Exhibition traces the Qin-Xirong encounters

A new exhibition, “Guanshan Chariots, Annals of Qin and Rong,” has opened at the Shenzhen Museum’s ancient art division. It explores the rivalry, exchange and cultural integration between the Qin and the Xirong peoples some 2,300 to 3,000 years ago.

The exhibition is jointly organized by the Shenzhen Museum, the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and the Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum, with support from several other Gansu institutions and the China Cultural Relics Exchange Center.

Relics on display at the exhibition. Photos by Fang Huimiao

A glance at the exhibition.

During the Bronze Age, the lands on both sides of the Guanshan range — which straddles today’s Gansu-Shaanxi border — became a meeting ground for different cultural traditions. The Qin, who had migrated from the east, lived alongside the Xirong peoples, who inhabited the mountainous region. 

The two groups fought, intermarried, exchanged technologies and blended customs, offering an early example of how Chinese civilization developed through interaction among diverse peoples. Through both conflict and coexistence, the Qin consolidated their strength, expanded their territory and eventually gained dominance over the Xirong.

A restored chariot.

A bronze cauldron with scale patterns.

The exhibition features 182 objects related to early Qin and Xirong culture, drawing on archaeological discoveries in Gansu. It is divided into four sections: “Coexistence,” “War and Peace,” “Integration” and “Unity.” Highlights include a restored chariot, a gold tiger-shaped chariot fitting, a blue-glazed pottery cup, an iron spear inlaid with gold and silver, a beaded necklace, bamboo slips, and a bronze cauldron with scale patterns.

Many of the objects come from major archaeological sites in Gansu. Qin-style pottery, bronze ritual vessels, high-status ceremonial objects, and gold and silver ornaments offer a rare glimpse into the archaeological evidence of one of early China’s major cultural encounters.

Relics on display at the exhibition.

A poster of the exhibition.

Dates: Through Feb. 28, 2027

Venue: Shenzhen Museum’s ancient art division, Tongxin Road, Futian District (深圳博物馆同心路馆-古代艺术)

Metro: Line 9 to Hongling South Station (红岭南站), Exit A