Museum of the Ancient Capital of the Jin State

Museum of the Ancient Capital of the Jin State

The Jin Museum Park is located on Fuxi Road, Houma City. Covering an area of 2 hectares with a construction area of 3,200 square meters, it is divided into two major sections and four exhibition halls, displaying a total of 455 cultural relics. It is a thematic museum dedicated to showcasing the Xintian culture of the Jin State.

The first section, on the first floor of the east building, is the Jin State history exhibition area. It uses a combination of physical artifacts and pictorial panels to reflect the historical process from Duke Shu being enfeoffed in Tang to the Spring and Autumn Period struggles and the rise of the Three Jins. It highlights cultural relics unearthed from the Tomb of the Marquis of Jin, the Shangma Tombs, and the Qiaocun Tombs, as well as aspects of Jin’s military affairs and economic development.

The second section is located on the second floor of the east building and the first floor of the west building, focusing on the ancient capital of Xintian. It is divided into three thematic areas. The second floor of the east building features two themes: the Ancient Capital of Xintian, which introduces the distribution and classification of the ancient city, excavation site photos, and unearthed architectural components; and the Handicraft Industry of the Jin State, which emphasizes pottery molds unearthed from the Houma Bronze Casting Site, the bronze casting process, mold classifications, and the significant role of the bronze industry in the Jin economy. It also covers other handicrafts such as pottery-making, bone-tool making, and jade tablet crafting. The first floor of the west building presents the third theme, focusing on military affairs, culture, rituals, and burials of the Jin State. The military aspect mainly includes war chariot models, army organization, and formations; the cultural aspect showcases the art of the Houma Alliance Oaths, musician Shi Kuang, and literary arts; the ritual aspect uses a combination of pictorial panels and physical objects to illustrate the principle that “the great affairs of the state lie in sacrifice and warfare,” as well as the frequent ritual activities and numerous ritual sites reflected in the concept of “ancestral temple on the left, altar of earth on the right.” The burial section describes the arrangement, hierarchy, and unearthed relics of tombs from the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn, and Warring States periods. The second floor of the west building houses a calligraphy and painting exhibition and a multimedia studio, where films such as "The Jin Capital Xintian," "The Ancient Charm of Xintian," "Introduction to the Museum," and performances of the folk art shadow puppetry can be shown.

Tel: 0357-4223946

Address: Fuxi Road, Houma City, Linfen, Shanxi Province

Further Reading:

· National Third-Class Museum of China