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    Ningxia Museum

    Written by: Luo Zhewen
    Posted on: February 18, 2014 | | 中文

    The Ningxia Museum was formerly the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Museum. Its former location was inside the Chengtian Temple in the old city district. On August 28, 2008, the new buildings of the Ningxia Museum were formally opened to the public.

    Chinese Coins Exhibition Room
    Chinese Coins Exhibition Room

    The new Museum is located to the east of the People's Square in Ningxia City. It covers more than 30,000 square meters of space and is a modern museum that combines the functions of collecting, exhibiting, research, and development. There are a total of eight exhibition halls in the new museum, and the focus is on Hui nationality items (Moslem), on Western Xia items, and on petroglyphs (rock carvings and paintings) from the Helan Mountains.

    Ningxia Historical Artifacts Exhibition

    This focuses on articles from local history, from ancient times up to Ming and Qing. It is divided into sections as follows: primitive society, Shang and Zhou, Qin and Han, Sui and Tang, Song and Yuan, Ming and Qing, and mostly displays items that have been passed down through generations. Objects of natural-history interest include fossilized paleontological material. Early archaeological material includes ceramics of the Majiayao culture, and artifacts from all the dynastic periods of China that represent border-region cultures. From ancient times, the Ningxia region has been a confluence of cultures, a place where many different nationalities and peoples came together. It displays in particular the interaction of people from border regions and people of the central plains.

    Chinese Calligraphy and Paintings Exhibition
    Chinese Calligraphy and Paintings Exhibition

    The Ningxia historical exhibitions provide tangible evidence of this rich history.

    The Western Xia (Xi Xia) History Exhibition

    This exhibition portrays the historical development of the Xi Xia Kingdom (1038-1227), using excavated Western Xia artifacts combined with historical documents. Yinchuan City was the Tangut Kingdom's capital. Western Xia kings’ concubines and aristocracy are buried in the tomb precinct in the eastern ranges of the Helan Mountains. Among the items on display here are architectural materials excavated from Western Xia tombs, plus Western Xia ceramics recovered from ancient kiln sites at Lingwu. Articles reflect the history, culture, arts, architecture, and political system of Western Xia.

    The Ningxia Hui Minority Peoples' Customs Exhibition

    This exhibition displays the customs of the local Hui people. It showcases the Hui religion, architecture, handicrafts, clothing, eating customs, ceremonies, and wedding and funeral customs.

    Rock Paintings Exhibition Hall
    Rock Paintings Exhibition Hall

    Exhibition of Stone Rubbings from the Helan Mountains

    The Helan Mountains contain a large number of ancient petroglyphs. Rubbings from these, together with color photographs of the designs, show the early presence and activities of the northern-steppe nomadic people's customs; these include offerings, hunting, herding, and so on.

    The Ningxia Museum currently has around 40,000 items in its collections, which are divided into eight major categories. Notable objects include northern grassland culture, animal-style bronze ornaments, Western Han gold, silver and bronze ornaments, Tang dynasty and Western Xia works of art of various kinds (including the special ceramic technique used during Xi Xia that is known as "raised patterning," done by cutting away extraneous clay from the pattern), and Yuan and Ming-dynasty gilded-bronze Buddhist sculpture.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021