This exclusive catalog accompanies MIM’s special exhibition Unearthed Musical Masterpieces from the Southern Kingdoms of Ancient China. It features full-color photographs of rare and magnificent musical instruments, including enormous inscribed bronze bells, spectacular ceremonial drums, and exceptional stone and bronze chimes. The catalog text was written by Eddie Chia-Hao Hsu, PhD, MIM’s curator for Asia and Oceania.

Organized by MIM and the Hubei Provincial Museum under the guidance of the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China, Unearthed Musical Masterpieces from the Southern Kingdoms of Ancient China is the most comprehensive exhibition focusing on ancient Chinese musical instruments ever presented in the United States. It features an unprecedented collection of more than 70 musical instruments and associated objects, most of which were excavated from archaeological sites more than 2,000 years old. For millennia, these treasures were entombed with nobility and forgotten by history until their excavation brought to light one of the most sophisticated artistic traditions of the ancient world. The landmark exhibition features more than 40 ancient Chinese artifacts on display for the first time in the United States and includes 10 Grade One National Cultural Relics—China’s highest designation for national treasures.

This beautiful catalog is an informative companion text to Unearthed Musical Masterpieces and a perfect keepsake to remember your visit to this unprecedented special exhibition.

72 pages; 8.25 × 10.75 inches; paperbound