18 Tuesday, July 31, 2018 LIFE CHINA DAILY HONG KONG EDITION OUT OF THE DEPTHS Archaeologists were caught up in a race against time as they tried to unearth sunken treasure ditched in the Minjiang River by a 17th­century rebel leader, Lin Qi reports.

he search for hidden major source of water and treasure has been one sand for the region’s increas­ of the most ing urban population and con­ intriguing, dramatic struction industry, this has stories T in human history. also had an impact on the Rumors of the locations of water levels — providing buried fortunes have inspired archaeologists with easier countless film and TV dramas access to the treasures that lie over the years, and have even below. acted as a reference point for Besides the ingots and coins archaeologists. that reflect the economic situ­ In the historical town of ation of the late Ming era, the Jiangkou, Sichuan province, a exhibition also has dozens of rumor has circulated for cen­ elegantly crafted gold and sil­ turies among the locals about ver ornaments and jewelry on how a 17th­century rebel lead­ show. er sank caskets of treasure into Gao says these objects offer the Minjiang River, which the audience a glimpse into runs across the town, at a criti­ the simple, refined lifestyle of cal point during one battle. the Ming Dynasty’s upper Historical records also briefly classes. “They may look less mention that treasure was aban­ sophisticated than the Qing­ doned by Zhang Xianzhong, a period objects. But people will rising leader in the peasant find in them an enduring, clas­ revolts amid the collapse of sic charm.” the Ming Dynasty (1368­1644) Gao adds that there may be who occupied Sichuan — but more of Zhang’s sunken trea­ no details of the exact location sure under the stones and were ever given. sand at the bottom of the Min­ One widely spread tale says immediately ranked in the top Chengdu in 1644. He later jiang. that the valuables were buried 10 Chinese archaeological dis­ abandoned the title and pro­ Zhang, who hailed from in a section of the river near to coveries of 2017. And now a claimed himself king. Shaanxi province, assembled “a stone tiger and a stone drag­ selection of the artifacts from The dynasty lasted just four a powerful peasant army. His on”, and that anyone who the same excavation and a years. Zhang was later killed troops raided many develop­ recovered them could buy all subsequent dig earlier this by Manchu armies of the Qing ing towns and cities in prov­ the land covering Chengdu, year are being shown at the empire. inces including Hunan and the provincial capital, a short National Museum of China The stamp has been desig­ Hubei before reaching Sich­ distance from Jiangkou. until Sept 26. nated a first­class cultural relic uan. They robbed dignitaries After interviewing residents The exhibition, titled Sunk­ of the State and is currently on along the way — including in Jiangkou, archaeologists en Treasures in Jiangkou Bat­ show at the Sunken Treasures the wealthy governing prin­ tracked down the crouching tlefield, opened a series at the exhibition. ces in these prosperous pla­ tiger and hidden dragon at a national museum dedicated to It was not until a month aft­ ces — enabling Zhang to village called Shilong (stone recent important archaeologi­ er they started digging that amass an “immeasurable” dragon) in the district of Jiang­ cal findings. A second exhibi­ archaeologists began to make fortune, according to Zhou kou, which was connected to tion is currently displaying a significant headway. Among Yuanlian, a senior expert in the Minjiang River by a ditch plethora of jade objects and the hundreds of objects they Qing history. that ends at a cliff bearing a pottery found at a neolithic The ongoing exhibition, Sunken Treasures in Jiangkou Battlefield, at the National Museum of China, unearthed were a handful of When Zhang felt his grip carving of a flying dragon. site belonging to the Dawen­ features a selection of artifacts excavated from the Minjiang River in Sichuan province that are believed gold and silver ingots and over Sichuan slipping in 1646, While their efforts fell short kou culture near the city of to be the site where 17th­century peasant­uprising leader Zhang Xianzhong abandoned treasures while coins bearing Zhang’s insig­ he loaded up dozens of boats of pinpointing the precise Jinan, Shandong province. A losing the war. PHOTOS BY JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY AND PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY nia, as well as a gold­emboss­ with his collection of valuables location of Zhang’s lost for­ third exhibition shows an ed certificate from Zhang and withdrew from Chengdu. tunes. Armed with the latest impressive range of artifacts conferring titles on his concu­ His fleet sailed across Jiang­ technology, the archaeologists from the Sanxingdui, Jinsha says Gao Dalun, director of the digging began. bines. These objects are also kou when they were caught in spent 98 days in early 2017 and Qingyanggong sites in Sichuan Provincial Cultural If you go Police smashed a well­ on display at the National an ambush set by Yang Zhan, a unearthing more than 30,000 Chengdu, which will shed Relics and Archaeology equipped gang who made sev­ Museum. general who was still loyal to artifacts from the river. light on the mysterious Research Institute, who over­ 9 am­5 pm, closed on eral dives in the Minjiang and According to Gao, the condi­ the overthrown Ming court. Their discovery verified that ancient State of Shu, an era saw the excavation. “They said Mondays, through Sept 26. recovered hundreds of gold tions for such a large­scale The treasure boats he ordered when Zhang’s fleet battled an that spanned from the 18th the excavation seemed more 16 East Chang’an Avenue, and silver objects. Historians excavation in Minjiang to be scuttled now lie deep army led by a Ming general on century BC to the second cen­ interesting than the treasures Dongcheng district, Beijing. identified them as part of improved in 2017, not just underwater in a fast­flowing the river, he was forced to tury BC. to be found.” 