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Organized by MIHO MUSEUM, Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc., Kyoto Shimbun Co., Ltd., and China Cultural Property Promotion Association.   In association with the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the People's Republic of China, Art Exhibition China, and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China.   Supported by Japan Airlines.   Planning cooperated by Daiko Advertising, Inc.

The several hundred years from the Later Han (1st to 3rd century) to the mid-Tang (8th century) dynasties have long been viewed as unstable, chaotic times in China, however, new discoveries and research reveal that this period represents the quintessence of rich cross-cultural exchange between Rome, Persia, India, and Central Asia, which culminated in the rise of the great, cosmopolitan civilization of the Tang dynasty. This exhibition traces cultural crossroads and turbulent periods of change, in which diverse groups of people and art came together, by presenting over 210 objects from ancient China-over half of them designated National Treasures-from more than forty museums and research institutions throughout China.

Retinue of Chariots and Mounted Guards Latter Han dynasty Bronze Excavated at Leitai, Wuwei, Gansu Province Gansu Provincial Museum

After unifying China in the third century B.C., the Han empire went westward seeking powerful horses and alliances to fight against the Huns, who frequently invaded the northern regions. This process led to the development of the Silk Road.    The Han revered jade from the Western Regions, where people sought eternal life. They also expressed realms of immortality in various ways and were fond of images of mythical creatures and "heavenly horses," which had their origins in the Western Regions.    After the Later Han dynasty fell in the third century, China was divided into the three kingdoms of Wei, Wu, and Shu and later unified under the Jin (265-420). Shortly thereafter, northern China became the stage for the rise and fall of the Wu Hu, the five nomadic tribes that migrated from the north and west, causing the Jin to move southward, and ushering in a divisive age of the Northern and Southern dynasties. The decorative objects of these nomadic tribes-horse and camel figurines, delicate openwork horse trappings-show the close ethnic identity between the peoples of the Eurasian Steppes and Central Asia. While in southern China, the maturation of Han culture, which produced elegant, genteel styles reflecting aristocratic tastes, led to the production of celadon ware, the decorating of buildings with tile paintings, and the rise of eminent painters.

In the fifth century, the Wu Hu tribe Xianbei Tabgach (Tuoba) united northern China under the Northern Wei dynasty. The Tabgach created a rich variety of expressive clay figurines and wall paintings. Their ceramics-initially consisting of southern Chinese-influenced black-glazed ware and celadon-in time, demonstrated originality through celadon covered with applied motifs such as linked petals and decorative ware with motifs from the Western Regions. Multi-glazed wares, which later led to the appearance of three-color glaze (sancai), were also developed. Although China was split into east and west in the 6th century under the Northern Wei dynasty, the country was reunified in the following Sui and Tang dynasties.

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