Han Dynasty to reign at Paris museum

The exhibition will focus on seven themes, including the political system, fine art development and communication among ethnicities.

Many artifacts are funerary.

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"But visitors will be able to see accessories used while the tombs' occupants were alive," Yang says.

"This will create a continuous picture from people's lives to after their deaths."

China has exhibited cultural relics in France since the 1970s, including artifacts from Gansu province's Mogao Grottoes, Beijing's Palace Museum and Shaanxi province's Terracotta Warriors.

The upcoming exhibition's hall will be designed as a Han tomb, complete with frescos, Guimet Museum's curator Eric Lefebvre says.

"Whatever the audiences' cultural backgrounds, they'll certainly be enlightened by the exhibits," he says in fluent Chinese.

"It's a pity I didn't learn about the Han Dynasty in school. In recent years, the Han has appeared in France's history textbook. Although the introduction is brief, it ignites students' interest to learn more. The treasures displayed at the upcoming show will help French people understand Chinese culture on a deeper level."