The new exhibition of the National Museum of China, "Long Zhao Xinyuan - Jiachen New Year of the Dragon New Year Cultural Exhibition", will be open to the public from the 6th. Led by "China's First Dragon", more than 200 pieces (sets) of dragon-related cultural relics were exhibited, of which nearly ninety percent of the exhibits were on display.
Standing at the entrance of the exhibition hall, you can see the "first dragon in China". This Neolithic Hongshan culture jade dragon is carved from dark green Xiuyan jade, with a long nose and a curled body. Zhuge Yingliang, the curator of the exhibition, said that it is one of the earliest dragon images that have been discovered, which provides important material materials for the study of the original form of the dragon.
In the exhibition hall, more than 200 pieces of dragon cultural relics span from the Neolithic Age to the beginning of the 20th century, the simple and naïve Hongshan Jade Dragon, the brilliant and vigorous Warring States Dragon and Tiger Pattern Amphora, the exquisite Tang Dynasty Double Dragon Ear Vase, and the Qing Dynasty Court Furniture Masterpiece Seawater Cloud Dragon Pattern Hardwood Screen.
Each piece of cultural relics is like staging a documentary on the evolution of the shape of a "dragon". The Shang Dynasty cicada dragon pattern bow is the "hanging rein" on the carriage, and the "dragon" at this time is like a snake and a lizard. In the Tang Dynasty, "Fuxi Nuwa Statue Standing", Fuxi and Nuwa are both human heads and dragon bodies. Based on the snake totem, the Fuxi tribe incorporated the totems of horses, rats, deer, and dogs of the conquered tribes, constituting the symbol of the Chinese nation. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the image of the "dragon" was basically fixed. A whole display case of porcelain, at a glance, is the familiar "dragon" shape. If you look closely, there are slight differences, for example, the dragons of the Ming Dynasty are mostly snake-shaped, with scales on the body, fins on the back, and rough dragon patterns; The dragon of the Qing Dynasty has been standardized, with a majestic and unrestrained form in the early stage and a bland demeanor in the late period.
The formation process of the dragon is the process of the ancestors' worship and fusion of natural objects. Zhuge Yingliang said that the image of the dragon ornament has been continuously integrated and added, from the abstraction of the original form to the figuration of the beast form, from the simple and clumsy to the complex spirituality of a variety of combinations, its development and evolution reflect the different styles of each period.
According to the National Museum, the exhibition systematically explains the "dragon", the totem and symbol of the Chinese nation, from the aspects of festivals and rituals, history and culture, and artistic life, aiming to present the thousands of postures of the dragon and dance, create a peaceful atmosphere, and offer New Year blessings to the audience. (Beijing ** reporter Liu Mian).