Exquisite jade artifacts on display at Shanxi Museum

A group of jade artifacts were found in the tomb of Marquis Mu of Jin, the ninth dominator of the Jin Kingdom of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC) in the province's Quwo county. [Photo by Ren Chao/For chinadaily.com.cn]

At an ongoing exhibition held at the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, visitors can see some exquisite jade artifacts.

The relics had been found during the fourth excavation of the ancient tomb of Marquis Mu of Jin, the ninth dominator of the Jin Kingdom of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC) in the province's Quwo county.

The excavation, which had been undertaken in September 1993 and took nearly four months, centered on three large tombs — designated M64, M62 and M63 — which were lined up from east to west.

Funerary objects that had lain with Marquis Mu of Jin and his two wives for nearly 3,000 years were recovered. At Tomb M63, more than 4,280 objects were found, including more than 800 jade objects, far more than what was found in the other two tombs.

In addition to bronze vessels, a rusted bronze box found in the northwest corner of the tomb was filled with three layers of jade objects of different kinds.

These exquisite jade objects indicate that the humanistic thought of the late Western Zhou Dynasty had evolved, "and the secular pursuit of beauty had gradually emerged," archaeologist Li Boqian told the local Shanxi Evening News.

Bronze objects from the tomb of Marquis Mu of Jin, the ninth dominator of the Jin Kingdom of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), were found in the province's Quwo county. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A group of jade artifacts from the tomb of Marquis Mu of Jin, the ninth dominator of the Jin Kingdom of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), were found in the province's Quwo county. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An epigraph from the tomb of Marquis Mu of Jin, the ninth dominator of the Jin Kingdom of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), was found in the province's Quwo county. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]