"The rumbling of the chariots and the neighing of the horses" is the majestic first chariot of the Han Dynasty.

The Ziyang Bronze Chariot is an outstanding representative of bronze chariots and horses from the Han Dynasty in China. It is known as "the first chariot of the Han Dynasty in China" and is the treasure of the Ziyang Museum. It has important historical significance and research value.

The Ziyang Bronze Chariot and Horses were unearthed on December 21, 2005, when a worker accidentally discovered that the arched tomb roof of the ancient tomb had been dug up while operating an excavator. Archaeologists subsequently cleaned and excavated, and found a headless horse pulled by a bronze man, the carriage was about 2.05 meters long. From December 23, 2005 to January 2006, the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the Yanjiang District Cultural Management Office conducted archaeological surveys and excavations on the construction area. The Ziyang Bronze Chariot and Horses are typical Han Dynasty chariots. Although the body, wheels, yokes and driver are relatively well preserved, the bronze horses of the bronze chariot and horses were severely damaged due to construction damage. According to local media in Ziyang, the unearthed bronze chariot and horses were damaged during construction at the time. After on-site liquidation, there were more than 50 broken pieces of the bronze chariot and horses. In addition, the Ziyang Bronze Chariot and Horses were buried in a humid environment for a long time, and the horse belly and the flue were filled with silt, and oxidation and rust were very serious.

The scene of the unearthed bronze chariot and horses in Ziyang. Image source: Internet

Since the bronze chariot and horses were severely damaged when they were unearthed, the restoration work is very complicated. During the restoration process, epoxy resin infusion, bonding, screw riveting and other processes were used to repair and protect the bronze chariot and horses. In 2018, the Ziyang Museum started construction. According to official public information, part of the museum's exhibition display is "Han style of chariots and horses". It is planned to highlight the unique status of Ziyang bronze chariots and horses through a comparative display of bronze chariots and horses unearthed in the southwest region, and deeply interpret the Han Dynasty chariot system behind the cultural relics. After the completion of the Ziyang Museum, the Ziyang bronze chariot and horses unearthed in Ziyang have a "home". Therefore, the bronze chariot and horses were repaired and equipped with horse heads and debuted in 2018. The Ziyang bronze chariot and horses are 184 cm long and weigh about 150 kg. And officially returned to the Ziyang Museum on December 29, 2023, becoming the "treasure of the town museum" of the museum. At present, the Ziyang bronze chariot and horses have been handed over to the Ziyang Museum and are exhibited in the second exhibition hall "Han style of chariots and horses".

The restored Ziyang bronze chariot and horses. Image source: Internet

The Ziyang Bronze Chariot not only shows the details of the Han Dynasty's chariot system, but also reflects the social life and technological level of the time. At the same time, the design and production process of the Ziyang Bronze Chariot also reflects the superb skills and artistic level of the Han Dynasty craftsmen, and has important artistic value. The excavation of the Ziyang Bronze Chariot and Horse is of great significance to the study of the Qin and Han Dynasties' chariot system and the use of transportation tools in the southwest region of the Han Dynasty. It is the third Han Dynasty bronze chariot and horse discovered after Xingyi, Guizhou and Wuwei, Gansu, and it is also the largest Western Han Dynasty bronze chariot and horse discovered by the archaeological community so far. Due to its good preservation, complex structure and exquisite workmanship, the Ziyang Bronze Chariot and Horse is known as "China's No. 1 Chariot in the Han Dynasty".