Speaking of China's Past, Present, and Future

National Museum of China · Ji Hye-soo · Yonsei University

Visiting the National Museum of China

On January 3, 2014, we left Incheon early in the morning, arrived in Beijing, had lunch, and began our first day's itinerary. The original plan for the first day was to visit the Forbidden City and the National Museum of China after lunch.

in that order.

(中国国家博物馆)

However, because we enjoyed the hot pot for lunch so much, we decided to postpone the Forbidden City visit to the second day and only visit the National Museum of China on the first day. Although it wasn't the original plan, I think visiting the National Museum as our first destination was an excellent choice. Unlike other sites that showcase a specific era, the National Museum of China encapsulates China's past, present, and future. It was as if we began our Beijing study tour, seeking China's blueprint, with an excellent bird's-eye view. There is another reason why the National Museum is a special first destination. After President Xi Jinping

took office

(習近平)

, his first visit was to the National Museum of China. This is where Xi Jinping first articulated the 'China Dream' (中国梦), which we discussed extensively in our Sarangbang class. So, why did Xi Jinping choose the National Museum of China as his first visit? What was his intention in choosing the National Museum as the place to first mention the 'China Dream,' which would become an important slogan of his leadership?

With this question in mind, we entered the National Museum of China after passing through strict security checks. Although it looked large from the outside, the interior was truly vast, grand, and magnificent. With a total area of 200,000 square meters and 48 exhibition halls, including permanent, special, and international exchange exhibitions, its scale is immense. Despite its modern scale and facilities, the National Museum of China actually dates back to 1912, with a history of over 100 years. It was interesting that the Chinese government recently reopened it after extensive renovations. The National Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Revolution were merged and reopened in 2003, and after major expansion work in 2007, it was reopened in 2011 as the modern museum it is today. The National Museum of China, reopened in 2011, features two permanent exhibition halls: 'Ancient China' and 'The Road to Rejuvenation.' We visited the 'Ancient China' permanent exhibition hall located on the first basement level. Before heading to the 'Ancient China' exhibition hall, we first explored the special exhibition on Mao Zedong

(毛

澤東)

on the first floor. The exhibition displayed calligraphy written by Mao Zedong and paintings and sculptures of Mao Zedong by contemporary Chinese artists, all depicted in a heroic manner. So-young pointed out an interesting detail: most of the exhibited works were placed much higher than eye level, naturally leading visitors to look up at Mao Zedong. The most eye-catching piece was a colossal 6-meter-tall statue of Mao Zedong standing in the center of the exhibition hall. This special exhibition commemorated the 120th anniversary of Mao Zedong's birth. We later learned that the statue was a recent addition, displayed just ten days before our visit to mark Mao Zedong's 120th birthday (born December 26, 1893). The photos taken by our chairman striking the same pose as the statue provided a moment of lighthearted amusement for everyone. After viewing the Mao Zedong exhibition, we moved to the 'Ancient China' permanent exhibition hall on the first basement level, where our formal exploration began.

The Era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors: We are descendants of Dangun, the Chinese people are descendants of the Yellow Emperor. The 'Ancient China' permanent exhibition hall is organized chronologically by dynasty. Therefore, reading Chinese history books written in chronological order before visiting the National Museum of China would be very helpful. However, when reading books on Chinese history, an interesting point emerges. The first chapter differs depending on whether the author is Chinese or foreign. While most foreign authors begin their accounts with the Shang Dynasty, Chinese authors delve into the mythical era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, even specifying the year 2070 BCE as the founding of the Xia Dynasty, the first dynasty in Chinese history. While the Shang Dynasty is a historically confirmed era, the Xia Dynasty remains a subject of debate. However, all historical narratives prevalent within China definitively state the founding year of the Xia Dynasty as 2070 BCE. This definitive dating is a result of government-sponsored historical research projects such as the Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project

(夏商周断

) and the Chinese Civilization Exploration Project

代工程)

(中華文明探源工程)

. In particular, the Chinese Civilization Exploration Project aims to uncover the origins of ancient Chinese civilization, tracing back to 4000 BCE and positing this period as the era of the Yellow Emperor. The ultimate goal of the project is to convey the message that all the Chinese people are descendants of the Yellow Emperor, sharing a single root. An example reflecting this is the Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum

in Shaanxi Province

, where the ceremony honoring the Yellow Emperor is held during the Qingming Festival

(陕西省)

(黄帝陵)

(清明节)

, which has been conducted as a state-level ritual since 2004 (Lee Yu-jin 2013). Therefore, when viewing the first exhibition room, the 'Era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors' (远古

时 期)

, in the 'Ancient China' exhibition hall, it would be beneficial to consider the concept of the 'Yellow Emperor.' The Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties: Bronze, Are They All the Same? In the second exhibition room, the 'Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties'

period

(夏商西周时期)

, what we focused on was the development of bronze. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the technology for smelting and casting bronze was highly advanced, significantly improving the quality of production and life. It is said that the people of the Shang and Zhou dynasties could already accurately mix copper and zinc and produce bronze wares of varying hardness for different purposes.

