The culturally rich city of Deyang, located in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, unveiled a jewel in its crown on Thursday with the opening of the new Sanxingdui Museum. In an adjacent location to the old exhibition space, this new museum was inaugurated in a trial operation. So popular was the new venue that 11,000 tickets sold out within 10 minutes of their release on Wednesday night, according to an employee surnamed Wen, as told to the Global Times.
More than just a museum, this new establishment stands as a symbol of China’s archaeological progression. It houses over 600 artifacts that are being exhibited for the first time, offering a captivating spectacle to archeology enthusiasts and general visitors alike.
Chinese President Xi Jinping toured the museum on Wednesday, gaining insight into the efforts put into preserving historical and cultural heritage, the strides made in archaeological excavation and research, and the measures taken for the protection and restoration of cultural relics.
Sanxingdui Ruin, dubbed as the “origin of the Yangtze River civilization,” was once an ancient city rich in jade, gold, and bronze artifacts, including iconic gold masks and towering bronze figure sculptures. The new museum now proudly displays over 1,500 of these relics, with around a quarter of them being showcased to the public for the first time.
Despite the public’s fascination with the gold artifacts, Sanxingdui culture’s unique bronze pieces are considered understated gems. Noteworthy among these are the Bird-Footed Deity Statue and a bronze figure riding a mythical beast. These fascinating pieces, likened to “ancient Chinese Legos,” were assembled from bronze components found in different Sanxingdui pits, Zeng Yang, a seasoned commentator, told the Global Times.
The bronze ‘beast-harnesser’ figure is particularly fascinating, consisting of three parts discovered in three different Sanxingdui pits over a span of 36 years, with the most recent excavation taking place between 2021 and 2022.
Over 11,000 cultural relics have been excavated from the newly discovered sacrificial pits at the Sanxingdui Ruins, according to data from the China National Cultural Heritage Administration. These discoveries contribute to understanding the interaction between Sanxingdui and other ancient cultures of the same era.
Visitors of all ages, like 10-year-old Dong Yichen, found the Sanxingdui relics “so mysterious.” For Dong and many like him, the museum offers a unique opportunity to explore Chinese culture beyond textbooks.
The new Sanxingdui Museum represents more than just a showcase of remarkable artifacts. It reflects the country’s innovative progression in archaeology, known as the “archaeological cabinet.” This pioneering approach involves protecting newly excavated artifacts from damage by working in huge sheds covering entire sites. The museum features a 1:1 replica of such a shed, revealing how relics are excavated under controlled conditions.
The museum also prides itself on the use of advanced archaeological technologies, including 3D scanning and printing. The excavation of the newly discovered sacrificial pits at Sanxingdui is considered a leading example of modern archaeology, both in China and globally.
To bring visitors closer to the world of archaeology, the museum has a Cultural Relics Protection, Repair, and Exhibition Center, located a mere five-minute walk from the new hall. Through transparent windows, visitors can witness firsthand how archaeologists handle the relics.
The museum covers a total floor area of 54,400 square meters. Its unique architecture, featuring a sloping earth-covered structure, complements the old museum’s design. This combination creates three earth-covered mounds along the central axis, signifying “stacking three stars,” a symbolic reference to the museum’s name, Sanxingdui, meaning “three stars piling.” The new exhibition building is designed to “hide” in the ruins, rather than standing out, as Liu Yi, the lead architect of the museum, pointed out. The Sanxingdui Museum serves as a monumental testament to China’s rich cultural heritage and archaeological advancements.
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