The alchemy of gold and jade across dynasties

In a dimly lit gallery, two jeweled crowns face one another, their gold surfaces glimmering in the darkness.

One, a ceremonial crown belonging to an empress of the Sui Dynasty (581-618), blossoms into 13 delicate floral sprays crafted from 10 different materials, its extravagance reflecting the wealth, sophistication and artistic refinement of southern China's agrarian civilization.

Opposite stands the crown of a Xiongnu tribal leader from the Warring States period (475-221 BC). Topped with a golden eagle with a turquoise beak, it embodies the stark power of the northern steppe.

The rulers who wore them lived centuries apart, but their crowns now meet in a single exhibition, united by two materials that have shaped Chinese civilization for millennia: gold and jade.

The pairing has become one of the most striking moments in Golden and Jade Brilliance: Diverse and Splendid China, an exhibition at the Inner Mongolia Museum in Hohhot that runs through Aug 31.

Bringing together 386 artifacts from 58 museums and cultural institutions across China, the exhibition, which opened on May 18 for International Museum Day, traces nearly 9,000 years through jade carvings, bronze ware and gold objects, exploring how Chinese civilization emerged, evolved and flourished across vast regions and different cultural traditions.