The Shanghai History Museum presents a Western Xia feast! Enjoy 123 Western Xia national treasures to your heart's content

“Peach Blossom Stone” under Helan Mountain — Western Xia Cultural Relics Exhibition is now spectacularly open at the Shanghai History Museum 🔥. The exhibition uses "Peach Blossom Stone" (an ancient Central Asian name for China) as a clue to showcase the historical identity and cultural integration of various ethnic groups in Northwest China during the Liao, Song, Western Xia, and Jin periods in relation to Chinese civilization.

Through Western Xia artifacts, it evidences the formation of the multi-ethnic unity pattern of the Chinese nation, highlighting Western Xia’s contributions in political systems, economic exchanges, and cultural mutual learning.

The exhibition tells the story of Western Xia with over 120 artifacts, among which‼️ nearly 30% are first-class cultural relics, such as the black-glazed carved four-branch flat vase, Western Xia carved folding peony pattern gold bowl, and stone-carved strongman inscription base.

💡 Four core exhibits:
🌟 Black-glazed carved four-branch flat vase: A representative piece of Western Xia porcelain, its shape is inspired by nomadic skin flasks, blending the craftsmanship of Central Plains Ding kiln and Cizhou kiln, reflecting the fusion of farming and nomadic cultures.
🌟 Western Xia Wen Shouling fragmentary stele: Unearthed in 1975 from the Western Xia mausoleum area, it is the piece with the most preserved Western Xia script after reassembly, with gilded characters, witnessing Western Xia’s inheritance and innovation of Chinese calligraphy.
🌟 Gilt Manjushri Bodhisattva bronze statue: The Bodhisattva sits cross-legged on a blue lion’s back, with fire cloud patterns and coiled dragons playing with pearls under the lotus seat, showcasing the localization features of Buddhist art.
🌟 Painted clay Buddha head: The eyeballs are specially made with black glaze, which overflows at high temperature forming “tear marks,” endowing the Buddha statue with a compassionate aura, reflecting the style of Tang dynasty sculptures.

From Helan Mountain to the banks of the Huangpu River, these silent artifacts are telling the story of "China" in a new way.

💡 Exhibition tips:
• Exhibition period⌚️: April 29 to September 14, 2025 (Daily 09:00-17:00, last entry at 16:00)
• Venue🗺️: Second-floor exhibition hall, West Building, Shanghai History Museum
• Tickets🎫: Free admission, no reservation required

Post by Collins Katherine Kath | Oct 24, 2025