A performer plays the bell chimes (bianzhong) on the exhibition.

A series of stone bell chimes (bianzhong), a drum shaped like a red-crowned crane and a long-lost 10-string zither (shi xuan qin) are among the 2,000-year-old musical instruments on display at the Minhang Museum.

Around 70 ancient instruments, including bamboo flutes, pan flutes and other musical objects, date from before the Qin Dynasty (2,000-221 BC). They were excavated in the Leigudun Tombs in Hubei Province.

All the musical instruments are on display for the first time in Shanghai.

The Tomb Group of Leigudun is one of the most important archeological discoveries in China in the 20th century. Leigudun was the cemetery of the Zeng Kingdom of the early Warring States Period (476-221 BC). Today it lies in the northwest suburb of Suizhou City. Around 70 tombs still are being excavated.

The tomb of the duke, Zeng Houyi, is the biggest, 220 square meters on a slope of Hongsha Cliff. It has four compass-point chambers that are partitioned by huge timbers. The two-layer coffin was painted and decorated. Twenty one people were buried alive to serve and entertain the spirit in the afterlife - mainly young girls and women, 13 to 25.

In 1977, construction workers happened upon the tomb and found around 7,000 objects, such as musical instruments, weapons, gold and silver vessels, ornaments, jade containers and articles for horses and stables.

In 1981, another large tomb was discovered nearby, presumably that of the duke's wife. It contained more than 2,770 objects in bronze, jade and gold - and the world-famous bell chimes carved from stone almost 2,400 years ago old. It is the one on display in Shanghai.

The well-preserved chimes can still be played. They were hung in a row and struck by musicians, each sounding a different chime.

In addition to the ancient bells, many other well-designed ancient instruments were also unearthed, important for the study of music in ancient China. The instruments in the second tomb and those in the duke's tomb represent a complete ensemble from the time.

Until the excavation, some of the instruments had only been seen in ancient books and musicologists believed there were no relics as the instrument had not been handed down from generations. These include certain bamboo pan flutes and the 10-string zither.

The exhibition will run until next Wednesday and then move to the Beijing Olympic Village.

Date: through May 28, 9am-5pm

Address: 5/F, 255 Xinjian Rd E., at the Metro Line 1 Xinzhuang Station

Admission: Free

Tel: 6414-2162

(Shanghai Daily May 23,2008)