The Simuwu Ding, housed in the National Museum, stands 1.33 meters tall and weighs 832.84 kilograms, making it the largest existing bronze artifact. It is a royal ritual bronze cauldron from the late Shang Dynasty, cast as a single, complete piece after each part was made separately. A 'ding' (鼎) originally referred to a bronze vessel with three legs and two handles. It was primarily used for boiling water or cooking food and also for storing food. Unlike typical dings, the Simuwu Ding is rectangular with four cylindrical legs. The upper part features a design of a tiger biting a person, and the body, except for the unadorned sections in the center of each of the four sides, displays various intricate patterns such as cloud and thunder motifs. The inner wall is inscribed with the characters 'Simuwu' (司母戊)

, giving the artifact its name.

The Simuwu Ding is considered to be of the highest level in terms of form, decoration, and craftsmanship among existing bronze artifacts, allowing us to infer the advanced state of Shang Dynasty bronze culture.

Another artifact that offers a glimpse into the outstanding bronze culture of the Shang Dynasty is the Four-Ram Bronze Zun

which also appears on the ancient Chinese exhibition poster.

(四羊青铜方尊)

When I first began researching ancient bronze artifacts, I found the names of the bronzes to be unfamiliar, long, and difficult. However, as I studied, I realized that they were not difficult at all once I understood the principles behind their naming. In the name 'Four-Ram Bronze Zun,' 'si yang' (四羊) means four sheep. In ancient Chinese, the character for auspiciousness, 祥 (xiang), was the same as 羊 (yang), which is why ancient people often used sheep in their decorations. Next, 'fang' (方) means square, and 'zun' (尊) means a wine vessel. Therefore, the 'Four-Ram Bronze Zun' means 'a square bronze wine vessel with four sheep.' By breaking down the names of a few bronze artifacts in this way, I realized that the last character indicates the use, and the name of the bronze artifact was given by attaching

the characteristic appearance or inscribed characters to the front. After this small discovery, the bronze artifacts that had previously seemed similar and tedious began to speak to me, each with its own interesting characteristics and uses.

After passing through the late Shang Dynasty period, when the Simuwu Ding and the Four-Ram Bronze Zun were cast, we examined the bronzes of the Zhou Dynasty, which was established after overthrowing the Shang Dynasty. One of the important ruling systems that operated during the Zhou Dynasty was the enfeoffment system

.

(分封制)

Simply put, the enfeoffment system was a system concerning the obligations between the King of Zhou and his vassals. The King of Zhou granted territories and people to his relatives and meritorious officials, and the enfeoffed vassals were responsible for managing their territories and remaining loyal to the royal court. Along with the clan system, the enfeoffment system had the effect of controlling various regions and unifying them during the Zhou period, thereby stabilizing the political landscape. One of the valuable historical materials for studying this enfeoffment system is the Da Yu Ding

, housed in the National Museum.

(大盂鼎)

The Da Yu Ding was cast in the 23rd year of King Kang of Zhou (1003 BCE) and is characterized by an inscription of 19 lines arranged in two tiers, totaling 291 characters, on the inside. The inscription contains the king's request to the noble Yu (盂), asking him to respect the virtuous governance of the former kings and to assist him well, and also mentions the bestowal of subjects, slaves, and other items to Yu. As such, the obligations and responsibilities between the King of Zhou and his vassals under the Zhou enfeoffment system are the main content of the inscription, making the Da Yu Ding a bronze artifact of immense historical value.

However, the problem was that I couldn't find the Da Yu Ding in the exhibition hall no matter how hard I looked. I had seen it in the exhibition catalog and it was also introduced on the National Museum's website, so I was confused as I walked back and forth, unable to find it. Later, I learned that the museum had moved the Da Yu Ding and other major bronze artifacts from the Shang and Zhou periods to another floor for a special exhibition. I regretted not having properly researched the museum's permanent exhibitions and thematic displays before my visit. The Qin and Han Dynasties: Was the Origin of Fordism the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang? After passing through the exhibition room for the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods

, we entered the exhibition room for the Qin and Han Dynasties

.

