Travel through thousands of years to see the various aspects of life of the ancient people in Hexi --- Travelogue of the National Museum

Number of days: 1 day
Time: June
With whom：parents and children
Tour kinds：Humanities, Free Travel
The author went to these places： National Museum Tiananmen Square Chang'an Avenue Corner Tower

Journey through millennia to witness the diverse lives of the ancient people of Hexi

--- Travelogue of the National Museum

I love traveling, being close to nature, and savoring cultural relics. A recent news story captivated me. Mulberry picking, farming, barbecuing, and gambling... "Pictures of Life: Ancient Life on Hexi's Pictorial Bricks" opened at the National Museum. 258 painted pictorial bricks and related artifacts tell the story of the ancient people of Hexi. 88 of the exhibits are national first-class cultural relics.

The National Museum is located east of Tiananmen Square, south of East Chang'an Avenue. Take Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East Station (Exit D), or take Buses 1, 5, or 2 to Tiananmen East Station. Admission is free, but reservations are required, and entry requires a second-generation ID card.

Experts say that pictorial bricks refer to bricks with images or patterns imprinted or carved. my country's pictorial bricks lasted for fourteen or fifteen centuries, from the Warring States Period to the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Using contemporary society as a model, craftsmen infused their extraordinary creativity with depictions of ancient life across different historical periods. The most striking examples are the painted bricks from the Hexi Corridor region. The exhibition, divided into three sections: "Pictures of the Universe," "Various Aspects of Life," and "Ningping Blessings," reflects the diverse lifestyles and spiritual outlooks of the people of the ancient Hexi region. The Hexi Corridor in Gansu, situated in western China, was far removed from the prosperity of the Central Plains. The desolate atmosphere of "smoke rising from the vast desert, the setting sun over the long river" was felt. The "spring breeze failing to reach Yumen Pass" further punctuated the Hexi region's desolation. Over a thousand years ago, what did the ancient people there eat? What did they wear? What did they think? ... I visited the exhibition hall, filled with curiosity. The exhibition "Pictures of Life: Ancient Life on Hexi Bricks" is located in the museum's North Hall N9. Upon entering the exhibition hall, I was immediately greeted by a large animated screen. A few minutes of explanation transported me back to a distant past. The land was fertile, the plowshares fluttered, and farmers sowed their hopes for the coming year. Horseback riding, bows drawn, earth and deer chased—the slack season offered a wealth of fun. The exhibition hall is dimly lit, instantly calming. A beam of light before an exhibit makes you eager to see what it is. The sun and moon gods, Fuxi and Nuwa, and the Eastern King and Western Queen Mother, represent the local people's rich imagination of the celestial world. These celestial figures are typically placed on the ceiling of the tomb or high up on the walls. On the left is a red sun with a golden bird in its center. On the right is a full moon with a toad in its center. These two portrait bricks were originally placed together in the caisson ceiling of the tomb chamber. The right depicts Fuxi, with a human head and snake-like feet, wearing a mountain-shaped crown and holding a compass in his right hand. His abdomen is painted with a sun disc and a golden bird. The left depicts Nuwa, with a human head and snake-like feet, wearing a high bun and holding a compass in his left hand. His abdomen is painted with a moon disc, and his snake tail is intertwined with Fuxi beside him.

The Duke of the East is dressed in gorgeous clothes, with wide robes and large sleeves, dressed like a scholar-official, and is surrounded by clouds.

The Queen Mother of the West sits upright on a couch, with wings growing from her shoulders. A servant stands to her right, a standing toad to her left, and auspicious clouds in front of the couch.

Mythical birds and beasts embody the extraordinary imagination of the ancients and express their wishes for divine protection. They are typically inlaid on the walls of tombs.

The bricks are framed in red and painted with a white-feathered parrot, seemingly walking. The painted deer features a vivid expression and vibrant colors, with wings on its shoulders, eyes wide open, and feathers on its limbs. It appears to be galloping, with clouds billowing behind it. The white elephant, with its long, curled trunk and wings painted at the base of its hind legs, is a symbol of good fortune in Buddhism.

Pegasus Carved Bricks

The Hexi Carved Bricks feature a rich and comprehensive range of themes, including depictions of farming, hunting, daily life, singing, dancing, and feasting, as well as scenes depicting life in fortified settlements and historical stories. These vividly capture the diverse social lives of the various ethnic groups in the Hexi region and the regional characteristics of its emphasis on both farming and animal husbandry.