010­6511­6400. Zhang’s sunken treasure trove, because new technology was section of the river. relinquish the wealth on When archaeologists began Archaeologists were keen to including a gold stamp with a available but also because of “All together Zhang made board. Furthermore, it was work at Jiangkou in January solve this historical riddle, but tiger­shaped handle that the falling water levels. five attempts at conquering clear that the items dragged 2017, a cofferdam had been found themselves in a race weighed several kilograms. He says climate change has Sichuan,” Gao says. up from the depths would help built to enclose an area of against time as they had just The stamp’s impression caused a drop in rainfall in the “He succeeded in the last modern­day researchers nearly 10,000 square meters three months to complete While most of the objects on reads “yongchang dayuan­ area, which has affected the attempt to declare himself a examine further the social, where the river water had their work while the water lev­ display were unearthed dur­ shuai yin” (seal of the general water levels in several of the king. Also it was at that point political and military situation been pumped out. els of the Minjiang River were ing excavation work, other of long prosperity). It confirms Sichuan cities it passes his failure was inevitable.” during the late Ming to early “Many people living nearby at their lowest. They also had a items were retrieved from a Zhang’s self­proclaimed title a through, including the provin­ Qing (1644­1911) dynasties. said it was the first time they hard time fending off thieves crackdown on organized arti­ year before he established the cial capital, Chengdu. And Contact the writer at Their surprising findings ever had seen the riverbed,” attempting to steal the relics. fact smuggling months before short­lived Great Xi dynasty in since the river has become a [email protected] Beijing show aims to lessen market influence on young artists

By LIN QI makers focusing on individual [email protected] feelings rather than on wider society. “Breathing needs no expla­ And that is why Peng and nation, neither does art.” This her team set up an “art clinic” is one of many declarations at at the exhibition on July 31. At this year’s Art Nova 100 Open­ this booth, artists and curators ing Exhibition in Beijing. from China and abroad The annual event, which receive artists, view their was launched in 2011, brings works and provide career together the latest artworks advice. in different styles and medi­ Lu Zhengyuan, a teacher at ums by Chinese artists age 40 the Central Academy of Fine and younger. The exhibition Arts in Beijing and an artist in aims to create a “promising his own right, says artists liv­ and vanguard group” in Chi­ ing in the information age na’s art scene and invites Artist Wang Ziling’s oil painting, Found in Between (left) and Li have access to more resources viewers to think about the Linlin’s installation, Unusual Existence (above), are among the works and opportunities, and that future of art where technolo­ on show at the annual event that brings the latest artworks by exposure to developments in gy is increasingly used to tell Chinese artists age 40 and younger. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY the international art scene will social stories. also provide Chinese artists a The ongoing exhibition, “more open way of thinking”. which is being held at the show, whether through the allowing young artists to pro­ for people who are talented,” reason why works shown at scene where dramatic changes But some have lost them­ city’s Guardian Art Center quiet beauty of a painting, a mote their work, Art Nova 100, says Peng Wei, director of Art this year’s exhibition have so are taking place, which, how­ selves to profit­seeking. Lu through Aug 1, examines the sculpture or a photograph. the Beijing­based institution Nova 100. far received divided reviews ever, are not discussed well in says some are “solely driven by scope and scale of the work of Those looking to find some­ that organizes the exhibition, But now she says her insti­ among eminent artists, cura­ some works. To be a good art­ the so­called art trends” and more than 100 emerging art­ thing strange or with a strong is seeking to not just connect tution has come to realize that, tors and gallerists. ist, one needs to react to the don’t capture what’s around ists from different parts of visual effect are unlikely to be potential collectors with the to help artists grow, the exhibi­ Xiang Jiang, a prominent changing realities of one’s life them. China, as well as the works of disappointed either. Dozens of artists but also to get their tion needs to show both their sculptor who visited the exhi­ and think independently,” History has shown that established artists, who have works had already found buy­ work properly critiqued strengths and weakness, and bition, says some works show Xiang adds. famous artists worked hard been featured in previous edi­ ers at the show’s opening on through the display. that the artists need to hear the artists “lack the passion to She says some works have and experimented with their tions of the event. July 29. “When we started the exhi­ different opinions despite the keep learning from their sur­ used images and cultural sym­ art even if it meant being com­ Viewers are sure to find a But at a time when art fairs bition eight years ago, we market influence that they roundings”. bols other artists adopted ear­ mercially unsuccessful at personal connection with the are booming in China and hoped to build a launch pad may be under. This is another “China is one such vivid lier, and still others show the times.