A Complete Guide to the Essence of Shanghai Museum’s New Exhibition “Dragon Soars in China”!

The annual major exhibition at the East Building of Shanghai Museum, “Dragon Soars in China: Special Archaeological Exhibition of Hongshan Culture,” has officially opened with great fanfare🎉! This exhibition focuses on the Hongshan culture in the Liao River basin, an important source of Chinese civilization, fully showcasing the central role of the “dragon” totem in early Chinese civilization. Excited friends, don’t wait any longer～

😎Highly recommend the thoughtful in-depth guided tour for a fully immersive experience!

🎫 Say goodbye to the agony of queuing for tickets: Honestly, waiting in line for tickets is so torturous😫! This time, join the thoughtful in-depth guided tour group, and ticket issues are easily solved, plus you get to use the green channel—what a relief～ While others are suffering under the sun, we’ve already passed security smoothly and are leisurely enjoying the artifacts inside the exhibition hall, saving time and effort. You have to try it to know how great it is🤩!

✨ Accompanied by professional guides, deeply unlocking the secrets of the exhibition: Before, I just looked around casually. This time, with professional guides, the explanations are both expert and easy to understand👍. Even a history newbie like me can follow clearly, and the kids at home are fascinated, remembering several artifacts. It feels like their love for history has been ignited😆!

🗓️ Flexible time choices: The thoughtful in-depth guided tours run twice daily, morning and afternoon, so you can come whenever it’s convenient without worrying about time conflicts. Isn’t that super considerate💯!

👥 Small premium groups for a comfortable exhibition experience: Small groups mean fewer people and less noise, making the visit so comfortable. The audio equipment is also excellent, with clear sound and detailed views, elevating the exhibition experience by several levels. This money is so well spent💰!

👉 Click below to get the same amazing exhibition experience～

【Dual Narrative】

Explicit narrative: Systematically presents the achievements of Hongshan culture civilization, covering society, religion, ritual systems, jade craftsmanship, and more.

Implicit narrative: The “dragon” element runs throughout, deeply explaining the intrinsic connection between the dragon totem and Hongshan culture and its influence on later generations.

1. The Pinnacle of Jade Rituals: Hongshan Jade System

2. The exhibition gathers nearly 200 pieces (sets) of Hongshan culture jade artifacts, with a complete system and unprecedented scale.
- The C-shaped jade dragon and ring-shaped jade dragon serve as early evidence of the “dragon” totem, holding a prominent position, linked by the “Axis of Civilization” at the center of the exhibition hall, showing the development trajectory of dragon-shaped artifacts.
- The complex jade ritual system constructed by Hongshan culture is regarded by scholars as an important origin of the later Chinese jade ritual tradition.

3. A Millennium Witness to Ancestor Worship: Portrait Art Series

4. - 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.
- These are direct physical evidences showcasing the deep tradition of ancestor worship in the Liao River basin, revealing the spiritual world of the ancient people.

5. An Important Symbol of Chinese Civilization: Altar, Temple, and 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 extremely far-reaching influence.

6. Exhibition Title: “Dragon Soars in China: Special Archaeological Exhibition of the Ancient Kingdom Civilization of Hongshan Culture”

Exhibition Location: East Building of Shanghai Museum, Guangming Dairy First Special Exhibition Hall

🗓️ Exhibition Period: 2025.06.26 - 10.08