Han and Tang dynasties were both golden ages in Chinese history, leaving behind many important historical legacies for the Chinese nation. ‘The Majestic Han: A Golden Age of Vigour and Cultural Integration’ is the second instalment in the ‘Golden Ages of Han and Tang’ series. This year, we have once again joined hands with the National Cultural Heritage Administration to present a flagship exhibition of Han-dynasty artefacts. Contemporaneous artefacts unearthed in Hong Kong are also on display, enabling a dialogue between local finds and those from the Chinese mainland. From now until September this year, members of the public are welcome to visit the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre and enjoy free admission to the exhibition. I have invited my colleagues from the Development Bureau to introduce the exhibition.

After drawing more than 127,000 visitors with ‘Tang Vogue Beyond the Horizons’, the series returns this year with ‘The Majestic Han’ exhibition

Last year’s exhibition ‘Tang Vogue Beyond the Horizons: A Golden Era of Multicultural Integration and Openness’, which focused on Tang dynasty, was very popular with both residents and visitors, attracting more than 127,000 visitors. Building on its success, we shifted our focus to Han dynasty this year, introducing its development in six areas: politics, economy, culture, science and technology, social life and foreign exchanges. We will also hold a series of expert lectures, sharing sessions, fun days and education activities.

‘The Majestic Han’ presents 252 pieces / sets of exhibits, 95% of them on view in Hong Kong for the first time

The Majestic Han exhibition features a total of 252 pieces / sets of exhibits. Among them, 203 pieces / sets are on loan from 29 cultural and museum institutions across 14 provinces and autonomous regions of the Chinese Mainland, including 40 grade-one cultural relics. Over 95% of these items are being shown in Hong Kong for the first time, making the display exceptionally rare.

In addition to artefacts from the Chinese mainland, the exhibition also features 49 significant Han-dynasty objects unearthed in Hong Kong, including pottery houses from Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb and finds from major archaeological sites in Ma Wan, Tuen Mun, Sai Kung and other districts. These artefacts repeatedly demonstrate that the Central Plains culture had already taken root in the Lingnan region – including Hong Kong – as early as Han dynasty. While offering Hong Kong residents and visitors a visual feast, the exhibition also brings together precious artefacts unearthed in both the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, allowing them to enter into dialogue, as well as inviting audiences to appreciate the profound depth of Chinese civilisation from fresh perspectives.

Bronze horse-leading figurine and bronze horse from Mianyang, Sichuan, evoke the vibrant prosperity of the Ancient Shu Road

The three large pottery granary houses unearthed in Jiaozuo, Henan, on display in this exhibition, are nothing short of breathtaking. According to Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) Ricky Lau, the five- and seven-storey houses are multi-level structures with forecourts, combining storage, residences and defence. In the seven-storey pottery house, the main tower is linked to the auxiliary tower by an aerial walkway, showcasing the sophistication of Han-dynasty architectural techniques.

Landlords in the Central Plains displayed their wealth through imposing multi-storey granary houses. Although civilian homes in the Lingnan region were generally more modest, their architectural forms closely resembled those of the Central Plains. The L-shaped stilt-house excavated from the Han tombs in Guangzhou features an upper floor that served as the main living hall, while the lower level housed a pigsty and latrine. Two similar L-shaped pottery houses were unearthed at the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb in Hong Kong. Behind the houses are small yards for keeping livestock, and inside are figures pounding grain, winnowing rice or holding a child. These vivid depictions of everyday life reflect the living conditions of Han-dynasty farming households.

Among the highlights of the exhibition are the bronze horse-leading figurine and bronze horse unearthed in Mianyang, Sichuan – artefacts of exceptional value. Ricky Lau explains that the bronze horse, with its raised head and powerful build, is the largest and most complete bronze horse of Han dynasty unearthed archaeologically in China. Experts believe it represents the Ferghana horses introduced by Emperor Wu of Han from the Western Regions, popularly known as ‘the prized steed with the crimson sweat’. Mianyang was a strategic town on the Ancient Shu Road, and horses were vital strategic resources during Han dynasty. These two artefacts vividly evoke the prosperity of the ancient Shu Road and reflect the era’s elaborate burial customs.

