Chaoyang, Liaoning Province is the place where the dawn of Chinese civilization first appeared. It is home to the world-famous Niuheliang Site, where unearthed relics like clay facial sculpture of the Hongshan goddess and jade pig-shaped dragon have fascinated people worldwide. Even more marvelous is that a batch of ancient musical instruments unearthed here can still produce enchanting melodies until today.

On the second stop of Treasure Hunt Across Liaoning, Milato, a Pakistani student from Jinzhou Medical University, will join us in exploring this magnificent and wondrous land. Together, we will delve into the history and culture of western Liaoning, listen to the mysterious and melodious echoes of ancient times, and experience the charm of the Hongshan Culture.

Chaoyang Defu Museum collects the pottery drum from 10,000 years ago, the bone flute from 8,000 years ago, the pottery xun (a globular, vessel flute from China) from 5,000 years ago, and the stone chime from 4,000 years ago. These collections, embodying traditional rituals, are incredibly breathtaking. Stepping into the museum, one’s attention is drawn to a row of irregular stone pieces hanging on the wall, which are the 4,000-year-old stone chime. “These rough stone pieces are actually musical instruments!” Milato exclaimed that “ancient stones can sing songs” in astonishment. He eagerly learned the playing techniques, rhythmically struck the stone chime with a mallet, and performed Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”.

In the museum, the sight is filled with ancient musical instruments, such as pottery drum, pottery xun, pottery bell, bone flute, bone reed, etc. Milato marveled at the wonderful music world hidden within the mysterious Hongshan Culture Site.

In Chaoyang, Milato had a surprise encounter with Yu Dongbo, a flute player from the Nanjing Chinese Orchestra. At the open excavation site, Yu Dongbo played a replica of the 8,000-year-old bone flute and performed a song called “Thoughts Across Thousands of Years” with deep emotion. This musical piece expresses the worship of Chinese people towards ritual and music. The melodious and expansive flute sound seems to pull people into the grand scene of the ancient ancestors who honored the heaven and prayed for blessings and wishes, which makes people immersed in the scene as if they were traveling through it.

The sound of the pottery drum is deep and thunderous with sonorous and forceful beats; the sound of the stone chime is crisp, pleasing and magical; the sound of the bone flute is clear and melodious, like heavenly music. In the ancient city of Chaoyang, Milato was immersed in a unique “prehistoric concert” and listened to the fantastic melodies produced by Chinese cultural relics.