Golden Bronze Statue Head of Yuanmingyuan
The gold-plated bronze elephant head was excavated in 2014 around the Great Palace Gate River in Yuanmingyuan. It was accidentally found in the mud at the bottom of the river. Its craftsmanship was far superior to the twelve zodiac animals, and it was a fine product used by the royal family in the Qing Dynasty. The elephant's head had a long and curly nose, long teeth, and big ears. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the overall shape was exquisite. The lines were smooth and natural, and the expression was serene and lifelike. Although it had been weathered, it still shone with golden light under the light. It could be a part of an object (such as a cauldron or a furnace). It was speculated that the elephant ornament had been transported away as a whole and accidentally fell into the river. Gilding was a complicated and expensive process. The discovery of the gold-plated bronze elephant head represented the level of casting technology and gilding technology in the Qing Dynasty. Some scholars pointed out that it represented the highest level of gilding technology in China. When the cultural relic was first discovered, it was like an ordinary mud lump wrapped in thick soil. It was sent to the laboratory for half a month before it was revealed. It first appeared at the exhibition in 2017 and was now stored in the Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park. The novel "Gilded Palm" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
Yuanmingyuan Bronze Head
Bronze Elephant Head in Yuanmingyuan
A gilded bronze elephant head was excavated from the ruins of the Dagongmen River in Yuanmingyuan. This excavation was 160 years after Yuanmingyuan was burned down. The elephant head was found in the mud of the river. When it was first unearthed, it looked like an ordinary mud lump wrapped in thick soil. Some scholars pointed out that this gilded bronze elephant head represented the highest level of gilding in China. Traces of remaining waterways, berths, sluices, and bridge foundations could also be seen in the river ruins discovered. This discovery allowed people to see the tenacity and beauty of Chinese culture. It also caused people to have endless fantasies about the historical story behind it. Whether it was abandoned in the war or accidentally fell into the water, it was unknown. The novel " Gilded Palm " is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
Yuanmingyuan Bronze Beast Head
Yuanmingyuan cultural relic gilded bronze elephant head
The gold-plated bronze elephant head was excavated from the Imperial River at the site of the Great Palace Gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was a masterpiece of the royal ware of the Qing Dynasty. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, far surpassing the craftsmanship of the twelve zodiacs. The elephant's head had a long and curly nose, long teeth, and big ears. The overall shape was exquisite, the lines were smooth and natural, and the expression was serene and realistic. Although it had been eroded by time, it still shone golden under the light. When the archeological team excavated the cultural relics around the Dagongmen River in 2014, they accidentally found this elephant head wrapped in mud like a mud lump in the mud at the bottom of the river. After sending it to the laboratory and spending half a month cleaning it, its true appearance was revealed. Some scholars pointed out that it represented the highest level of gold gilding in China. Elephants were regarded as noble and auspicious symbols in China culture. The Yuanmingyuan archeological team speculated that the gold-plated elephant head might be part of an object (such as a tripod or furnace). It might be that the elephant head accidentally fell into the river when it was transported away. It had been kept in the Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park since it was excavated and appeared at an exhibition for the first time in 2017. The novel "Gilded Palm" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
A brief introduction to the bronze crane in Yuanmingyuan
There was a bronze crane that originally belonged to Yuanmingyuan. It was a bronze object of the Qing Dynasty and symbolized longevity. It guarded the left side of the mausoleum and the right side was a bronze deer (Lu). When shooting from the fountain on the south side of Dashuifa to the north, the decorations on the gate of Yuanying Temple in the far north could be seen, but the throne and copper crane in front of the screen were missing. In addition, the Western buildings in the Yuanmingyuan Park had unique historical significance and architectural style. These buildings, like the bronze cranes, were part of the Yuanmingyuan culture. The novel "Gilded Palm" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
Pre-Qin bronze ritual vessels in Yuanmingyuan
According to a rough calculation, there were about 1.5 million cultural relics looted in Yuanmingyuan. Among them were bronze ritual vessels from the pre-Qin period of China, as well as famous paintings, calligraphy, and various rare treasures from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. However, the reference materials did not mention the specific situation of the bronze ritual vessels in the Pre-Qin period, so they could not provide more information. The novel " Gilded Palm " is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
Is the gold on the bronze statue valuable?
