Recently, 157 sets of cultural relics related to the Three Yan Culture have been on display at the Shenzhen Museum in Guangdong Province, attracting widespread attention from the cultural and museum sectors, and the general public. This exhibition marks the first time that Liaoning’s Three Yan cultural relics have ever been displayed outside the province as joint exhibits.

The Liaoning Provincial Museum, in conjunction with the Liaoning Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Chaoyang City Museum, Chaoyang County Museum, and Beipiao Museum, is hosting the exhibition “Where We Came From and Where We Go: The Century of the Three Yan” at the Shenzhen Museum.

During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Murong Xianbei successively established the Former Yan, Later Yan, and Northern Yan regimes in western Liaoning. They absorbed and integrated various cultural elements from other ethnic groups in the surrounding areas, forging the unique Three Yan Culture. This exhibition is divided into three sections: “The Migration and Integration of the Three Yan”, “The Wars and Life of the Three Yan”, and “The Family History and Intertwining Cultures”, using cultural relics to tell the story of a frontier ethnic group’s “origins and homeward journey”, showcasing the historical vicissitudes and influence of the Three Yan.

The exhibition features 157 sets of exhibits related to the Three Yan Culture, encompassing goldware, glassware, bronzeware, ironware, and pottery. Examples include armored cavalry gear such as iron horse helmets and iron cavalry helmets, and ornament accessories such as tree-shaped gold shimmering headdress. These representative artifacts vividly demonstrate the characteristics of the Murong Xianbei people and the Three Yan Culture, as well as relevant archaeological research findings, unfolding the process of ethnic integration in the Liaoning region, and the formation of the pattern of the Chinese nation’s pluralistic unity.

During the exhibition, the Shenzhen Museum will host several expert lectures on the history and culture of the Three Yan regimes, as well as themed educational activities focusing on key artifacts such as the “Gold Headdress” and “Armored Cavalry Gear”. The exhibition will run until July 26, 2026.