Gansu Wuwei Stop Five - Wuwei City Museum

Early in the morning, we set out from the Leitai residence and walked to the Wuwei City Museum. No need to make an appointment in advance, just enter with your ID card. Upon entering, I asked the service desk about the free tour times, which are available on the hour. The closest one to our entry time was at 10:00. At the service desk, I saw many young girls collecting stamps and checking in. I joined in the fun to see what kind of stamps young people get at the museum nowadays. The staff were very helpful and explained all the interesting stamps available. I browsed through my favorite exhibits in the museum first, and then gathered under the archway at 10:00 sharp for the guided tour. (Image four) The painted lacquer pigeon is a handle from a pigeon cage held by people over seventy years old during the Han Dynasty. It is a physical piece of evidence for studying the Han Dynasty's system of respecting and caring for the elderly. (Images five and six) The 'King's Staff Edict' bamboo slips, totaling 26 pieces. The slips clearly stipulate that society must show respect to people over the age of 70. The slips record words spoken by Emperor Xuan of Han: 'Since the time of the High Emperor, up to the second year of the Ben Shi era (72 BC), I have felt deep compassion for the elderly. I have bestowed the king's staff, which has a bird on top, so that when the common people see it, they will respect it as if it were a festival. Any officials or citizens who dare to curse, insult, or assault them are acting against the way.' It is also stipulated that the elderly who are granted the king's staff can enter and exit official buildings freely, walk on the emperor's road, conduct business in the market without paying taxes, and if they are not the principal offenders in a crime, they may not be prosecuted. The 26 bamboo slips are a valuable addition to the previously unearthed 'Ten King's Staff Slips' from Wuwei. The original 'Ten King's Staff Slips' are now housed in the Gansu Provincial Museum. (The 'Ten King's Staff Slips' were unearthed in 1959 from Han Tomb No. 18 at Mouchouzi in Wuwei, Gansu. There are ten wooden slips in total. The content is divided into three parts: the first part consists of two edicts issued by the Western Han emperor regarding 'the bestowal of the king's staff to those aged seventy'; the second part is a case where an elderly person who received the staff was insulted and the subsequent judgment of the offender; the third part records the tomb owner's receipt of the king's staff.) (Image seven) A replica of the 'Galloping Horse of Wuwei', a symbol of Chinese tourism. I asked the guide, 'The two rings on the horse's buttocks, are they a brand specifically for this type of horse or something else?' The guide explained that they were marks left at the bottom during casting. (This was confirmed later when I saw the original at the Gansu Museum.) Why did I ask this? Because the replica had the marks on the horse's buttocks cast very neatly, like two flowers imprinted on it. (Image nine) Western Xia dynasty clay movable-type printed Buddhist scriptures, which are the earliest known records proving the existence of movable-type printing. The guide asked, 'What features indicate that movable-type printing was used?' I answered correctly, but I'll leave this point for the children to observe carefully. (Image 18) The epitaph of Princess Honghua of the Tang Dynasty, which includes the characters for 'Wu Ze Tian Zao', meaning 'Heaven-made'. Attentive friends, can you find which characters they are? (Image 19) 'The Charm of the Heavenly Ladder and the Buddha's Light of Liangzhou - Special Exhibition of the Tianti Mountain Grottoes', on the third floor of the west exhibition hall, displaying 81 cultural relics from the cleaning, relocation, and restoration of the Tianti Mountain Grottoes. The questions I had from my previous visit to the Tianti Mountain Grottoes were answered here. Our order of visit was reasonable; it is essential to see the Tianti Mountain Grottoes on-site first, then come to the museum for a detailed understanding of the history. (Image 20) The emblem of the Wuwei Museum, we asked and were told it represents a wooden chariot and horses. Since the 'Galloping Horse of Wuwei' has become a symbol of Chinese tourism, they could only use the wooden chariot and horses. If I go again, I will explore the original wooden chariot and horses.