The value of gilded products varied due to many factors. According to the information provided, the price of the gold-plated bronze Buddha statue varied greatly. For example, the 14th century gold-plated bronze statue of King Kong (inlaid with silver and gemstones), 33.8cm high, was sold for 9.775 million yuan in the Jiade Spring Auction in 2022 in China; The bronze gold-plated Guanyin statue made by Emperor Xuande of Ming Dynasty was sold for 126,500,000 yuan; 17th century (Kalkha Mongolia) gold-plated double-bodied King Kong sold for 20.125 million yuan; For example, the Xizang Tantra Zaki Temple's Zaki Ram Buddha statue of the Goddess of Wealth Zaki Ram was priced at about 388 yuan, and the Buddha statue of the Yellow God of Wealth was priced at about 568 yuan. Therefore, the value of the gilded gold on the bronze statue could not be determined by the age of the bronze statue, the craftsmanship, the artistic value, the value of cultural relics, and many other factors. The novel "Gilded Palm" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
Why is the Yuanmingyuan beast head precious?
The beast heads in Yuanmingyuan were precious mainly for the following reasons: 1. ** Craftsmanship Value **: They were cast in the heyday of Qianlong, when the Qing Dynasty was strong and the craftsmanship level was at its peak. The copper used was specially made for the palace, and it contained many precious metals. 2. ** Cultural Value **: It is the product of the collision of Chinese and Western cultures. It was designed by Lang Shining, supervised by French Jiang Youren, and made by palace craftsmen. They combined China folk culture and Western architectural art features. They were part of the water clock that integrated Chinese and Western cultures at that time, reflecting the results of cultural exchanges at that time. 3. [Historical Value: Witnessed the prosperous times of the Kangxi and Qianlong Dynasties.] The beast head was originally a part of the fountain outside the Haiyan Hall of Yuanmingyuan. Under the establishment and management of the Qing Dynasty for more than 150 years, Yuanmingyuan had a grand regional scale, outstanding construction skills, exquisite architectural scenery, rich cultural collections, and extensive and profound national cultural content. It was once famous in the world, and the beast head witnessed the glory of Yuanmingyuan. 4. ** Symbolism **: In 1860, the Anglo-French coalition forces invaded Beijing, looted the Yuanmingyuan Palace and burned it to the ground. The beast heads were also lost overseas. After experiencing the disaster of the Yuanmingyuan Palace and being lost overseas, they became the symbol and representative of the humiliating history. The value of their return to the motherland could not be measured by money. The novel " Gilded Palm " is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
A bronze statue of a man sitting on his knees on a bronze beast
The bronze statue of a beast carrying a kneeling person was a large bronze artifact unearthed from the sacrificial area of the Sanxing Dui Ruins. It was 1.589 meters high and composed of three parts: the upper, middle, and lower. It was made up of the kneeling statue of the bronze statue unearthed from Pit No. 3 in 2021, the mouth of the bronze statue unearthed from Pit No. 2 in 1986, and the bronze divine beast unearthed from Pit No. 8 in 2022. This cultural relic was incomplete, cracked, deformed, and seriously corroded. Many fragments were missing, making it extremely difficult to repair. The SSV Digital Culture Lab, the PC Arc Lab, and the Sichuan Province Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology collaborated to simulate the mosaic work based on professional literature using AI intelligent computing analysis and computer vision. On June 10,2023, under the guidance of cultural relics archaeologists from the Sichuan Province Institute of Archeology, the bronze statue had been successfully simulated and pieced together. Through AI technology, it could obtain the degree of matching, correct the deformed parts, provide a reference for the original appearance of the cultural relic, give a reasonable stitching method, and analyze the overall force. In addition to the simulation and stitching work, the AI algorithm was also used to assist in the analysis of cultural relics diseases. The crack length, cross-section data, overall posture, and force conditions of the cultural relics were measured and calculated, which made it convenient for experts to analyze the deterioration of cultural relics. In the next step, the joint project team would also develop an AI assisted archaeological line drawing tool. It was planned to be applied to the cultural relics unearthed in Sanxing Dui on a pilot basis, and then gradually open it to the whole industry in the future to improve the efficiency of cultural relics archaeological research in China. This group of bronzes represented an altar and shaped a sacrificial scene. The person kneeling on the back of the divine beast might be a wizard. The bronze man standing on the head of the divine beast might symbolize the king of ancient Shu. The bronze statue on the head of the wizard might have the style of the Central Plains culture. It might contain seashells, jade, wine, and other offerings. The novel " Gilded Palm " is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!