Visitors try to make rubbings of bronze ware patterns during the exhibition. SHANXI MUSEUM/FOR CHINA DAILY

A three-month-long exhibition of bronze ware from China's Shanxi concluded on Oct 18 at the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi.

The event, called From the Yellow River to the Caucasus – A Special Exhibition of Shanxi's Bronze Civilization in Georgia, is a part of the 2026 Civilization Bridge Program, an initiative launched by the National Cultural Heritage Administration for overseas exhibitions of Chinese cultural relics.

Launched on July 20, the Tbilisi exhibition organized by Shanxi Museum and the Georgian National Museum included 36 pieces or sets of bronze ware, dating from the 16th century BC to the third century AD.

Shanxi is one of the places where the largest numbers of ancient Chinese bronze items have been discovered, Liang Yujun, deputy curator of Shanxi Museum, said at a seminar on the opening day of the exhibition. He added that this exhibition of Shanxi's bronze relics would help visitors better understand ancient Chinese civilization.

The exhibition was divided into three sections focusing on artistic aesthetics, the ritual system and production techniques.

The displayed items mostly feature clear patterns, showing the high technical level in bronze ware production in ancient China. All the exhibits were displayed overseas for the first time.

The first section of the exhibition was titled "Heavenly Craftsmanship", highlighting the technical marvels and aesthetics of Shanxi's ancient bronze ware.

In the section, the exhibits, including a round-mouthed bronze zun – or wine vessel – featuring an abstract dragon pattern on its neck and a wave pattern on its body, showed the perfect balance of functionality and aesthetics.

The second section of the exhibition, called "Rites and Music", was meant to reveal the relation between bronze ware and the ritual system that has existed in China for about 3,000 years, since the early Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-256 BC).

In the Zhou Dynasty, bronze ware served not only as daily utensils but also as ritual vessels. During the period, the country's hierarchical system was marked by the graded ownership of ritual vessels, especially the bronze vessels like ding – bronze tripods, and bianzhong – bronze chime bells.

To help visitors better understand the system, exhibition organizers used pictures showing how bronze items were used in sacrificial rituals, feasts and battles, accompanied by introductions in Georgian, Chinese and English.

The third section of the exhibition, called "Firing for Thousands of Years", was designed to show the millennia-long history of bronze ware production.

At the Tbilisi exhibition, sets of clay molds and crucibles were on display. Clay mold casting was the core technique for bronze ware production in ancient China.

Also on show were bronze items produced via the techniques of gold or silver inlay, jade inlay, and gold gilding.

Local researchers also contributed to helping visitors better understand the cultural connotations behind the exhibits.

During the exhibition in Tbilisi, a bronze gui – a food vessel – attracted the attention of Lili Davitashvili, a Georgian sinologist. She noticed that the vessel features ocular thunder and straight-line patterns.

She said she used to study in China. During that time, she developed an interest in ancient bronze ware, especially the patterns on the items.

"The patterns, either animals or decorative motifs, are the important identifying features of the vessels," Davitashvili said on her social media account. "The patterns on this bronze gui give me a sense of awe and stability – these are the things that the ruling class in ancient China highlighted."

"I'm glad to see so many ancient Chinese bronze items in my home country," she added.

Elene Khurtsilava, a researcher at the Georgian National Museum, enthusiastically recommended this exhibition to local residents.

On her social media account, Khurtsilava said: "I strongly recommend this exhibition, which, I believe, will be an unforgettable and impressive journey to experience ancient Chinese culture."

During the exhibition, about 20 interactive events were held, targeting both children and adults. These included workshops for repairing relics and bronze ware pattern rubbing.

Liu Yan contributed to this story.

An impressive variety of ancient bronze ware from Shanxi on display at the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi. SHANXI MUSEUM/FOR CHINA DAILY