Timeless Treasures (Archaeological Relics Gathering Pearls)

Author: Feng Puren, Zuo Ye
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: Artifacts embody the wisdom and labor of our ancestors, carrying the spirit of the nation. When facing artifacts buried for thousands of years, people often experience a profound sense of time travel. When reading ancient poetry, it is often difficult to grasp its deep meaning, but the dazzling unearthed artifacts before us can often help us unravel its mysteries.
With artifacts, we can appreciate the elegance of Yue ware celadon, as described in "The autumn wind and dew open the Yue kiln, capturing the verdant hues of a thousand peaks." With artifacts, we can understand the vibrant colors of embroidered robes and brocade, as depicted in "Embroidered silk robes shine in the twilight of spring, with crimped gold phoenixes and silver qilin." With artifacts, we can restore the captivating scene of court dances during the Tang Dynasty's Qianqiu Festival, as described in "With wine cups held, the banquet ends in song, with drooping tails and drunkenness like mud." With artifacts, we can comprehend the drinking game customs mentioned in "In the flower season, we drink to break springtime worries, snapping flower branches to use as wine tokens."
Facing artifacts and tracing the long history of the Chinese nation, we feel proud and of our ancestors. History constantly creates and simultaneously loses and obscures. Many ancient production tools and daily utensils were abandoned due to wear and tear, while others were hastily buried underground as storage jars or used as burial goods. It is the archaeologists who follow the traces of ancient human activity, searching for the remains and artifacts left by our ancestors, that bring buried artifacts back to light and restore lost history.
Those who believe in evolution regard the emergence of stone tools as the dividing line between humans and apes. Since then, humans have struggled on their own path and left footprints along the way. These footprints serve as rich evidence, seen in the countless artifacts unearthed during archaeological excavations. Whether in prehistoric sites or tombs after the Three Dynasties, the greatest of archaeological excavations is artifacts. The classification of archaeological cultures and the establishment of their sequences rely heavily on the data from unearthed artifacts.
However, archaeological artifacts are extremely diverse. Broadly speaking, any tangible object created or used by ancient people can be considered an artifact. The sheer abundance of archaeological artifacts makes us both proud and overwhelmed. Yet, the scientific system of archaeology effortlessly organizes what seems like chaotic and unordered artifacts into categories. Whether it is a national treasure or an inconspicuous fragment, it can find its place here.
The value of artifacts varies greatly among different people. Even if you are as wealthy as a king, you cannot possess all the treasures; but if you use your heart to appreciate these droplets from the river of history, your soul will become infinitely rich.