Treasures of the Museum:A Grassland Legend—From Ancient Giants to Xiongnu Royal Crowns
The signature treasures of the Inner Mongolia Museum orchestrate a stunning dialogue between the evolution of life and the civilization of the grasslands.
Chagan Nor Dragon:The Majestic Presence of Asia's Largest Dinosaur
Located in the"Ancient World"exhibition hall on the second floor,the fossil of the Chagan Nor Dragon serves as the museum's undisputed heavyweight—literally.This colossal dinosaur fossil was accidentally discovered by herdsmen in 1985 at a construction site near the Chagan Nor alkali mine in the Xilingol League.Upon identification,it was classified as a new genus and species within the Sauropoda suborder and Camarasauridae family,having roamed the earth during the Cretaceous period,approximately 120 million years ago.After restoration and assembly,the skeleton measures nearly 26 meters in length,stands 6 meters tall at the shoulder,and reaches a height of 12 meters when its head is raised;with an estimated weight of 50 tons,it remains the largest dinosaur ever discovered in Asia to date.With 70%of its skeletal structure preserved intact,this specimen fills a significant gap in the paleontological record of North my country and the Inner Mongolia region,where no prior evidence of this specific genus had been found.Standing beneath this massive skeleton,gazing up at its sprawling vertebrae and ribs,you will experience—in the most visceral way—the awe-inspiring presence of a true ruler of the Earth from a hundred million years ago.The Eagle-Topped Gold Crown Ornament:The Unique Diadem of the Xiongnu Chanyu
Located in the"Frontier Years"exhibition hall on the fourth floor,the Eagle-Topped Gold Crown Ornament is the"crown jewel"of the Inner Mongolia Museum—and to date,the only gold crown ornament belonging to a Xiongnu noble ever discovered within China.This gold crown was unearthed in 1972 in Hangjin Banner,Ordos City,alongside a trove of over 200 gold and silver artifacts,all bearing the distinctive characteristics of steppe culture.The crown ornament consists of two parts:an eagle-shaped finial and a gold headband.The finial is hemispherical in shape and features four sets of bas-relief motifs depicting wolves preying on sheep.Standing proudly at the center of the finial is a male eagle with outstretched wings;its body is crafted from gold sheets,while its head and neck are fashioned from turquoise.The head and neck are articulated to sway from side to side,as is the tail,creating a remarkably lifelike appearance.The headband is composed of three semi-circular,rope-like gold bands joined together using mortise-and-tenon joints;the ends of the bands are adorned with low-relief sculptures of a reclining tiger,a reclining sheep,and a reclining horse.This gold crown ornament integrates a diverse array of techniques—including casting,forging,hammering,and wire-drawing—representing the pinnacle of craftsmanship in gold and silver metallurgy among the northern nomadic peoples during the Warring States period.Once a potent symbol of authority,this gold crown sat proudly atop the head of a Xiongnu tribal king,accompanying him as he commanded the winds and waves of the vast steppe.
The Painted Wooden Coffin and Gold Mask:Lifting the Veil on the Mysterious Liao Khitans
In the"Great Liao Khitan"exhibition hall on the fourth floor,two artifacts stand out as the undisputed"star attractions."The first is a painted wooden coffin and its accompanying stand from the Liao Dynasty—the very inspiration behind the elaborate sarcophagus featured in the popular film Mojin:The Lost Legend(based on the Ghost Blows Out the Light series).Dominated by striking red and black hues,the painted coffin features exquisite patterns and vivid colors that showcase the superb woodcarving and painting techniques of the Liao era.The identity of the tomb's occupant remains a mystery to this day;she may have been a high-ranking female shaman or perhaps a princess of the Great Liao Dynasty.The second highlight is a Liao Dynasty gold mask encased in a silver-wire mesh,unearthed from the renowned joint tomb of Princess Chenguo and her consort.Meticulously crafted to match the facial contours and features of the deceased,this gold mask exudes an aura of both mystery and exquisite beauty.The"Made by Xiao Song"Incense Burner:A Pinnacle of Yuan Dynasty Jun Ware
Displayed in the"Fusion and Convergence"exhibition hall on the fourth floor,the Yuan Dynasty Jun ware incense burner—bearing the inscription"Made by Xiao Song"(Xiao Song Zizao)—stands as the largest,most intact,and most exquisitely crafted Jun ware incense burner ever discovered in China.With its full,rounded contours,the burner exudes an air of rustic elegance and imposing gravitas,representing the absolute pinnacle of Yuan Dynasty Jun ware ceramics.Furthermore,the second floor houses a collection of monumental artifacts—including a gem-encrusted gold crown ornament from the Eastern Han Dynasty,a gold Buyao(dangling ornament)crown featuring a deer-head motif from the Northern Wei Dynasty,and a bronze stove with a dragon-head design from the Han Dynasty—each a truly breathtaking masterpiece.
