Sihang Warehouse Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall + Shanghai Museum East Hall day tour with 3.5-hour in-depth guided tour

▲ The Bronze Gallery is a core permanent exhibition at the Shanghai Museum, showcasing over 400 bronze treasures spanning from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties to the Qin and Han periods, including prized collections like the Da Ke Ding. The exhibits are categorized by function - ritual vessels, musical instruments, weapons, and more - with multimedia displays explaining the religious and power symbolism behind bronze motifs. By juxtaposing artifacts with their inscription rubbings, the gallery vividly demonstrates the "rituals embodied in vessels" characteristic of China's Bronze Age civilization.

▲ The {Ju} Fu Yi Gong wine vessel features a remarkably eye-catching design that incorporates characteristics of various animals. The front of the lid depicts a mythical dragon head with inward-curving horns featuring small hook-like branches (resembling deer antlers), long rabbit-like ears, and wide-open eyes. Behind each horn coils a small snake, while a raised ridge running from the forehead to the back is decorated with a standing relief of a small dragon featuring a slender, curled tail. The rear section shows an ox head with prominent horns and an upturned long tongue.

▲ Cross-patterned square battle-axe The battle-axe is a long-handled, curved-blade weapon used for slashing and beheading, as evidenced by numerous bronze inscriptions depicting its role as an execution tool. However, some battle-axes—large, heavy, with blunt edges and no signs of wear—were clearly ceremonial. These ritual axes, typically unearthed from tombs containing exquisite burial artifacts, symbolized sovereign or military authority.

▲ The eight-oxen coin storage vessel is a distinctive and iconic type of Dian-style bronze artifact. Cowrie shells were extremely rare in ancient inland regions and often served as currency. The vessel lids are adorned with three-dimensional decorative motifs featuring diverse themes. The Dian people frequently used animal imagery such as oxen and tigers. Scenes of daily life and ritual ceremonies also appear, with some lids depicting over a hundred human figures.

▲ General Xie Jinyuan's letter to his wife: Displaying old receipts, bank artifacts, and other collections from the "Sihang Warehouse," transforming archives into vivid narratives to help visitors grasp the profound significance of this "container of national memory."