Zhejiang University: Exhibition on “Metropolitan Life in Chang’an: Spectacles from the Capital of the Tang Dynasty” launched at ZJU

The exhibition themed on “Metropolitan Life in Chang’an: Spectacles from the Capital of the Tang Dynasty” kicked off in Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archeology on December 1. A selection of 167 artefacts intimately related to the daily life of Chang’an residents were on display, unfolding a scroll of their lively and dynamic life. The audience is thus ushered into the ancient capital of the Tang Dynasty to relive the daily life of the ancient China at its zenith.

“Zhejiang University has long been committed to strategic cooperation with various cities and provinces. It has signed strategic cooperation framework agreements withthe Cultural Relics Bureau of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an Municipal People’s Government and the Cultural Relics Bureau of Xi’an City, in an effort to multiply resource sharing and utilization in regard to cultural heritage research, education and preservation,” said HUANG Xianhai, Vice President of Zhejiang University at the opening ceremony.

“We co-organize the exhibition in the hope of introducing to the general public the state-of-the-art research into the civilizations of the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties, telling the story behind cultural relics, and disseminating ancient China’s fascinating traditional culture,” said YU Hongjian, Director of Xi’an Museum.

Chang’an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, was founded in the late sixth century during the Sui Dynasty, and it was originally called “Daxing City”. Archaeological evidence reveals that Chang’an was the largest city in the world at that time with an area of about 84 square kilometers. Moreover, its rigorous urban planning, complete infrastructure and superb architecture made it a world-renowned metropolis, far ahead of its time. The residents of Chang’an enjoyed the most profuse material and cultural life of the time. The life of every resident, from aristocrats to commoners, reflected the spirits of affluence, optimism and vigor.

A volume about Chang’an people’s life in the Tang Dynasty can epitomize the strength and greatness of an era and the resilience and confidence of a nation. The prosperity of Chang’an in the Tang Dynasty mirrors an open, pluralistic and confident culture which is still of immense significance to today’s cultural construction.

This exhibition is co-organized by Zhejiang University and the Cultural Relics Bureau of Xi’an City and is jointly staged by Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archaeology, Xi’an Museum, and Xi’an Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology. It is scheduled to be held between December 1 and April 20.