Chinese Civilization in the Museum | Hunan Provincial Museum

The Hunan Provincial Museum is renowned for its vast collection of cultural relics, among which the artifacts unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tombs stand out as a unique highlight of the museum's core exhibits. Stepping into the exhibition hall feels like traveling through millennia, with each precious artifact coming into view: there is the delicate plain gauze robe, as light as a cicada's wing and crafted with exquisite skill, whose fineness is breathtaking; the brightly colored and well-preserved printed cotton robe, showcasing the superb textile techniques of the Han Dynasty; and the intricate embroidery, the glossy painted lacquerware, the vivid and meaningful painted silk banners, and the richly connotative silk manuscripts, all narrating the splendor and refinement of that era. In addition, the museum carefully preserves and displays the most astonishing find from the Mawangdui Han Tombs—a well-preserved female corpse and her internal organs, which have survived for millennia, along with a proportionally restored giant coffin, offering visitors a glimpse into the mysterious aspects of ancient burial culture. The basement also recreates the Mawangdui site, including the original appearance of Tomb Pit No. 3 and Mound No. 2, making visitors feel as if they are in an ancient tomb from a thousand years ago. The three Han tombs at Mawangdui have yielded over three thousand precious artifacts, most of which are in excellent condition, providing valuable material for the study of Han Dynasty history and culture. Particularly notable is the plain gauze robe, which is 1.28 meters long and weighs only 49 grams; its thinness and the advanced weaving techniques used still amaze people today. The silk manuscripts unearthed from Tomb No. 3 contain over 100,000 characters, including many lost ancient texts, which are of great significance for ancient academic research. The terrain map from Tomb No. 2, with its drawing techniques comparable to modern maps, is hailed as an outstanding representative of ancient map-making and has received high praise. These artifacts not only showcase the prosperity and civilization of Han society but also leave endless imagination and exploration space for future generations.