Enter Hubei Provincial Museum (Part 4): The Zeng Family

Hubei Province boasts six archaeological discoveries listed among China's "Top 100 Archaeological Discoveries of the Century": the Qujialing Site in Jingmen, the Shijiahe Site in Tianmen, the Panlongcheng Site in Huangpi, the Tonglushan Ancient Copper Mine Site in Daye, the Marquis of Zeng Tombs in Suizhou, and the Shuihudi Qin Tombs in Yunmeng. These discoveries have contributed to the rich and diverse collection of the Hubei Provincial Museum, which features distinctive artifacts of Chu culture. The museum houses as many as 10 artifacts prohibited from leaving the country, all on permanent display, second only to the National Museum of China. The Hubei Provincial Museum, a National First-Class Museum located on Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan City, is one of the first eight national museums jointly constructed by the central and local governments. The museum consists of a South Building and a North Building. This post introduces the "Zeng Family – Archaeological Discoveries of the Zeng State" exhibition on the 2nd floor of the South Building. Highlights of the exhibition are as follows: 1️⃣ Western Zhou Dynasty (Figures 3-10) ⭐ Zeng Marquis Jian Bronze He Unearthed from Tomb 28 of the Yejiashan Cemetery in Suizhou. Its decorative style is intricate and ornate, with distinct layers of relief and in-the-round carving. The rabbit-shaped knob on the lid, the ox-horned beast mask on the belly, the beast head on the handle, and the vivid crouching dragon at the spout make it a masterpiece of Shang and Zhou bronzeware. ⭐ Panlong Beast Mask Bronze Lei Unearthed from Tomb 111 of the Yejiashan Cemetery in Suizhou. The lid features a coiled dragon in the round, vividly and exquisitely sculpted. Lei with such high-relief decoration are only found in areas on the periphery of Zhou culture, such as Zhuwajie in Peng County, Sichuan, and Kazuo in Chaoyang, Liaoning. ⭐ Standing Bird Beast Mask Bronze Lei Unearthed from Tomb 27 of the Yejiashan Cemetery in Suizhou. A phoenix bird stands on the lid, its head held high and wings spread as if about to take flight. The lid is decorated with a beast mask, its spiraled horns rising above the surface, and snake patterns below the horns. Beast heads protrude from the sides of the handles and the neck, each with an elephant-like trunk. The vivid and imaginative design is truly captivating. ⭐ Shi Bronze Ding ⭐ Ma Yu Bronze Zun ⭐ Ma Yu Bronze You ⭐ Semi-circular Dragon Pattern Bronze Yue 2️⃣ Spring and Autumn Period (Figures 11-16) ⭐ Zeng Zhongliu Fu Bronze Hu Unearthed from Sujialong in Jingshan. Two pieces were unearthed, the other is now housed in the National Museum of China. While the ring band decoration was popular in the early Spring and Autumn period, it was typically applied to round hu. Its use on a square hu is relatively rare. ⭐ Zeng Boke Fu Bronze Ding, Gui, Yan, Ling, Hu, and Xu This collection of Zeng Boke Fu bronzes was retrieved by customs in 2019. It is one of the most valuable batches of cultural relics successfully recovered from the international art market in recent years, representing a significant victory against illicit trafficking and cross-border retrieval. It has been featured on CCTV. The bronzes are known for their vibrant blue-green patina, earning them the title of "Only This Green" among bronzes. ⭐ Zeng Bowen Bronze Ling ⭐ Zeng Marquis Yu Yong Bell ⭐ Zeng Bowen Bronze Gui, Dragon Pattern Bronze Yi, Mian Hu Bronze Gui, Drooping Scale Pattern Bronze Square You ⭐ Phoenix Pattern Jade Ornament 3️⃣ Warring States Period (Figures 17, 18) ⭐ Inlaid Gold Cloud Pattern Bronze Jian Can Unearthed from Tomb 18 of the Wenfeng Pagoda Cemetery in Suizhou. This combined vessel, consisting of a jian and a can, served the dual purpose of chilling and warming wine. The body is adorned with inlaid gold triangular interlocking cloud patterns and turquoise inlays. The intricate and exquisite decoration showcases the advanced craftsmanship of the Warring States period. ⭐ Coiled Dragon Pattern Bronze Huo Ding, Ring Band Pattern Bronze Hu, Qi Bronze Sheng Ding, Qi Square Base Bronze Gui The artifacts pictured were personally photographed by me. Please do not reproduce or use them without permission.