Relic collection from renowned tomb cluster on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau tells tales of cross-border communication and exchange of ideas, Yang Feiyue reports.

A visitor admires an item at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing, part of an exhibition of relics unearthed from the Reshui graveyard in Dulan county, Northwest China's Qinghai province. (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

Many Chinese are no strangers to the "nine-story tower haunted by ghosts", thanks mostly to an eponymous online novel that has, in turn, inspired popular screen adaptations.

In reality, the inspiration for the haunted tower lies in the Reshui graveyard in Dulan county, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Qinghai province.

In late September, a rich collection of relics from the well-known tomb cluster site on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was unveiled before the public at the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing. It aims to provide a vivid picture of the historical events that took place around the site, where about 300 tombs dating back to between the 6th and 8th centuries have been found.

A hairpin decorated with gold and turquoise is on display at the Qinghai exhibition. (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

The exhibition was hosted by the Chinese Archaeological Museum, the Qinghai cultural heritage administration and the Haixi prefecture government, and is scheduled to last for half a year.

"The nine-story tower haunted by ghosts has become widely known through art and literature, but understanding its history, how various ethnic groups interacted and blended together on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the middle of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and how the Qinghai route connected China and the world, all require archaeological work," says Li Guoqiang, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of History.

The cultural relics of the exhibition are part of the archaeological findings made over the years.

They range from wooden strips bearing Tibetan words, gold items and silk pieces to lacquerware, turquoise items and crystals that were discovered in the Xuewei No 1 Tomb. This is so far the most complete ancient tomb ever excavated on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, according to the archaeologists working at the site.

A gold bottle. (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

Those relics are believed to date back to the Tang Dynasty and reveal evidence of how the different ethnic groups communicated with each other.

The Reshui site sits at the intersection of Qinghai and Gansu provinces, and the Xinjiang Uygur and Tibet autonomous regions.

From 1982 to 1985, the Qinghai cultural relics and archaeology institute carried out excavations on more than 50 tombs, including Xuewei No 1 Tomb, focusing on archaeological salvage and cleanup.

The No 1 tomb provided a breakthrough for studies into funereal customs in the region.

Some of the decorative patterns on the items unearthed feature styles typical to the Sogdian and Sassanian people, both originally from today's Iran and Central Asia.

"Through the extensive collection of artifacts unearthed from Dulan Reshui tombs, we can see the presence of various items that originate from Central and Western Asia, as well as the Arabian Peninsula," Li says.

A gold decorative item for a wooden saddle. (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

These objects highlight the differences in the culture of the Central Plains region and the local culture on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Li explains.

Another noteworthy phenomenon is that many artifacts exhibit a blending of characteristics from both the Tang Dynasty and external cultures.

"It shows they had integrated and coexisted harmoniously," Li says.

Among the cultural relics, a silver seal bearing the inscription "seal of the King Achai, the nephew" is considered among the most significant, and reveals the Tubo identity of the No 1 tomb owner.

It's important evidence of the marriage between the regimes of Tubo (618-842) and Tuyuhun, crucial powers during the Tang Dynasty, Li says.

A mounted archer made of gold and silver. (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

It also suggests that over a long period of development, this region accumulated a deep history, particularly regarding the Tubo and Tuyuhun cultures.

"During the 6th to 8th centuries, the cultural exchange and enrichment between the Han and Tibetan peoples became a significant component of Tang culture," he adds.

Since 1982, a series of significant archaeological discoveries have provided ample evidence that Dulan is a crucial node on the Silk Road's Qinghai route, serving as a hub for cultural exchange and commercial trade between the East and the West.

As suggested by the county's name, which means "warmth" in the Mongolian language, the county is a place rich in water and grass, Li explains, adding that it made for ideal living conditions.

A gilded silver artifact. (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

Leveraging the Silk Road's Qinghai route, people gradually settled in the challenging high-altitude areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, forming various highland kingdoms, large and small.

Different ethnic groups interacted, depended on each other, and blended together harmoniously, coalescing into an interconnected whole, according to the exhibition organizers.

At the same time, the unearthed artifacts at the exhibition also vividly portray the historical panorama of mutual learning and influence between Eastern and Western civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn