Recently, the "Ask Qin - Special Exhibition of Archaeological Achievements of Qin Culture in Gansu Province over the Past 20 Years" was held at the Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum. The exhibition is divided into five major units, displaying a total of 223 groups (693 pieces) of cultural relics, presenting the entrepreneurial process of the Qin people's westward migration to Longyou, entrepreneurship in the western border, rise to Guanlong, and realization of unity, systematically revealing the formation and distinctive characteristics of Qin culture. In 2004, the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, the Archaeology Department of the National Museum of China, the School of Archaeology and Culture at Peking University, and the School of Cultural Heritage at Northwest University jointly established a research group to launch the Early Qin Culture Archaeological Research Project. This exhibition is a concentrated display of the archaeological excavations and research achievements of the early Qin culture over the past 20 years. In historical research, the origin of the Qin people and Qin culture has always been a topic of ongoing debate. There have been two completely opposite views in the academic community regarding this: "from Dongyi" and "from Xirong". The exhibition showcases the archaeological achievements of the Liya Site in Qingshui County, Tianshui City, which provides physical evidence for the Qin people's "coming to the east". The Liya Site is the earliest known Qin cultural relic to date, with over 60 Qin cultural tombs discovered at the site, mainly dating back to the early to mid Western Zhou Dynasty. The Liya site exhibits a strong cultural heritage of the Shang Dynasty, such as the square lip and crotch tripod in burial pottery, as well as burial customs. The Qin people have the surname Ying, and their ancestors had close ties with the Yin and Shang dynasties. They migrated eastward through hardships to defend the western border and resist the barbarians for the Zhou royal family, living in a corner and struggling to survive. ”Hou Hongwei, Deputy Research Curator of Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, introduced. However, it is such a 'small nation' that has gradually risen through difficult struggles. The ancestor of the Qin people, Feizi, was granted the title of vassal and granted the land of Qin due to his meritorious service in herding horses, which is the origin of "Qin". The Qin people fought against the Rong and continuously expanded and consolidated their own power, becoming the actual rulers of the western border. The Xishan Site in Lixian County, Longnan, which is the location of Xiquqiu, is also considered to be the earliest capital of the Qin people. Afterwards, the Qin people "dominated the Western Rong" and advanced towards the land of Guanlong, replacing the Zhou royal family as the dominant force in the west. After more than 300 years of hard work and exploration, Qin finally established the first centralized empire in Chinese history. After realizing his grand wish of unifying the six states, Emperor Qin Shi Huang planned to return to the birthplace of the Qin people and hold a grand national ceremony. The location of this sacrifice is at the Sijiaoping Site in Lixian County, Longnan today. The Sijiaoping Site is an important spiritual symbol in the history of Chinese civilization and has created a paradigm for subsequent national sacrifices, "said Hou Hongwei. How did Qin transform from weakness to strength and ultimately unify the world through the path of inclusive, pragmatic, and resilient rise? This is closely related to the cultural characteristics of Qin. The exhibition has specially set up a special chapter on "embracing diversity and diversity" to introduce the internal factors of Qin's rise. Specifically, it can be summarized as the inclusive wisdom and pragmatic spirit of not being frivolous. In the exhibition, it can be seen that there are not only Zhou style tripods, but also Rong style short swords and gold plaques in the tombs of the Spring and Autumn period and Qin Dynasty, showcasing a scene of cultural integration. The integration of Shang Zhou civilization and Western Rong culture laid a cultural foundation for Qin's unification of the world, which was inclusive and open. During the difficult rise of the Qin people guarding the western border, a complex and dynamic symbiotic relationship was formed between Qin and Rong, characterized by "you in me, I in you" and "peace in war, and war in peace". The Qin people are not only good at learning from the strong, but also able to absorb the weak for their own use with an open and inclusive attitude. In the exhibition, there is a replica of a carriage unearthed from the Majiayuan site in Tianshui. The vehicle is exquisitely crafted and decorated with gorgeous gold and silver, presenting a typical Western Rong style. The owner of the vehicle is likely a Rong person engaged in trade for the Qin people. After the Qin people gradually became stronger, they incorporated the Rong people into their own economic and social system. This kind of broad mindedness that embraces all rivers is the secret of the Chinese nation's endless vitality, and also a cultural treasure left by the Qin people. ”Hou Hongwei said. In the exhibition, it can be seen that Zhou ware is magnificent and solemn, Rong ware is dazzling and luxurious, while Qin ware is known for its simplicity and practicality, fully reflecting the Qin people's creative philosophy of "practicality first". The characteristics of Qin culture are steadfastness, perseverance, and emphasis on practical results, which are the internal driving forces behind the ultimate achievement of the unification of the Qin people. ”Hou Hongwei added that this trait supported the Qin people to take root and expand in the adversity of the western frontier. During Shang Yang's reform, they pushed the pragmatic spirit to the extreme and established an efficient national machinery. The Qin Culture Code in Cultural Relics: Nearly 700 pieces of various cultural relics are exhibited in this exhibition, many of which are on display for the first time, such as the 1.56-meter-long Qihuang Lianzhu Jade Ornament and the architectural components of the Sijiaoping Site. One noteworthy exhibit is the Qin Ziyi Bell, a national first-class cultural relic unearthed in Dabaozi Mountain, Lixian County, Longnan in 2006. The bell is 65 centimeters high, and the drum is inscribed with 28 characters such as "Qin Zi made Baohe Bell". The general meaning of the inscription is that Qin Zi forged a precious set of He bells and three pieces of bronze, with beautiful and melodious sounds. Qin Zi was appointed to the throne and lived a long and boundless life for thousands of years. In the early 1990s, two Qin Palace tombs in Dabaozi Mountain were looted, and a large number of bronze ware with the words "Qin Gong Qi" and "Qin Zi Qi" were lost. The inscription on this artifact provides crucial evidence for the recovery of similar artifacts lost overseas, and also provides a basis for determining the identity of the tomb owner. In the Book of Songs, Qin Feng, and Yellow Bird, it is recorded that the three sons of the Ziche family were buried and sacrificed. This story has been repeatedly mentioned in later literary creations, forming the literary image of "the mournful cry of the yellow bird". In 2014, a "Zi Che Ge" was unearthed at the Maojiaping site in Gangu County, Tianshui. The excavation of this artifact confirms the authenticity of the record of the Ziche clan in the Book of Songs. This proves that the Ziche family was a prominent figure highly valued by the monarch at that time. The ancient concept of sacrificing oneself for a cause was regarded as an honor at that time, according to Wang Yong'an, a researcher at the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. In this exhibition, for the first time, unearthed artifacts from the Shijia and Yucun sites in Ning County, Qingyang were exhibited. Among them, one piece of seven yellow bead jade pendant is particularly eye-catching. This set of jade pendants was unearthed from a tomb in the early Spring and Autumn period. Its combination consists of 288 jade objects such as tiger shaped jade pendants, parrot shaped jade pendants, yellow jade pendants, agate beads, etc. The total length at the time of excavation was 1.15 meters. The complexity and luxury of jade artifacts demonstrate the prominent status of the tomb owner, "said Wang Yong'an. The site exhibits typical characteristics of Zhou culture and has been verified as a remnant of Zhou dynasty people. Zhang Lingkun, a citizen who came to visit the exhibition, said, "This exhibition has allowed me to understand the close connection between Qin culture and Gansu, filled a gap in my understanding of Gansu's history, and made me even more proud of Gansu's profound cultural heritage." The exhibition will last until September 1st this year. (New Society)