Founded in 1927, Henan Museum is one of the earliest museums established in China and serves as the largest center for the collection, preservation, research, and exhibition of cultural relics in the Central Plains region. Located in the middle section of Nongye Road, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, the museum covers an area of 126 mu with a floor space of 55,000 square meters. In 2009, it was selected as one of the first batch of national-level museums jointly built by the central and local governments.
Henan Museum currently houses a collection of 249,000 cultural relics (sets), particularly renowned for its prehistoric artifacts, Shang and Zhou dynasty bronzes, ceramics from various dynasties, jade wares, and stone carvings. With a vast number of exquisite artifacts that are diverse in category, high in artistic taste, and significant in value, the museum stands as a cultural and artistic treasure house that bears witness to the trajectory of Chinese civilization and showcases the context of China’s historical development.
Currently open to the public are the permanent exhibition “Splendid Central Plains: Capital at the Center of the World” and special exhibitions including “Ming and Qing Dynasties in Henan,” “Ancient Stone Carving Art of the Central Plains,” “Danxi Bronzes: Bronze Art of the Chu State in the Central Plains,” “Exquisite Craftsmanship: Treasures of the Ming and Qing Dynasties from the Museum Collection,” “Brilliant Central Plains: Exhibition of Henan Red Culture,” and the “National Treasures Special Exhibition.” The museum also features a “Social Education Experience Hall” and an “Ancient Chinese Music Hall” complementary to the exhibitions.
Admission to the museum is free; advance reservation via the official WeChat account is required. Compared to the extremely popular Shaanxi History Museum and the National Museum of China, reservations here are relatively easier to secure, likely due to Zhengzhou’s lower tourism popularity.
The nine key treasures of the museum are:
Jiahu Bone Flute (approx. 8,000 years ago): The earliest and best-preserved wind instrument in China, hailed as the “First Flute of China.”
Lotus and Crane Square Pot (Spring and Autumn Period): Hailed as the “Swan Song of the Bronze Age,” the pot features a lid topped with double-layered lotus petals and a standing crane in the center, presenting a dynamic and vivid design.
Cloud Pattern Bronze Stand (Spring and Autumn Period): Unearthed in Xichuan, this piece was cast using the lost-wax method. Its complex structure demonstrates an exceptionally high level of bronze casting craftsmanship.
Gold Slip of Wu Zetian (Tang Dynasty): The only known gold slip belonging to Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history, serving as an important artifact for researching Tang Dynasty history.
Ru Ware Sky-Blue Glazed Carved Goose-Neck Vase (Northern Song Dynasty): Extant Ru ware is extremely rare, and pieces with sky-blue glaze are particularly precious.
Four Gods and Clouds Mural (Western Han Dynasty): Unearthed at Mount Mangdang in Yongcheng, it is acclaimed as the “Greatest Chinese Mural Before the Dunhuang Murals.”
Duling Square Ding (Shang Dynasty): An early Shang Dynasty bronze vessel, massive in size and imposing in appearance.
Iron Sword with Jade Hilt (Western Zhou Dynasty): Known as the “First Sword of China,” it symbolizes the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.
Fu Hao Owl-Shaped Wine Vessel (Shang Dynasty): Unearthed from the Yinxu ruins in Anyang, this vessel is shaped like an owl. It represents not only the pinnacle of bronze art but also the earliest bird-shaped wine vessel discovered to date.
We were lucky this time to visit during the 50th anniversary of the excavation of Fu Hao’s tomb, catching a special exhibition co-hosted with the National Museum of China, where we saw a pair of Fu Hao Owl-Shaped Wine Vessels displayed together on the same stage.
Of course, aside from those key treasures, Henan Museum also features many other charming bronze artifacts and offers a wide variety of creative souvenirs.
The entire exhibition hall is pyramid-shaped, consisting of four floors that decrease in size as they rise. Therefore, touring the whole museum does not take too long, making it well worth a visit.
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