Olympic flame graces Guangzhou Museum

This week bringing the excitement and high spirit of the Games to the city of Guanghzou in South China. The local torch relay passes by one of the areas most prominent cultural sites, the South Yue Prince Museum.

The local torch relay passes by one of the areas most prominent cultural sites, the South Yue Prince Museum.(Photo: CCTV.com)

The museum was built in the 1980s, after the mausoleum of the South Yue Prince was discovered in the Xianggang Mountain in the city's suburbs. Dating back to the Western Han Dynasty more than two thousand years ago, the grand tomb is the largest of its kind ever excavated in South China.

Covering an area of about 100 square meters, the tomb is a repository for historical and cultural treasures. In addition to its extensive stores of daily utensils, art, and jewels, the walls of the tomb's chamber are decorated with colored murals. These murals depict contemporary local in that long ago era. The site has already shed significant light on local history during the Han Dynasty.

Most items excavated at the site are on view at the museum. Browsing the articles on display, visitors can see an enlightening timeline of local political and cultural development during the Han Dynasty.

The year 2008 marks the 2,222nd anniversary of the founding of the city of Guangzhou. As a focal point for the city's grand history over the two millennia, the South Yue Prince Museum now becomes part of modern history, as one of the landmarks for the Olympic torch relay.