Shenyang, February 18 (Xinhua) -- More than 250 pictures of sheep cultural relics, including the Four Sheep Square Zun from the Shang Dynasty, the Sheep shaped Copper Lamp from the Han Dynasty, and the Three Colored Potted Sheep from the Tang Dynasty, were unveiled at the Liaoning Provincial Museum during the Spring Festival of the Year of the Sheep, showcasing the relationship between sheep, humans, art, and faith.

This exhibition selected more than 250 representative pictures of sheep cultural relics collected by multiple cultural and museum institutions, including Liaoning Provincial Museum. The content covers sheep shaped and decorated cultural relics made of gold, copper, jade, stone, pottery, porcelain, ivory, agate, bamboo and other materials, as well as paintings, wall paintings, rock paintings, portrait stones, coffin paintings, porcelain paintings with sheep as the theme, and live wild sheep and domestic sheep collected as natural specimens. From the perspectives of the origin of sheep, the relationship between sheep and humans, the artistic interpretation of sheep ornaments, and the deification of sheep, the artistic and spiritual value of sheep cultural relics are demonstrated.

Ma Baojie, the director of Liaoning Provincial Museum, introduced that the domestication of sheep can be traced back to four to five thousand years ago, and the terracotta figures in the image of sheep appeared in the Hemudu Cultural Site 7000 years ago. As important members and latecomers of the "Six Animal" family, goats and sheep have accompanied the Chinese nation into civilization, influencing the emergence and development of Chinese culture such as writing, diet, morality, etiquette, and aesthetics.

Ma Baojie said that throughout the ages, the image and theme of sheep have been cleverly embedded into palace ceremonial objects, aristocratic treasures, folk goods, and even ordinary household items. Found in porcelain and jade, as well as gold and copper; Used for accessories and also for main styling; Used for the royal family and also for the common people.

"For example, the combination of jade and sheep is the product of the Chinese people's pursuit of auspicious and peaceful to a certain extent." Ma Baojie said that since the Han Dynasty, jade carvings in the shapes of single jade sheep, double jade sheep, white jade Sanyang, etc. are very popular, and they are often picky in materials and pure in carving, almost becoming the folk customs of past dynasties. There are a large number of exquisite pictures of jade sheep cultural relics in this exhibition, which can satisfy the eyes of the audience. In addition, pen holders, mountain branches, sheep hair, seals, and other items related to the sheep element in the Four Treasures of the Study will also be showcased in the exhibition.

In ancient China, it was common to use the images of six livestock as accessories for household utensils, but the animals used for ritual vessels were usually divine beasts, with the exception of sheep. Ma Baojie said that the Four Sheep Square Zun and the Double Sheep Zun are both important weapons of the country. In the Western world, the only deified livestock is still the sheep, and the prototypes of the twelve zodiac signs, Aries and Capricorn, are derived from sheep. Gentle as a sheep, after being deified, it has gained aura and solemnity. The relationship between humans and sheep is no longer just about food, clothing, and praying for blessings.