Relatively complete surviving Western Han manuscript of the Yi Li (Etiquette and rites) wooden slips testifies to the enduring influence of Han culture

Han culture exerted a profound influence on later generations. Under Emperor Wu, the court upheld Confucianism and rejected all other schools of thought, establishing five Confucian texts as canonical classics: Shi (The classic of poetry), Shu (Book of documents), Li (Book of rites), Yi (Book of changes) and Chun Qiu (Spring and Autumn annals). Of the three ritual texts collectively known as the ‘Three Li’ – Zhou Li (Rites of Zhou), Yi Li (Etiquette and rites) and Li Ji (Book of rites) – the Yi Li (Etiquette and rites) wooden slips unearthed at Mozuizi in Wuwei, Gansu are noted for their neat and disciplined script. According to Deputy Secretary for Development (Works) 1 Gary Poon, they are among the most complete surviving Western Han manuscripts. Each preserved with its opening and closing sections intact, together with the original headings, end titles, page numbers and sequence. The slips are of considerable importance for the study of Han dynasty classical scholarship and the textual history of Yi Li (Etiquette and rites). The exhibition features the chapter ‘Shi Xiang Jian’ (When gentlemen meet) of Yi Li (Etiquette and rites), which outlines the etiquette governing social interactions among Han-dynasty scholars and aristocrats.

Seals were formal tokens of authority and trust. A strict hierarchy was already in place by the Han period: kings, dukes and marquises used gold seals; officials of a salary rank of two thousand shi used silver seals; and those below one thousand shi used bronze seals. Among the exhibits is a silver seal with a tortoise-shaped knob – the official seal of a mid-ranking Han official. Another highlight is the clay seal impression with Chinese characters Ding Jie Zhi Yin (Seal of Dingjie), which shows that the office of Dingjie maintained administrative correspondence with the Nanhai Commandery seat at Panyu. A Han-dynasty square stone seal base was unearthed at Kau Sai Chau in Sai Kung. This private seal is the only Han-dynasty seal discovered in Hong Kong to date, reflecting the influence of the Central Plains Han culture on the region at the time.

Gold artefacts from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun and the Wuzhu coins, China’s longest-circulating currency

According to Commissioner for Heritage of the Development Bureau David Leung, another striking highlight of the exhibition is the gold artefacts unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun in Jiangxi. These include gold pieces in the form of niaoti hoof and linzhi hoof, along with gold discs. The discs served as currency for large-scale transactions in Han dynasty. An extraordinary 385 pieces were recovered from the tomb. The tomb also yielded four million Wuzhu bronze coins, traditionally strung in groups of one thousand. Five strings of Wuzhu bronze coins, amounting to a total of five thousand pieces, are presented in the exhibition.

The Wuzhu bronze coin was the standard currency of Han dynasty established by Emperor Wu and the longest-circulating coin in Chinese history; its design is round on the outside and square within. The round outer circle symbolises the Mandate of Heaven while the square represents imperial authority, establishing the enduring form of Chinese coinage. The Wuzhu bronze coin remained in use for 734 years, until Emperor Gaozu of Tang issued the Kaiyuan Tongbao.

Visitors can also view the Wuzhu bronze coins unearthed in Hong Kong at So Kwun Wat and Yung Long in Tuen Mun, Mai Po in Yuen Long, Kellett Island in Causeway Bay, and Tung Wan Tsai on Ma Wan. Their widespread presence across the city demonstrates that the Central Plains and Lingnan regions were engaged in frequent contact and commercial exchange during Han dynasty.

The exhibition runs until 20 September this year. Admission is free, and all are welcome to visit the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre to explore ‘The Majestic Han: A Golden Age of Vigour and Cultural Integration’. For details regarding the exhibition, please visit the AMO’s exhibition page (https://www.amo.gov.hk/en/visitor-centre/exhibitions/heritage-discovery-centre/han-exhibition/index.html).