This type of portrait brick is typically inlaid in the lower-middle portion of a tomb's walls, or on the walls of the front chamber and passageway.

The "Mulberry Picking" brick depicts a tall mulberry tree in the center. A woman on the left holds a mulberry basket in one hand and picks mulberry leaves with the other. A woman on the right holds a mulberry basket in one hand and a mulberry hook in the other.

The deer are either lying or standing, and a man holding a long whip is depicted on the far right, depicting the scene of deer herding in the Hexi Corridor region.

Cutting Cloth depicts two women holding a piece of cloth and preparing to cut it.

The painting depicts a man leading a horse with a hound following in the distance, perhaps depicting a servant preparing a horse for hunting for his master. The tomb owner is depicted traveling in a chariot, accompanied by a charioteer and followed by servants. This depiction showcases the tomb owner's dignified demeanor and reflects his social life. This brick depicts a warrior clad in armor, armed with a bow and arrows, and wearing combat boots. He holds a spear in one hand and leads his warhorse in the other, preparing to depart for battle.

The Ox Cart Brick depicts a man driving an ox cart, followed by a maid holding a tray in one hand and a flat pot in the other.

Inside a banquet curtain, four men kneel side by side on the left, while two musicians kneel on the right, playing recorders and ruanxian. In the center are wine vessels such as ear cups and zun. The tomb depicts a servant offering grilled meat to his master. The servant grills the skewers on a rectangular stove, while the master, wearing a black cap, holds a plate and noodles. The inscriptions "Youjie" and "Duanqing" are inscribed on the tomb's left and right, respectively. Duanqing is likely the tomb owner's name, and Youjie was his courtesy name. A scene depicting Liubo: One man raises his hand to throw two zi, while another man raises his left hand high and points his right hand toward the board. The two men move the pieces by matching each other's zi. This type of game is known as "Liubo" in the traditional Chinese game.

Drinking from the well

Domestic chicken

Drawing water

Scalding and plucking chickens

Slaughtering cattle

Slaughtering pigs

Slaughter the sheep

Chef

Cutting meat

Two women are sitting opposite each other, with wine utensils placed between them, which should be a drinking scene.

A couple singing and dancing

A painting depicts two musicians sitting opposite each other playing music. The man on the left presses and rubs the strings with his left hand, plucking with his right, while the man on the right holds a sanxian (three-stringed ruan) and plays the instrument. The brick depicting the character "兀" (dock) depicts a city gate, a watchtower above, battlements on the city walls, and trees, cattle, horses, and sheep outside the dock. The character "兀" is inscribed on the brick. The left side of the brick depicts a dock, which is square in plan, surrounded by tall walls and square corner towers. On the right, two figures in red and white stand guard, holding spears.

The highly authoritative clan leader in the fortress handles "civil disputes" within the clan.

The brick depicting hearing lawsuits.

The brick depicting caning and punishment.

Two high-handled beans placed side by side with bases have round objects placed on top, likely offerings.

A bundle of silk is painted on each side of the painting, with a bean in the center, on which an offering is placed. In the center of the painting, the bed is outlined with ink lines, with the legs represented by folded lines at the bottom. A red rectangular pattern sits atop the bed, likely a mattress or quilt. This depicts a corner of domestic life. Four pieces of clothing hang from a painted clothes rail.

The bricks are painted with silk bundles, which symbolize the wealth of the tomb owner.

Box

The woman wears a high bun and a hairpin, her facial makeup is clear, and her clothes are exquisite and bright. The figure opens the box with one hand and reaches into the box with the other to take something out, which is very vivid and lifelike.

Weapons

Both the "Pavilion Lantern" and the "Charcoal Stove" feature black, round bases with grid-patterned handles. A candle burns on the pavilion lantern, while a blazing flame blazes within the charcoal stove. Viewing the exhibition of painted figurative bricks from the Hexi Corridor region, I felt the extraordinary imagination and creativity of the Chinese nation's ancestors. Each brick, a painting, each a scene, conveys a rich tapestry of content, encompassing everything from the heavens to the earth. Furthermore, the simple lines and composition convey a strong sense of the times and the harmonious interplay of regional and ethnic characteristics. This exhibition allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the ancient people of Hexi, a cultural source that has sustained and enduring the Chinese nation.