Exhibition System:Six Core Displays Weaving Together 10,000 Years of Grassland History
The exhibition system at the Inner Mongolia Museum centers on the theme of"Grassland Culture,"creating a comprehensive narrative that spans hundreds of millions of years.
Second Floor:Echoes of Life in the Ancient World
Through the presentation of major biological events,representative biological taxa,and their respective habitats,the"Ancient World"exhibition hall traces the evolution of ancient ecological environments—and the life forms within them—from three billion years ago to ten thousand years ago.The hall is divided into three main sections:"The Long and Winding Journey of Life,""The Diverse and Colorful Kingdom of Dinosaurs,"and"The Vibrant World of Mammals."It is here that the skeletal remains of the Chagan Nor Dragon stand tall.
Third Floor:A Tapestry of Cultural Fusion in the Northern Frontier
The"Birch Songs of the Northern Frontier"exhibition hall focuses on the folk customs and traditions of the"Three Minority Ethnic Groups"—the Daur,Ewenki,and Oroqen peoples—immersing visitors in their unique cultural characteristics,such as birch bark crafts,reindeer culture,and Shamanic beliefs.The"Fusion and Convergence"exhibition hall takes the forging of a strong sense of community among the Chinese nation as its central theme,vividly presenting a historical panorama of the interactions,exchanges,and integration among the various ethnic groups of Inner Mongolia throughout different ancient eras.From the"Hu-style Dress and Mounted Archery"reforms to the historic journey of"Wang Zhaojun Beyond the Great Wall,"and from the founding of the Northern Wei Dynasty to the unification under the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty,this space serves as the crossroads where agrarian and nomadic civilizations converged and intertwined.Fourth Floor:A Treasure Trove of Masterpiece Artifacts
The fourth floor is arguably the museum's"crown jewel,"where artifacts from various ethnic groups—including the Xiongnu,Donghu,Wuhuan,Xianbei,Turkic peoples,Khitan,Jurchen,Tangut,and Mongol—feature prominently.The"Dawn of Civilization"gallery transports you back in time from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age;a wealth of jade ritual objects—such as the"Jade Pig-Dragon"from the Hongshan Culture—demonstrates that,as early as 5,000 to 6,000 years ago,Inner Mongolia had already emerged as one of the key centers of prehistoric jade culture in China.The"Frontier Chronicles"gallery spans the period from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods through the Wei,Jin,and Northern and Southern Dynasties.Through a narrative woven from historical events—such as"Adopting Hu-style Dress and Archery on Horseback,""Zhaojun's Journey to the Frontier,"and"The Founding of the Northern Wei Dynasty"—it traces the history of exchange,conflict,and integration between the agrarian populations and the northern tribes of the Inner Mongolia region,with the Great Wall serving as their enduring link.It is here that the magnificent"Gold Crown Ornament with Eagle Finial"is on display.The"Great Liao Khitan"gallery focuses specifically on the history and culture of the Liao and Jin dynasties;the Painted Wooden Coffin and the Gold Mask stand as the gallery's most prized treasures.
Other Featured Galleries
The"Beautiful Inner Mongolia"gallery highlights the natural landscapes and unique biodiversity of the Inner Mongolia region.The"Flying Shenzhou"gallery showcases Inner Mongolia's immense contributions to my country's space program—specifically noting that Siziwang Banner serves as the primary landing site for the Shenzhou spacecraft,underscoring the region's deep and inseparable bond with China's space exploration endeavors.
>Photography Tips:The Painted Wooden Coffin in the fourth-floor"Great Liao Khitan"gallery features vibrant colors;it is recommended to photograph it using natural light.The"Gold Crown Ornament with Eagle Finial"is rich in intricate detail;try zooming in to capture close-ups of the eagle's turquoise head and the exquisite relief carvings on the crown band.The 20-meter-long"Magic Screen"—a digital interactive wall located in the first-floor lobby—is an excellent spot for taking photos and checking in on social media.
