CHINESE
TREASURES, CHINESE PORCELAIN, CHINESE SILKS
- Some of the most amazing things that you
will see in Chinese museums and the countryside are their
cultural treasures. These pieces of history really do tell
a story - each piece tells its part in the story of China,
and there are many reasons to understand and admire them.
The most important of these is the understanding of what
makes the Chinese people who they are.
Some of the Chinese treasures
will include such things as ancient tombs, ancient jewels,
and silks of all sorts in various rarities as well as ceramics,
and so much more.
Let us explore one type of treasure
that can be found within China – historic tombs. For
example, the 2500 year old tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng. This
tomb was discovered in 1977 in the city of Suizou. The ruler
was in power during the period of 482-221 B.C. during the
Warring States Period. Inside the tomb were a number of
treasures. There were 21 human sacrifices made for this
ruler - they were women, concubines or maybe his wives or
musicians that were killed to escort him to his new life.
But, there was much more to be found than bodies. Some of
the most astonishing things found were the musical instruments
that were there. Flutes, panpipes, drums and bells were
only the start of the collection that was found. In a nearby
tomb even more musical instruments of various types were
found, and the remarkable thing about them was their exceptional
quality. There were weapons as well as armor found.
Chinese porcelain and pottery
are famous – everyone longs to own one of these wonderful
pieces. Porcelain made for the imperial emperors and their
entourage is referred to as Imperial Porcelain and is of
very fine quality and all pieces are identified as such
on the base. Imperial Chinese Porcelain was always made
from the finest materials; also too it was usually decorated
with marvelous paintings – most usually in a darkish
blue colour. One of the highest prices ever paid for an
antique vase was the $10m for the vase shaped like a pear
which was a copper glazed vessel with deep copper red embellishments.
f you are interested in learning more about porcelain you
will find much to fascinate you here Porcelain.
Chinese porcelain is still made to day – and used
in China on a daily basis. This is usually of a high quality
and very pretty – it is also indeed very similar to
that which has been made for centuries for the general population,
and alas lacks the great value attaching to Ming pieces.
Chinese silk is another great
treasure of this country. Most museums have wonderful examples
of silk artistry through the ages. In ancient time, the
Chinese learned to use the silk thread spun by silkworms
to weave into wonderful pieces. During the Han Dynasty,
this art grew greatly and Chinese Silk was exported to many
parts of the known world. The silks were carried by horses
and mules and the route they covered became known as the
Silk Road with some silks going by ship. The legendary Silk
Road started at Xi’an (Chang’an) the largest
producing area and went west across China to Teheran, Baghdad,
Constantinople and on to Rome and Europe. The beautiful
silks were woven into everything from light gossamer garments
to heavy bejeweled brocades with each Dynasty having its
own characteristics. The Chinese National Silk Museum is
the largest of its kind in the world though most of the
world’s museums have a section devoted to Chinese
silks they are so beautiful and famous.
There are also many jeweled treasures
from China. Rich Golden Pagodas with precious stones, models
accurate in every detail, golden buddhas and stunning jewelry
– all are glimpses of the wonderful ancient Chinese
heritage.
These are of course only a glimpse
at the wonderful and rich treasures that the Chinese people
have to offer. People from around the world search out these
treasures to see with their own eyes the remarkable images
of Chinese history. Information on a few of Beijing’s
museums where you can see just some of the wonderful treasures
can be found in the Beijing
CityTourist Guide.
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