Sheng Bowuguan (Provincial Museum)

Description:

• The newly renovated Provincial Museum reopened its doors in 2006 and now displays its healthy collection in state-of-the-art form. The late Neolithic pottery is particularly impressive, most of it from the region around Tianshui, displaying the rapid progress in both pottery and painting during this period (ca. 3000 B.C.-1900 B.C.). The museum's most famous exhibit is the Flying Horse (Tong Ben Ma), taken in 1969 from the tomb of an Eastern Han (25-220) general near Wuwei. Staff admit that the bronze horse on display is a replica; the real article is in the vaults of the museum, and another copy is in Beijing. However, the original was damaged in the copying process, and the mold was either lost or destroyed, so this copy is priceless. Other items from the tomb include bamboo strips containing meticulous instructions on the etiquette of drinking, marriage, and death. Call in advance or contact CITS to arrange an English-speaking guide, and allow a couple of hours for a leisurely visit.

• © Frommer's 2012