3000 Years of Waiting: My Journey Across 3000 Miles to Visit Handan Museum

Handan Museum is a national first-class museum. I am very excited to visit Handan Museum after reading about its incredible history and treasures so I arranged a day trip to Handan just to slowly explore it.

🚨Exhibition Highlights*🚨
1. Gandan" Splendor
➡️Explore Handan's historical and cultural evolution, from the Neolithic Cishan culture to the Zhao State's "Hufu Riding and Shooting" and the Cao Wei period's "Jian'an Style." Notable artifacts include carbonized walnuts and millet from 8000 years ago, and a chariot pit directly moved from an archaeological site.

2. Cizhou Kiln Porcelain Exhibition
➡️Displays ceramics from the famous northern folk kiln that peaked during the Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties.

3. Handan Ancient Stone Carving Art Exhibition
➡️Compares the characteristics of Buddhist statues from the Northern Wei to the Tang periods. A standout is the 3/5 scale restoration of the Northern Xiangtang Grotto's Third Cave.

4.Stone Grotto Exhibition Hall
➡️On the 4th floor, offering an international-standard display comparing Buddhist statues from various historical periods, aiding in the understanding of grotto art.

🌟🌟The Handan Museum houses several must-see artifacts:

✅Da Jue Wine Vessel**: A prized bronze wine vessel, one of only two in existence, with the other housed in the Palace Museum.

✅Warring States Bronze Horse**: A realistic bronze horse sculpture from the Warring States period, predating the famous Galloping Horse by 400 years.

✅Warring States Gilded Bronze and Jade Dragon Ornament**: A top-tier artifact believed to be a jade sword pommel, featuring intricate designs of dragons and a tiger, with the uppermost tiger holding a red agate bead in its mouth.

✅Red Agate Belt Hook**: A finely crafted artifact from the Warring States period, carved from a single piece of red agate.
✅Openwork Ji Dragon Gold Plaque**: A gold plaque with an openwork design of two dragons, symbolizing the cultural blend of the Central Plains and Steppe cultures.
✅Tang Dynasty Red Sandstone Buddhist Statue**: Notable for the "Handan Smile" Laughing Arhat head, this statue radiates pure joy and harmony, different from the usual solemn expressions of large Buddha statues.
✅V Eastern Han Bronze Artifacts**: Includes the Tianlu Ironing Board, adorned with a mythical Tianlu beast, a common Han Dynasty decoration, with 12 round circles on the handle that may represent a calendar.

🕰️Business Hours: 9AM to 5PM (last entry at 4:00 PM), and is closed on Mondays

💰Average Price per Person:Free, reservations are required a day in advance via WeChat apps

💞Reasons to Recommend:
The museum's layout is thoughtfully designed, starting from the Central Hall and leading through various exhibitions that showcase the rich history and cultural heritage of Handan.
**Free Guided Tours**: Held daily at 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM
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