A new exhibition at the Shanghai Museum sheds light on the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), which forged China's first unified empire.

Dawn of the First Empire: The Qin's Unification in Archaeological Treasures is the fifth installment in the museum's Essence of China exhibition series. Held at the Shanghai Museum East from June 10 to Sept 7, it brings together more than 320 pieces and sets of recently unearthed Qin-related artifacts from Gansu and Shaanxi provinces in northwestern China, alongside selected items from the museum's permanent collection.

According to Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum, the transition from the Zhou Dynasty (770–256 BC) to the Qin represents a pivotal turning point, marking China's shift from a network of regional states to a centralized empire. The Qin Dynasty pioneered enduring political institutions, integrated diverse cultures, and refined systems of governance, laying the foundation for China's long-standing tradition of unification.

Speaking at the exhibition's opening ceremony on June 9, Chu noted that the show traces the Qin's rise—from a vassal state under the Western Zhou to the founder of a unified empire—and reveals its pivotal role in shaping the pluralistic yet integrated trajectory of Chinese civilization.