The exhibition "Strength of Wind and Crying of Bows - Riding and Archery Culture in Northern China from Pre-Qin to Northern Dynasties" was launched at the Liaoning Provincial Museum

China News Service, Shenyang, September 25 (Reporter Yang Yi) The exhibition "Strong Wind and Sound of Bows - Riding and Archery Culture in Northern China from Pre-Qin to Northern Dynasties" was officially displayed at the Liaoning Provincial Museum on the 25th. As the highlight of the first "Liaoning·Hong Kong Culture Week", this exhibition brings together 451 precious cultural relics from the Liaoning Provincial Museum and 14 cultural and museum institutions across the country, panoramically showing the magnificent process of the millennium integration of the northern forests and grasslands with the Central Plains.

The first "Liaoning·Hong Kong Culture Week" recently kicked off in Shenyang. The cultural week takes "Northern Xinjiang Culture" as the theme and focuses on forest culture. Through exhibitions, books, performances (i.e. cultural relics exhibitions, new book releases, forest concerts) and other multiple forms, it vividly interprets the magnificent development process of northern China's ethnic minorities from forests to grasslands, and from grasslands to the Central Plains.

The exhibition "Strength of Wind and Crying of Bows - Riding and Archery Culture in Northern China from Pre-Qin to Northern Dynasties" was unveiled at the Liaoning Provincial Museum. Photo provided by the organizer

According to Zhao Shiqing, the curator of the exhibition, "the sound of the wind and the sound of the bow" comes from the famous line "the sound of the wind and the sound of the horn" in "Guan Yu" by Wang Wei, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. The cultural relics selected for this exhibition extend from the Pre-Qin Dynasty to the Northern Dynasties, with a time span of more than 2,500 years. The panoramic view shows the "Metal Road" across the Eurasian steppe forest zone, as well as the "Northern Bronze Ware" born during the Xia and Shang Dynasties. The exhibits are mainly practical horse gear, weapons and animal pattern ornaments, and the style is obviously different from the Central Plains bronze culture.

In addition, the exhibition also uses riding and archery as an entry point to present the collision and integration of the two major civilizations of nomadism and farming - from the reform of King Zhao Wuling's "Hufu riding and archery" system during the Warring States Period, to the dual iterations of armaments and strategies in the wars with the Xiongnu during the Qin and Han Dynasties, to the rise of heavy cavalry from the Wei, Jin to the Northern Dynasties. These historical processes have profoundly affected the development trajectory of China's military in the long run.

The picture shows guests visiting the exhibition. Photo provided by the organizer

In terms of exhibition concept, this exhibition breaks through the traditional single display mode of cultural relics and combines the triple values of archaeological evidence, artistic aesthetics and civilization narrative. The exhibits span many categories of relics, including rock paintings, bronze weapons, gold and silver accessories, chariot and horse equipment, and textile cultural relics. There are treasures such as the Spring and Autumn Crouching Tiger handle curved-edged bronze dagger, gem-inlaid tiger pattern gold belt buckle, and specially set up replicas of three Yanjia riding equipment. The exhibition uses concrete and tangible cultural relics as a carrier to vividly decode the three core connotations of Northern Xinjiang’s martial spirit, nature worship and ethnic integration.

The picture shows a gem-encrusted tiger pattern gold belt buckle. Photo provided by the organizer

It is reported that this exhibition will continue to be on display until January 2027. During this "Liaoning·Hong Kong Cultural Week", "Grassland, Grassland!" will also be held. ——Jideng Gacha Spring Diary" book launch, Northern Xinjiang forest concert, special performance of classic excerpts and other activities. (over)