China Treasures

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.