Seated bronze dragon dominates an exhibition in Heilongjiang

At the Museum of Heilongjiang Province, a striking exhibition is centered exactly on a single treasure: a seated bronze dragon of the Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). The dragon is in a crouching pose, head slightly raised, and mouth open as if roaring. Its shoulders slightly lean forward, the tail curls outward, and coiled manes ripple across the head, shoulders, and limbs. Both powerful and poised, it captures motion and stillness simultaneously.

Discovered in 1965 at the site of Shangjing Huining prefecture, the former Jin capital (in today's Acheng district of Harbin), this bronze dragon embodies the early Jin Dynasty, when the Jurchen people rose to dominate northern China with confidence and authority.

Dates: Until March 15, 2026