Bronzes, as the core physical evidence of the early Chinese civilization, deeply blended with the social life, political systems, spiritual beliefs during the Shang and Zhou period, hence they were designated as “Jijin”(ritual bronzes), even came to be the symbols of the national treasures. Differentiated with the bronze civilization from other regions in the world, the ancient bronzes of China, are unique for its remarkable ritual property, from ritual vessels used in sacrifices and feasts to weapons wielded in conquests; from the clamor of bells and tripods signifying aristocratic life to the political maneuvering for supreme power—bronze wares are not merely the crystallization of material craftsmanship, but the carrier of millennia-old cultural DNA and historical memory.

On 2^nd April, the special exhibition “Ritual Bronzes Cast the History--The Ancient China within Bronzes”, jointly organized by Henan Museum and the National Museum of China, unveiled to the public at Henan Museum. Selected 156 pieces(sets) bronze treasures (including the Fuhao owl-shaped zun vessel) from the collections of the National Museum of China, spanning varied categories, such as containers, musical instruments, weapons, horses and chariots, etc., coupling with one of the most treasured artifacts of Henan Museum-the twin “Fuhao owl-shaped zun vessel”, the exhibition features the first reunion of the twins “Fuhao owl-shaped zun vessel” in Henan province on the occasion of their 50th anniversary.

Taking the timeline as the axis, the art and technology as the structure, the exhibition consists of a prologue and five main sections: Modelling, Patterns, Inscriptions, Craftsmanship, Corrosion, offering a progressive interpretation of the essence of bronze civilization. The prologue, "Bronze Wares and Ancient Chinese Ritual Civilization," defines the chronological scope of China's Bronze Age and the core of its ritual culture, elucidating the cultural significance of these artifacts as pillars of the state and family.

The first section “Formative Arts of the Bronze Wares”. This section takes the nurturing period, prime period, transitional period, and renewal period as its phases, clearly presenting the evolutionary trajectory of formative arts of bronze vessels from simplicity to complexity and from singularity to diversity. The second section, "The Patterns of Bronze Vessels", focuses on the beauty of the decorative motifs on bronze wares. The third section “The Inscriptions and Calligraphy on the Bronze Wares”, turning attention to the inscriptions and calligraphic art on bronzes‌, while the fourth section, ‌"The Craftsmanship of Bronzes"‌, decodes the ancient technological wisdom behind these artifacts.

This exhibition is not only a comprehensive display of bronzes, but also a systematic interpretation and dissemination of China's bronze civilization. As one of the important birth places of Chinese civilization, Henan, being extremely rich in the cultural heritage of bronzes, joints hands with the National Museum of China, combining top bronze collections with professional research findings‌, by means of the exhibition, presents a grand panorama of China's Bronze Age through abundant artifacts, detailed interpretations, and vivid displays.