Ancient gold plaque with openwork hunting scene motifs

This gold plaque, cast with the lost-wax technique, shows a vivid hunting scene: a warrior in armor, with bow drawn on horseback, joined by two companions as birds and beasts scatter around them. The frame features delicate scrolling vines. On the reverse, an 82-character inscription is engraved, revealing the plaque's name fang qi and its basic information.

Unearthed in Yanchi county, Wuzhong, Ningxia, this treasure embodies the craftsmanship of the Central Plain and the hunting tradition of the grasslands. Yet, its exact purpose remains unknown. Now, it rests in Ningxia Museum, inviting us to wonder: Was it a decorative ornament, a ritual object, or a symbol of power?