Chengdu

I Thought I Knew Ancient China. Then I Met its Aliens.

I walked into the Sanxingdui Museum expecting the elegant bronze vessels and intricate jade I’d seen elsewhere in China. What I found felt more like a message from another world. This place doesn't just display artifacts; it unveils a lost civilization so mysterious and stylistically different, it completely rewrites the story of ancient China.

The first thing you'll see are the masks, and they will stop you in your tracks. These are haunting, monumental bronze faces with razor-thin lips, giant, wing-like ears, and, most unnervingly, huge, projecting, alien-like eyes. You'll stare at them, and they'll stare right back, posing a silent question across 3,000 years: who were we? Elsewhere, a colossal, 13-foot-tall bronze tree seems to connect heaven and earth, its branches adorned with birds and dragons. This isn’t just art; it’s evidence of a sophisticated, sun-worshipping culture that vanished without a trace. You’ll leave feeling like you’ve just discovered a secret history of our planet.

Insider Tip: 

The museum is located in Guanghan, about an hour's drive from Chengdu. Don't rush it. Allocate at least three to four hours to fully explore the two main exhibition halls. The sheer volume of mind-bending artifacts is far greater than you’d expect.


Customise My Trip

Beyond the Sights, Into the Culture DISCOVER MORE

Featured Destinations

Experience "Impression West Lake: The Most Memorable is Hangzhou" – A Cultural Masterpiece Under the Stars
Guangzhou

Experience "Impression West Lake: The Most Memorable is Hangzhou" – A Cultural Masterpiece Under the Stars

Discover Lingyin Temple: Where Ancient Zen Wisdom Meets Ethereal Natural Beauty
Dunhuang

Discover Lingyin Temple: Where Ancient Zen Wisdom Meets Ethereal Natural Beauty

Trending

In Qufu, Confucius Is More Than a Philosopher—He’s the King Next Door
Qufu

In Qufu, Confucius Is More Than a Philosopher—He’s the King Next Door

Creating a World of Wonder with Just a Pair of Scissors
Tianjin

Creating a World of Wonder with Just a Pair of Scissors

In China's Porcelain Capital, the Entire City Breathes Fire and Clay
Jingdezhen

In China's Porcelain Capital, the Entire City Breathes Fire and Clay

The Coolest Shopping Mall in China is... a Temple?
Chengdu

The Coolest Shopping Mall in China is... a Temple?

More Than Rain Protection: Crafting a Piece of Poetic History in China
Luzhou

More Than Rain Protection: Crafting a Piece of Poetic History in China