(春秋战国时期)

(秦汉时期)

Qin Shi Huang unified the warring states, bringing an end to the chaotic Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods and ushering in the Qin Dynasty, China's first centralized, multi-ethnic, autocratic state. King Ying Zheng of Qin, known as Qin Shi Huang, declared himself superior to the Three Sovereigns

and Five Emperors

, and adopted the title of Emperor

.

(Three Sovereigns)

(Five Emperors)

(First Emperor)

first used the title. After establishing a powerful centralized political system, he greatly influenced the unification and integration of China through economic and cultural means, such as unifying currency and weights and measures, and building a transportation network centered on the capital. It is said that the modern English name for China, 'China,' originated from the name 'Chin,' meaning Qin, with the prefix 'a' meaning country, attached. This suggests that despite being a unified dynasty that lasted only 15 years, the Qin Dynasty had an immense impact on later China. However, the First Emperor of Qin burned ancient books and buried scholars alive in a book-burning and pit-burying campaign to unify thought. The excessive corvée labor and taxes for the construction of the Epang Palace and the Great Wall led to large-scale peasant uprisings after his death, and the Qin Dynasty was destroyed just 15 years after its founding. 1. Speaking of China's Past, Present, and Future: The National Museum of China

The Terracotta Army displayed at the National Museum of China was brought from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in Xi'an. According to Sima Qian's 'Records of the Grand Historian',

700,000 laborers were mobilized for over 10 years to build the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The soldiers of the Terracotta Army were assembled by artisans who separately produced the head, torso, arms, and legs, and then combined them. Research suggests that various molds were used for parts other than the legs, which were then combined to create diverse forms of the Terracotta Army. This assembly process suggests the existence of an assembly line according to the production process, where each part was fitted before moving to the next stage. Furthermore, it is said that artisans' names were inscribed on each part produced in the workshops for quality assurance and management. 1. Could this Terracotta Army be considered the origin of Fordism and product labeling? This is an interesting thought. 1 Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army. Passing the First Emperor of Qin's terracotta figures, as we moved further into the Qin and Han Dynasties exhibition hall, an artifact lying in the center caught my eye. This artifact, which looks like a mummy, is a jade burial suit worn by Han Dynasty emperors and high-ranking nobles after their death. Han Dynasty people believed that wearing such jade armor (jade burial suits) would prevent the body from decaying. Depending on the noble's status, gold, silver, or bronze threads were used. The exhibited artifact was a luxurious gold-thread jade suit, using 1,203 jade pieces and approximately 2,567 grams of gold thread. As the owner of this jade suit died in 55 BCE, this jade suit was likely made in the late Western Han period. The emperors of the late Western Han Dynasty were all extremely incompetent and corrupt, with the court being controlled by their maternal relatives. Therefore, despite the extreme domestic chaos and worsening social problems, this artifact shows that the nobles continued to live a luxurious life. The background to the extravagant lifestyle of the late Han Dynasty nobles, as shown by the jade suit, was the active exchange of goods and culture with foreign countries through the Silk Road, which was opened by Zhang Qian's expedition to the Western Regions.

over 10 years

(Records of the Grand Historian)

700,000 laborers were mobilized for over 10 years to build the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The soldiers of the Terracotta Army were assembled by artisans who separately produced the head, torso, arms, and legs, and then combined them. Research suggests that various molds were used for parts other than the legs, which were then combined to create diverse forms of the Terracotta Army. This assembly process suggests the existence of an assembly line according to the production process, where each part was fitted before moving to the next stage. Furthermore, it is said that artisans' names were inscribed on each part produced in the workshops for quality assurance and management. 1. Could this Terracotta Army be considered the origin of Fordism and product labeling? This is an interesting thought. 1 Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army. Passing the First Emperor of Qin's terracotta figures, as we moved further into the Qin and Han Dynasties exhibition hall, an artifact lying in the center caught my eye. This artifact, which looks like a mummy, is a jade burial suit worn by Han Dynasty emperors and high-ranking nobles after their death. Han Dynasty people believed that wearing such jade armor (jade burial suits) would prevent the body from decaying. Depending on the noble's status, gold, silver, or bronze threads were used. The exhibited artifact was a luxurious gold-thread jade suit, using 1,203 jade pieces and approximately 2,567 grams of gold thread. As the owner of this jade suit died in 55 BCE, this jade suit was likely made in the late Western Han period. The emperors of the late Western Han Dynasty were all extremely incompetent and corrupt, with the court being controlled by their maternal relatives. Therefore, despite the extreme domestic chaos and worsening social problems, this artifact shows that the nobles continued to live a luxurious life. The background to the extravagant lifestyle of the late Han Dynasty nobles, as shown by the jade suit, was the active exchange of goods and culture with foreign countries through the Silk Road, which was opened by Zhang Qian's expedition to the Western Regions.

