For time travelers
For time travelers:
The Glorious Bronze Age
China experienced a significant historical period that dated back to over 2,000 years ago and was named the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Periods. Those Periods produced some of the most glorious metal wares, which have been well preserved in its birthplace of Hubei till today, thus the province’s nickname “Kingdom of Bronze”.
The two biggest pearls on the crown of Hubei Provincial Museum are: the Sword of Goujian and the Chime-bells.
Sharp, solid and shiny, the Sword of Goujian had remained unearthed for more than 2,500 years and could easily break 20+ layers of paper pieces at one single cut. Named after its owner, the King of Yue, the Sword was incredibly made with advanced technology and complex metal recipes. Its making remains a mystery regarding how the ancient Chinese figured out the composite metal technology which hasn’t applied in the rest of the world until modern times.
Similar destiny to its friend in the museum, the Chime-bells from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng State had also been underground for +2,400 years. Its magic lies in its freshly wide range of accurate tones, and the ‘one bell two tones’ effect: each bell produces two different tones when struck from the side or the front. These bells weigh +5,000kg and were made of copper, tin, and lead, with amazing decorative patterns, giant in size and pleasure to the eye, also showcasing the superb bronze casting techniques and fascinating ritual and musical cultures.
