Museum featuring 1,500-yr-old murals opens in China

A visitor appreciates murals using a VR device at Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, May 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Shining)

TAIYUAN, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- A museum featuring murals dating back some 1,500 years to the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) opened on Wednesday in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province.

Located in Wangjiafeng Village in Yingze District, the Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum was built based on archeological discoveries in a tomb from this dynasty, the first of its kind in China.

The tomb of Xu Xianxiu, a high-profile official back then, is considered to have the best-preserved murals from the Northern Qi period, which spread over more than 300 square meters.

The murals include images depicting the life of Xu and his wife, such as banquet and outing scenes, which not only demonstrate the highest level of artistic skill during that era but also provide insight into the luxurious lifestyle of the nobility in the dynasty, said Wang Jiang, curator of the museum.

To ensure preservation, the tomb is enclosed with controlled temperature and humidity in the museum and visitors can enjoy the murals through virtual reality technology.

"The museum has adopted science and technology to protect cultural relics and better meet the cultural needs of visitors," Wang said.

Some murals discovered in the tombs of the late Northern Dynasty (439-581) in the province are also displayed in the museum.

This file photo shows an image depicting Xu Xianxiu, a high-profile official of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557), and his wife having a banquet. (Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum/Handout via Xinhua)