99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast
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Western Han Golden Beast
99% Gold Content!
This golden beast is both cute and valuable
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/f3e719b6050927b0fe1219fed013fead.jpg)
February 1982
Nanyaozhuang Cellar Collection in Xuyi County, Jiangsu Province
A large amount of gold has been unearthed
Total weight exceeds 20000 grams
This includes the famous "Chen Zhang Round Pot"
The earliest weighing gold currency in China
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/a6ffba006ff6ec88510df27e77c91234.jpg)
Yinggui
And a large number of golden cakes
However, among the 38 cultural relics discovered
This "little cute" golden beast is unique
Its gold purity is as high as 99%
It is truly made of pure gold
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/05a9b46d60214c67098a2a483a93164b.jpg)
The inner wall of the Golden Beast is engraved with the words "Yellow Six"
From the perspective of design and text
The latest age of the items in the cellar is the Western Han Dynasty
The Western Han Dynasty was a famous multi Jin dynasty
But 99% of the gold content belongs to pure gold category
Still requiring extremely high smelting and purification processes
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/3f0c2ef2f97d69378e6d995fca1bfd8a.jpg)
Don't be fooled by the cute appearance of the golden beast
Actually, he's a heavyweight guest
Weight of 9100 grams
Make it the "heaviest gold vessel" discovered in Chinese archaeology
It is 17.5 centimeters long and 16 centimeters wide
The overall size is similar to that of a 2-3 month old kitten
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/fade67c100cf6add3f08f60d20138e25.jpg)
The dazzling and shining "Golden Leopard"
The manufacturing process is not ordinary
The production of gold artifacts commonly seen in early China
One type is casting
It's using molds to form specific shapes of gold products
The Golden Cup of the Warring States period, collected by the Hubei Provincial Museum.
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/137fedc7c77cd56bb2d1093935dede01.jpg)
Another type is a hammer
Use tapping, forging, and hammering to shape patterns on the surface of gold objects
△ Shang Dynasty gold foil fish shaped decoration, collected in the Sanxingdui Museum.
But the Golden Beast is forged and hammered
A rare product that perfectly combines these two techniques
Its entire body has irregular circular patterns of uniform size
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/e07c631f0bf606dfa9c338c265a741de.jpg)
It is precisely after the overall casting and molding
Made by hammering with tools
This increases the reflective surface of the outer layer
Therefore, visually stunning and moving
What kind of animal is this cute beast?
Currently, the mainstream view in academia is that
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/2bb8dacd86347ab1ceab96066532e6db.jpg)
Judging from the speckled patterns all over the body of the Golden Beast
Judging it as the most trustworthy "leopard"
It has a large head, a short and sturdy body
Ears pressed on both sides of the head
There are thick manes on both sides of the cheeks
Like a silly "big cat"
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/e5f1e07f0b7e30f35e87a72511ccc576.jpg)
Wearing a three wheeled collar on the neck
Indicating that it may be a domesticated beast
The ancients believed that leopards had the function of warding off evil spirits
Therefore, objects are often made in the shape of leopards for safety purposes
During the Western Han Dynasty, there was a culture of domesticating leopards among nobles and nobles
At the Tomb of King Jing of Zhongshan in Mancheng, Hebei Province
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/cbba2521afe0186c60cff1c476e37954.jpg)
Archaeological artifacts such as the Chu King's Mausoleum in Shizishan, Xuzhou
We have found patterns and artifacts featuring leopards as the image
It's a hidden "pure gold figurine"
Or is there something else to use?
Such a large piece of gold
What was the purpose of people casting it at that time?
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/350f69b2957a18c9508557f15cbdf553.jpg)
There are several claims about its practical use
The first statement is that Xizhen
Used to press down on the four corners of the mat
There are thick buttons on both sides of the cross collar at the back of the head
Convenient to pick up when in use
The second view is that the Golden Beast is used to control the treasury
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/38e5e2580f59d65fd12cd8ee3fe4afe8.jpg)
It is also a symbol of national wealth
Cast a large amount of gold into a golden beast
Showcasing the wealth and power of the holder
The shape of a leopard also has the intention of warding off evil and suppressing victory
The third type is pragmatism
It is speculated to be a weighing device similar to a weighing scale
![99% Gold Content! What is this national treasure level cultural relic called a "divine beast"? Union | Museum | Divine Beast](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/dd71ec81c5454f391fff9773654476e0.jpg)
The design of its upper ring button is modeled after the shape of a copper stone power vessel
May be used for measurement