Ancient 'Dragon City' on show in NYC

Some 1,600 years ago, long before modern globalization, a vibrant cultural melting pot existed in a region of Northeast China known as "Dragon City" — present-day Chaoyang in Liaoning province.

People from different corners of the Asian continent converged on the region from the years 337 to 436.

The fascinating details are part of an exhibition at the China Institute Gallery in New York City titled Gold from Dragon City: Masterpieces of Three Yan from Liaoning, 337-436, which opened on Thursday.

The story of the civilization established by the nomadic Murong Xianbei people is being presented in the United States for the first time.

Among the artifacts on display are glass cups, inkstones and tiger-shaped vessels from Han Chinese culture. There are long swords used by the Xianbei people.

Jointly organized by the China Institute Gallery and the Liaoning Provincial Museum, the exhibition illustrates the history of ethnic integration and cultural exchange along the Silk Road, which transformed North China.

Gold from Dragon City, which will run through Jan 5, 2025, also features treasures from nearly 70 years of archaeological excavations in China, including sculptures, bronze mirrors, imperial seals, equestrian objects, ceramics and jewelry, many made of gold.

"Gold holds the greatest significance and value in Chinese culture. Within the broader historical framework of diversity and inclusiveness in Chinese culture, the Three Yan civilization is also an important and valuable part," Liu Ning, deputy director of Liaoning Provincial Museum, told China Daily.

"This extraordinary exhibition illustrates the remarkable achievements of the Three Yan civilization, which is now no longer lost to history," said Willow Weilan Hai, director and chief curator of China Institute Gallery. "We have gained a deeper understanding of how ethnic integration and the cultural exchange of East and West inspired and enriched cultures along the Silk Road."

Upon entering the gallery, viewers will first see two sculptures of the heads of men who are not Han Chinese, with high nose bridges and deep-set eyes. Hai explained that the entrance highlights the diversity of the society then in that region.

"To understand the globalization that occurred in the ancient world, you see that it's not that different from what's happening today. What's important is how understanding different people and their cultures — where they came from — helps us communicate better," Hai told China Daily.

The highlight of the exhibition — a series of golden headdress ornaments worn by the Murong Xianbei people — features shimmering, swaying leaves, known as buyao, which literally means "swaying with steps".

Described by Hai as "an Asian fashion of the time", the metal leaf design came from Western Asia and was introduced to North China through the Silk Road. Over time, the design became a key feature of the Three Yan culture.

Revolutionary invention

Also featured are the earliest known stirrups in human history, a revolutionary invention that transformed cavalry and warfare.

With the stirrups, early warriors were able to free both hands for combat. Made from finely crafted mulberry wood and gilt bronze, the stirrups are considered masterpieces of gilded craftsmanship of the Northern Yan during the Sixteen Kingdoms period (304-439).

"It was the Chinese invention of the stirrup that made Western medieval knights possible and gave us the age of chivalry," historian Robert Temple wrote in his book The Genius of China: 3,000 Years of Science, Discovery, and Invention.

On Oct 19, an international symposium, "Along the Steppe-Silk Road: Studies on Mysterious Nomad Murong Xianbei", will be held at the China Institute Gallery.