Shaanxi History Museum

The Shaanxi History Museum is China's first large-scale modern national museum, renowned as the "Pearl of the Ancient Capital, Treasure House of China". Located northwest of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, it houses over 1.7 million artifacts, spanning a time period of over one million years. Among these, there are 18 national treasure-level artifacts and nearly 800 first-class artifacts. It serves as the foremost venue for a comprehensive understanding of ancient Chinese civilization, particularly the four golden ages of Chinese civilization: the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties.

The exquisite cultural relics in Shaanxi History Museum are truly breathtaking. The following are the must-see cultural relics in the Basic Exhibition and the Treasure Hall:

Western Zhou Dynasty · Ying Ding (a type of ancient Chinese cooking vessel): The inscriptions on the Ding record the land system of the Western Zhou Dynasty and serve as physical evidence for studying the "well-field system".
Douyou Ding (a bronze vessel) from the Western Zhou Dynasty: The inscriptions on it record a war against the Xianrong people during the Western Zhou period, serving as a bronze historical record.
Western Han Dynasty · Jade Seal of Empress: It is speculated to be the seal of Empress Lu (Lü Zhi), and it is the only jade seal of an empress from the Han Dynasty discovered so far.
Tang Dynasty · Beast Head Agate Cup (Hejiacun Hoard): A unique artifact in China, it is speculated to have originated from Central Asia or Persia, serving as a supreme symbol of cultural exchange along the Silk Road.
Tang Dynasty · Mandarin Duck and Lotus Petal Pattern Gold Bowl (from the Hejiacun Hoard): A pinnacle of Tang Dynasty gold and silver craftsmanship, it is extraordinarily beautiful.
The Tang Dynasty gold-plated silver kettle with a dancing horse holding a cup pattern (from the Hejiacun cellar): It confirms the court entertainment of "dancing horse to celebrate longevity" in the Tang Dynasty, with exquisite design.