Sacred Bronze Tree
A nearly 4-meter tall bronze tree with birds, flowers, and a dragon — possibly representing the mythical Fusang Tree connecting heaven and earth.
The Story
Rising 3.96 meters, this is the tallest bronze artifact ever discovered from the ancient world. The tree has three levels of branches, each bearing three clusters of fruit and perching birds — nine birds in total. A sinuous dragon coils down the trunk. Many scholars believe this represents the mythical Fusang Tree (扶桑树) described in the ancient text 'Shan Hai Jing' (Classic of Mountains and Seas), upon which ten suns would rest. The tree was found smashed into over 200 fragments in a sacrificial pit and painstakingly restored over years. One branch remains missing, suggesting the tree may have originally been even taller.
Why It Matters
The tree connects Sanxingdui's unknown civilization to pan-Asian mythology of the World Tree, suggesting cultural exchanges across vast distances in the Bronze Age.
Fun Facts
It was reconstructed from over 200 broken fragments
One branch is still missing — the complete tree may have been taller
The 9 birds may represent the 9 of 10 suns from Chinese mythology
Similar 'world tree' concepts exist in Norse, Mesoamerican, and Indian mythologies
Related Artifacts
Bronze
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Gold
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A hauntingly beautiful gold mask weighing about 280 grams, with protruding eyes and an enigmatic smile that has captivated the modern world.