According to historic records, the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), became the very first national power established in China. The tribes who occupied the region chose Henan as the location for its capital and for the center of its administration. So did the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.), the first slave state which has been confirmed archeologically, and for another 20 dynasties or ruling powers afterwards. For a long time, Henan was China’s political, economic and cultural center as well as the bread basket of China. In the periods of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. -220 A.D.) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D. ), Henan became a very important hub of cultural exchange between China and many foreign countries.

Because of these facts, the ancient culture of the Central Plains kept its advanced position during the majority of the ensuring historic stages of Chinese history. Therefore Henan became the most important and the most magnificent representative of the Chinese civilization. It is in the Central Plains where there existed the most prosperous prehistoric culture; the earliest and most advanced metallurgical technology that they developed gave them the ability to produce objects made of bronze; the most primitive Chinese written characters; the earliest and most developed porcelain techniques; the first Chinese traditional medicinal theories and the earliest astronomy which provided very precise measurements of time. Additionally Henan was the cradle for the Chinese school of Buddhism and Taoism, both have had a profound influence on the religion of East Asia. Many historically and archeologically important sites such as the Yangshao cultural site, Shang capital city ruins in Zhengzhou, Yin Dynasty ruins in Anyang, the Han, Wei, Sui and Tang dynasties’ capital city sites in Luoyang, and the remains of the Grand Canal, the capital city site of the Northern Song Dynasty in Kaifeng, the Longmen Grottos and the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng provide tangible evidence of ancient Chinese cultural development in the Central Plains. Philosopher Lao-Tse and the branch of Buddhism known as Taoism which he founded, as well as the enduring works written by the great writer Han Yu and the poet Du Fu provide spiritual treasures to the entire world. The splendid bronze wares and porcelain products from the royal Ru kilns gave us the invaluable masterpieces made by these ancient craftsmen in Henan and they are cherished by the people all over the world.

In summary, Henan, with its location in the Central Plains, was the cradle of Chinese culture. Its ancient culture gave us the Origins of the Chinese Civilization.

The purpose of this exhibition is to demonstrate the significant status and vital role of ancient Henan in the formation and development of Chinese civilization by presenting significant groups of treasured antiquities unearthed in Henan. The exhibition will not only show the excellent contributions made by the people in Henan to the life and culture in ancient times of China, but also will reveal through its history the spectacular occasions of Sino-foreign exchange brought about by the Silk Road and the Grand Canal.

The cultural treasures of this exhibition, including pottery, porcelain objects, bronzes, jade pieces, gold and silver artifacts and glass wares, cover all of the important phases of Chinese civilization within the period of this exhibition which spans 8,000 years. These are treasures created by Chinese people in the ancient Central Plains region of China. They are also the results of hard work and research done by the numerous Henan archeologists and related experts over the past five decades. We are indebted to these scholars and you will greatly appreciate their work as we enjoy this first-class exhibition.