A jade artifact on display at the History Museum of Armenia Photo: Chinanews.com

 
An exhibition showcasing 51 jade artifacts from North China's Shanxi Province opened at the History Museum of Armenia (HMA) on Wednesday evening, marking the first-ever physical display of ancient Chinese jade in Armenia, according to a report by the official WeChat account of Shanxi Culture Relics Bureau.

The international exhibition, titled "Memory of the Yellow River," features 51 prehistoric jade items including bi discs, rings, cong tubes and huang pendants excavated from the Shanxi Bicun village and Qingliang Temple sites. The jade artifacts date back to the 2nd millennium BC, according to the report.

A small number of jade and bronze artifacts from China's Shang (c.1600BC-1046BC) and Zhou (770BC-256BC) dynasties are also on display, showcasing the developmental trajectory of early Chinese jade culture, according to Chinanews.com.

The exhibition is organized by HMA in collaboration with the Shanxi Museum.

Zhao Zhiming, deputy director of the Shanxi Museum, told Chinanews.com that this is the first time ancient Chinese cultural relics have come to Armenia. Using jade as a medium, the exhibition builds a cross-border platform for cultural exchange, with the hope of providing people in Armenia and other countries and regions around the world with opportunities for mutual learning and understanding.

Zhao noted that through collaboration with the HMA, the two countries can further strengthen cooperation and exchange in areas such as cultural heritage preservation, academic research, and talent cultivation.

The Bicun village site is the largest known prehistoric stone-walled settlement discovered on the eastern bank of the Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon along the Yellow River. Featuring double city walls and a tightly organized defensive system, it provides key evidence for understanding the political structure and form of civilization along both banks of the Yellow River in the Shanxi and Shaanxi regions.

The Qingliang Temple site in Ruicheng City is one of the largest prehistoric cemeteries discovered in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Over 200 jade artifacts—including bi discs, yue axes, and cong tubes—have been unearthed there, offering significant insights into the transmission routes of early Chinese jade culture.

Global Times