1. Speaking of China's Past, Present, and Future: The National Museum of China Three Kingdoms, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties Period_ Northern Wei's gilded head ornament with horse-head design and Emperor Xiaowen. The exhibition hall for the Qin and Han Dynasties led to the Three Kingdoms, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties Period

(三国两晋南北朝时期, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties) exhibition hall was personally the most interesting. What particularly caught my eye was a splendid golden hair ornament called 'Boyao' (步摇). Boyao is an important ancient Chinese women's hair ornament, shaped like a branch with various decorative elements like butterflies or flowers hanging like fruits. Can you imagine? Imagining a woman walking with such an ornament in her hair, the leaves hanging from the branches would sway gently with each light step. Therefore, it is called Boyao, using the character 'Bu' (步) for step and 'Yao' (摇) for sway.

(step)

sway

and is called Boyao

(sway)

Boyao, a fashionable ornament that showcased the status of noblewomen in the Three Kingdoms period, was also greatly loved by the women of the Northern Wei, a nomadic people who entered the Central Plains. The Boyao seen at the National Museum was a Northern Wei artifact, with a gilded head ornament with a horse-head design and a gilded head ornament with a deer-horn design displayed side by side. True to their nomadic origins in the north, they used motifs of horses and deer commonly seen in the grasslands, attaching gold leaves to the horse's head and deer antlers. Seeing the gilded Boyao artifact, which was loved by many Northern Wei women due to the fusion of Han Chinese culture and Xianbei culture in the ornaments of the Han Chinese aristocracy during the Three Kingdoms period, reminded me of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The Jin Dynasty, which ended the Three Kingdoms period of Wei, Shu, and Wu that appears in the novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms',

(Romance of the Three Kingdoms)

was weakened by internal struggles for the throne and was eventually destroyed by the Xiongnu, a nomadic people. The fall of the Jin Dynasty holds significant meaning in Chinese history. It was the first time a non-Han dynasty entered the Central Plains. As a result, the Han people who fled south established a dynasty in Jiangnan (Southern Dynasties), while non-Han ethnic dynasties (Northern Dynasties) were established in North China. The Southern and Northern Dynasties period, where the Southern and Northern Dynasties confronted each other through several dynastic changes, lasted for about 300 years until unification by the Sui Dynasty. The Northern Wei, the country where the gilded Boyao was made, was founded by the Xianbei, a nomadic people, and unified the North China region in 439, marking the beginning of the Northern Dynasties. Emperor Xiaowen, the seventh emperor of Northern Wei, reigned for only 10 years, but he is a truly fascinating emperor for those of us who study China's world order and Sinocentric ideology in our study rooms. Emperor Xiaowen, who grew up learning ancient Chinese classics, actively pursued policies to assimilate the Xianbei into Han Chinese civilization. However, there were limitations to implementing such sinicization policies in Pingcheng, the early capital of Northern Wei, where the Xianbei had a strong foundation. Therefore, Emperor Xiaowen decided to move the capital to Luoyang, which had been the capital of successive Han dynasties. He banned traditional Xianbei clothing, mandated the use of the Han Chinese language, encouraged intermarriage between Xianbei and Han Chinese, and ordered them to adopt Han Chinese surnames, thereby thoroughly assimilating the Xianbei into Han Chinese civilization.

eventually

(Jin)

Dynasty

Emperor Xiaowen's sinicization policies

into

actively incorporated and assimilated into the world order

(barbarian)

(civilized)

has historical significance. It is also an example that Sinocentrism cannot be seen as a violent and selfish ideology, as it is often misunderstood today. Furthermore, some Chinese scholars evaluate Emperor Xiaowen's reforms as a model for the development of a multi-ethnic state that unified China. After the Han Dynasty, different ethnic groups had different lifestyles and languages, leading to disunity and fragmentation. However, Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei actively adopted advanced and superior culture, striving for a unified language and culture, thus presenting a model for ethnic minorities to unify and develop China (Sun Tie 2011).

