, Hubei Province
Jingzhou Museum, China

 

Bronze animal-shaped xizun vessel with inlaid gold, silver and turquoise design
Warring States period, 4th–3rd century BC
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 1982 from Shangwang site at Linzi, Zibo, Shandong Province
Qiguo Gucheng Site Museum, China
  
一級文物　犠尊（ぎそん）　

 

Part III: Unified Dynasties: Beauty from Absolute Power vs. Stylization through Refinement
The Qin and the Han Dynasties
一級文物　跪射俑（きしゃよう）   Painted pottery kneeling archer figure
Qin dynasty, 3rd century BC
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 1999 from Terracotta Army Pit No. 2 at Emperor Qin Shihuang Tomb, Lintong, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
Museum of the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang, China

 

Painted pottery female figure
Former Han dynasty, 2nd century BC
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 1997 from Tomb No. 130 at the Yangling Mausoleum, Xianyang, Shaanxi Province
Han Yang Ling Museum, China
   一級文物　女性俑（じょせいよう）

 

TOP

 

Part IV: Competition Between North and South: Novelty of Northern Culture vs. Maturity of Tradition
The Northern and Southern Dynasties
一級文物　天人龍虎蓮華文柱座（てんじんりゅうこれんげもんちゅうざ）   Sandstone pillar plinth with heavenly figure, dragon, tiger, and lotus blossom design
Northern Wei dynasty, 484 (Taihe 8)
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 1966 from the Minister Jin Long Tomb at Datong, Shanxi Province
Shanxi Museum, China

 

Celadon shentinghu spirit pavilion vessel with figure and pavilion design
Three Kingdoms period (Wu dynasty), 272 (Fenghuang 1)
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 1995 from the Shangfangzhen Wu tomb, Jiangning, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Nanjing Museum, China
  
一級文物　仙人仏像文盤口壺（せんにんぶつぞうもんばんこうこ）

 

Part V: Emergence of a Global Empire: Splendid Metropolis vs. Exalted Religious Center
The Tang Capital of Chang’an and Luoyang
Bonze mirror with mother-of-pearl inlaid bird and flower design
Tang dynasty, 736 (Kaiyuan 24)
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 2001 from the Tang Princess Li Chui Tomb at Xian University of Technology No. 2 campus,Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
Shaanxi Archaeological Research Institute, China
 		   一級文物　花鳥文鏡（かちょうもんきょう）

 

 一級文物　金剛神坐像（こんごうしんざぞう）   Marble seated Vajrapani
Tang dynasty, 8th century
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 1959 from Anguosi site, northern suburbs of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
Xi’an Beilin Museum, China

 

Limestone seated Buddha
Tang dynasty, 8th century
From the Longmen Caves, Luoyang, Henan Province
Longmen Caves Research Institute, China
   一級文物　仏坐像（ぶつざぞう）

 

Part VI: Stirrings of Modernity: Spontaneity of the Northern Peoples vs. Spirituality of the Han
The Liao and the Song Dynasties
銀製仮面（ぎんせいかめん）   Silver mask
Liao dynasty, 10th–11th century
Excavated in 1998 at Fuxin, Liaoning Province
The Museum of Liaoning Province, China

 

Lacquered brick tile Buddha relief
Northern Song dynasty (Wuyue), 974
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese government)
Excavated in 1987 from the Lingshi Temple pagoda, Huangyan, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province
Taizhou Huangyan Museum, China
   一級文物　千仏磚（せんぶつせん）

 

一級文物　阿育王塔（あいくおうとう）   Gilt silver Ashoka pagoda with inlaid crystal, agate and glass ornament
Northern Song dynasty, 1011 (Dazhong Xiangfu 4)
Class-One National Treasure (as designated by the Chinese
Excavated in 2008 from the Changganli pagoda tower at the Changgan Temple underground palace site in Zhonghua Menwai, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Nanjing Museum, China
Exhibitions