As a highly regarded academic subject in Chinese archaeology, on December 24, Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital announced the upcoming launch of the exhibition "Rediscovering The Xia Culture – New Discoveries And Achievements". The latest archaeological excavation results from the past five years will bring the millennia-sealed Xia civilization vividly before the public.
The exhibition is structured around five thematic sections: "Kingship · Chronology", "Yu's Traces · Settlements", "Clans · Ethnic Groups", "Land Cultivation · Subsistence", and "All Under Heaven · Civilization". It comprehensively presents the breakthroughs in Xia culture research regarding in constructing chronological systems, clarifying state forms, and revealing civilized characteristics. The exhibition systematically synthesizes findings from systematic excavations at 19 key sites and integrates comprehensive analytical materials from over 800 related survey points. Among the 236 (sets of) exhibits on display, the vast majority are being presented to the public for the first time, constituting a three-dimensional, tangible "New Compilation of Xia Dynasty Archaeology".
To break down professional barriers and bring academic achievements "to dip now among the humble homes' doorways", the exhibition innovatively combines various display methods, including combined cultural relic exhibitions, archaeological scene restorations, large-scale sand table demonstrations, dynamic multimedia animations, and expert explanation videos. Balancing academic rigor with visual appeal, it vividly recreates the magnificent journey of Xia culture evolving from scattered settlements to a unified wide-area royal power state, making the profound Xia civilization tangible and perceptible.
Since the discovery of the Erlitou site in 1959, relevant research has been continuously carried out. The "Archaeological China – Xia Culture Research" project has made significant progress. Excavations at sites such as Yuzhuang in Ye County, Baligiao in Fangcheng, Wadian in Yuzhou, and Dongxiafeng in Xia County, Yuncheng, have progressively completed the panoramic picture of Xia culture. This exhibition brings together over 20 museums, archaeological institutes, and universities nationwide, encompassing nearly all the core forces of the "Archaeological China – Xia Culture Research" project, which achieved coordinated integration and a unified presentation of national research resources on Xia culture.
From the dust-covered site to the vibrant exhibition, and from profound academic reports to dramatic civilization narratives, "this exhibition is not only a centralized review and presentation of phased achievements but also a vivid practice of rigorous academic transformation and collaborative innovation. In the most intuitive way, it leads the public in a dialogue with civilization spanning 3,000 years, unfurling the scroll of early Chinese civilization," stated a relevant official from Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Liu Yang and Cao Runze Translator: Hong Jianyuan and Li Mengkai)
