Shanghai Museum's New Exhibition Dragon Soars in China: All You Need to Know About the Exhibition Logic and Highlights!

The annual major exhibition at the East Wing of Shanghai Museum, "Dragon Soars in China: Special Archaeological Exhibition of Hongshan Culture," is now open🎉! This exhibition focuses on the Hongshan culture in the Liao River basin, an important source of Chinese civilization, showcasing the central role of the "dragon" totem in early Chinese civilization. If you're excited, don't hesitate, friends~

😎 Highly recommended in-depth guided tours for a fully immersive experience!
🎫 Say goodbye to the nightmare of queuing for tickets: Honestly, waiting in line for tickets is so exhausting😫! This time, with the thoughtful in-depth guided tours, tickets are clearly arranged, and you can use the green channel, making it super smooth~ While others are waiting under the sun, we’ve already passed security easily and are enjoying the artifacts in the exhibition hall, saving time and effort. Try it and you’ll love it🤩!
✨ Professional guides to unlock deep insights: Previously, I just glanced through exhibitions. This time, with professional guides, the explanations are both expert and easy to understand👍. Even a history newbie like me can follow clearly, and my kids were fascinated, remembering several artifacts. It feels like their interest in history has been ignited😆!
🗓️ Flexible timing options: The thoughtful in-depth guided tours are available twice daily, morning and afternoon, so you can come whenever it’s convenient without worrying about time conflicts. Super considerate, right💯!
👥 Small premium groups for a comfortable visit: Small groups mean less noise and a more pleasant visit. The audio equipment is excellent, making it easy to hear and see details, elevating the exhibition experience by several levels. Totally worth the money💰!

👉 Click below to get the same amazing exhibition experience~

【Dual Narrative】

- Overt line: Systematically showcases the achievements of Hongshan culture, covering its society, religion, rituals, jade craftsmanship, and more.
- Covert line: The "dragon" element runs throughout, deeply explaining the intrinsic connection between the dragon totem and Hongshan culture and its influence on later generations.

【Three Main Sections】

1. "Dragon Emerges from the Liao River" (Origins and Development): Traces the source of Hongshan culture and displays its rise in the Liao River basin.
2. "Dragon Moves through Hongshan" (Ancient State Characteristics): Centered on the Niuhewan site, it focuses on the late Hongshan culture’s iconic "altar, temple, tomb" advanced ritual architectural complex, revealing its complex social structure and "ancient state" form.
3. "Dragon Spreads Across the Nine Provinces" (Inheritance and Influence): Focuses on the most representative Hongshan jade artifacts and jade ritual system, exploring their profound impact on later Chinese jade culture and ritual traditions, reflecting the spread and continuation of civilization.

【Core Highlights】

1. The Pinnacle of Jade Rituals: Hongshan Jade System
- The exhibition gathers nearly 200 pieces (sets) of Hongshan culture jade artifacts, forming a complete and unprecedented collection.
- The C-shaped jade dragon and ring-shaped jade dragon, as early evidence of the "dragon" totem, hold a prominent position, linked by the "Axis of Civilization" at the center of the exhibition hall, showing the development of dragon-shaped artifacts.
- Hongshan culture established a complex jade ritual system, regarded by scholars as an important origin of the later Chinese jade ritual tradition.
2. Millennia of Ancestor Worship: Portrait Art Sequence
- Collects 38 pieces (sets) of human figure artifacts, spanning from 8,000 to 4,000 years ago.
- The exhibit sequence is complete: from stone figures of Xinglongwa and Zhaobaogou cultures, to pottery, clay, jade, and stone human figures of Hongshan culture, and then to human-shaped pottery vessels of the Xiaoheyan culture.
- Provides direct physical evidence of the deep tradition of ancestor worship in the Liao River basin, revealing the spiritual world of ancient peoples.
3. An Important Symbol of Chinese Civilization: Altar, Temple, Tomb Ritual System
The late Hongshan culture’s "altar, temple, tomb" triad at the Niuhewan site represents an outstanding example of early Chinese ritual architecture with far-reaching influence.

Exhibition Title: "Dragon Soars in China: Special Archaeological Exhibition of Ancient State Civilization of Hongshan Culture"
Exhibition Location: East Wing of Shanghai Museum · Guangming Dairy First Special Exhibition Hall
🗓️ Exhibition Period: 2025.06.26 - 10.08