Recalling this historical perspective, the exhibited Boyao felt much more interesting. Although the Xianbei adopted Han Chinese Boyao before the Northern Wei period, the gilded Boyao artifact, a fusion of Han Chinese and Xianbei cultures, reminded me of Emperor Xiaowen, who actively sought to be incorporated into the world order. Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties Period_ Chang'an, a Highly Internationalized City, Global Chang'an Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties Period

The topic we discussed with great interest in the exhibition hall was Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, an international city. The map of the capital city displayed prominently on one wall of the exhibition hall showed that Chang'an was a meticulously planned urban center with advanced water supply and drainage systems. During the prosperous era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, known as the Kaiyuan era, Chang'an had a population of one million, and tribute from surrounding countries was constant. During this period, Chang'an was the starting point of the Silk Road and the world's leading international city, where Syrians, Arabs, Persians, Tibetans, Koreans, and Japanese coexisted, and Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Christianity,

(Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties Period)

and Buddhist temples coexisted.

Considering this historical background, the Tang Sancai displayed seemed to exude the vibrant international atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty. Tang Sancai is a type of Tang Dynasty pottery, elaborately glazed in green, brown, and yellow, primarily produced as funerary objects for nobles. Each piece of Tang Sancai in the exhibition hall possessed unique and vibrant liveliness, and it is ironic that they were originally made to be buried in tombs. Even the Tang Sancai in the photograph, depicting a camel with its head held high, carrying five musicians on its back, conveys a playful liveliness. One person in the center is dancing, while the other four are seated around playing music, creating a fun and lively scene. However, upon closer inspection, one can find foreign faces with noticeably larger noses and bushy beards. Through this Tang Sancai, where Han and foreign musicians joyfully perform together on a camel's back, we can feel the open and international sentiment of the Tang people.

Liao, Song, Xia, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties Period_

The Paradox of the Song Dynasty: A Prosperous Nation Ruined by Prosperity

(Prosperity)

Liao, Song, Xia, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties Period

The highlight of the exhibition hall was undoubtedly the Song Dynasty ceramics.

(Liao, Song, Xia, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties)

With the development of new glazes and diverse firing techniques during the Song Dynasty, famous ceramic centers such as Ru, Guan, and Jingdezhen emerged, each boasting unique characteristics, leading to a leap in ceramic development. Looking at the Song Dynasty ceramics on display, their forms, colors, and characteristics each possess a unique beauty that makes it hard to believe they were made in the same era. The diverse ceramic exhibits were so elegant and artistic that everyone was captivated, exclaiming in admiration. However, amidst this, I was reminded of the 'paradox of the Song' pointed out by J. Fairbank (Fairbank 2006). During the Song Dynasty, not only luxury ceramics but also everyday ceramics were actively produced. Commoners also used ceramics, and popular culture such as storytelling and folk opera began to spread and be enjoyed. This indicates that the Song Dynasty was materially prosperous. This was made possible by the groundbreaking development of commerce. The development of double-cropping rice varieties and the large-scale reclamation of paddy fields, which tripled grain production, brought about a qualitative transformation in the commodity economy. Furthermore, maritime trade began during the Song Dynasty, significantly increasing foreign trade. This led to an explosive increase in the demand for currency, and the world's first paper money was issued in the Song Dynasty. At that time, the Song Dynasty enjoyed material prosperity, accounting for 60 percent of the world's gross national product (GNP).

Moreover, not only in economics, but as seen in the brilliant ceramic culture of the Song Dynasty, art and science and technology also reached their peak. This is evident in the fact that gunpowder, the compass, and printing, which changed the course of world civilization, all originated in the Song Dynasty. However, due to an excessive emphasis on civil administration, the Song Dynasty was militarily weaker than any other dynasty. Whenever invaded by foreign peoples, the Song Dynasty chose to sign peace treaties by offering tribute instead of engaging in war, and was eventually conquered by foreign peoples despite reaching the zenith of its civilization. Recalling this paradox of the Song Dynasty, I could not simply admire the beautiful ceramic artworks in the exhibition hall.

GNP) of the world

percent

In addition to economics, art and science and technology also reached their peak, as evidenced by the brilliant ceramic culture of the Song Dynasty. This is evident in the fact that gunpowder, the compass, and printing, which changed the course of world civilization, all originated in the Song Dynasty. However, due to an excessive emphasis on civil administration, the Song Dynasty was militarily weaker than any other dynasty. Whenever invaded by foreign peoples, the Song Dynasty chose to sign peace treaties by offering tribute instead of engaging in war, and was eventually conquered by foreign peoples despite reaching the zenith of its civilization. Recalling this paradox of the Song Dynasty, I could not simply admire the beautiful ceramic artworks in the exhibition hall.

Another interesting aspect of this exhibition hall is the name of the exhibition hall posted at the entrance. Looking at the characters written for the Liao, Song, Xia, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties period,

When I looked at the characters

(Liao, Song, Xia, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties)

Liao, Song, Jin, and Yuan are understandable, but the character Xia

made me tilt my head. Xia

(Xia)

refers to the Western Xia, a Tangut dynasty. When I read

(Western Xia)

(Xia)

In Chinese history books, the Liao-Song-Jin-Yuan period

was mostly

(辽宋金元时期)

omitted or only briefly mentioned, making it feel unfamiliar.

Li Yuanhao, the first king of Western Xia, unified the tribes, declared independence from the Song Dynasty, established the nation, and promulgated an independent Western Xia script. There is an interesting point here. Looking at the Western Xia script, we can find parts that reflect resistance consciousness and self-esteem towards China. For example, the Western Xia characters for "China" are said to have been formed by adding semantic elements meaning "small" and "insect" respectively. 2 Thus, unlike the case of the Northern Wei discussed above, Western Xia can be seen as having a strong character that runs counter to the Sinocentric order. 2 Wikipedia. http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%84%9C%ED%95%98_%EB%AC%B8%EC%9E%90 What is more interesting is that there are no descendants of Western Xia, which was destroyed by the Mongols. According to China Central Television (CCTV), when Genghis Khan conquered Western Xia, he was so enraged by the persistent resistance of the Western Xia people that he thoroughly massacred them, exterminating the entire population.3 Therefore, it can be seen that Western Xia has no cultural or ethnic continuity with the present-day People's Republic of China. Unlike other conquest dynasties that have some ethnic continuity, Western Xia is equated with the Liao-Song-Yuan period solely on the basis of territorial continuity. If this logic holds, then the Northeast

is being called the Liao-Song-Xia-Jin-Yuan period.

(辽宋夏金元时期)

Project's assertion that Goguryeo is incorporated into Chinese history also seems natural. Whether it is called the 'Liao-Song-Jin-Yuan period' or the 'Liao-Song-Xia-Jin-Yuan period' might suddenly seem like a sensitive issue for us.

Leaving the Museum

The Ming and Qing periods

When I had just entered the exhibition hall for the Ming and Qing periods, I heard a thunderous announcement that there were only 30 minutes left until the museum closed.

(明清时期)

I was so rushed that I regret not being able to properly tour the Ming and Qing periods exhibition hall. The Ming and Qing dynasties were far more prosperous nations than the Song Dynasty. I had prepared stories about the Kang-Qian Golden Age, the peak of the Qing Dynasty, but I regret not being able to share them at the museum. However, the stories from this period will be unfolded again in the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, so I left the exhibition hall with regret. 3 Wikipedia. http://discovery.cctv.com/20070214/100813.shtml 1. Speaking of China's Past, Present, and Future: National Museum of China

In conclusion, if I were to pick one keyword that runs through the entire National Museum of China, it would be 'Rejuvenation' (复兴). The word 'rejuvenation' itself, like the museum, encompasses the past, present, and future. It is a word that presupposes a brilliant past and contains the hope and goal of a relatively declining present to achieve that glory again in the future. A place that boasts the glorious past. A place imbued with the solemnity of a century of national humiliation. And a place that proclaims China's future with the confidence of the G2 era. The National Museum of China was the word '复兴' itself. ■

Bibliography Lee, Yu-jin. 2013. Sangsikgwa Gyoyang-euro Ilkneun Jungguk-ui Yeoksa [Reading Chinese History with Common Sense and Culture]. Paju: Woongjin Knowledge

House.

Sun Tie (孫鐵). 2011. Seongchaljeok Jisik-in Cheongnyeon Haksaeng-eul Wihan Jungguksa Sanchek [A Walk Through Chinese History for Reflective Intellectual Young Students]. Seoul: Ilbit.

Seoul: Ilbit.

Fairbank, John K. 2006. China: A New History. Second Enlarged, ed.

London: Belknap Press.