Beijing's Dabaotai Western Han Tombs museum reopens

The newly renovated Dabaotai Western Han Tombs museum in Beijing's Fengtai district officially reopened to the public on Tuesday, with two major exhibitions being unveiled, showing visitors rich history and culture of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-8 AD) .

The museum is built over the tombs of Western Han Dynasty prince Liu Jian and his wife at Dabaotai in the southwestern suburbs of Beijing. Built entirely of wood, the tombs are over 2,000 years old and were discovered in 1974.

Reconstructing on the original site, the renovated museum covers an area of 7,600 square meters, with an exhibition area of 2,800 square meters.

The museum showcases the preserved site of the tombs within the exhibition hall. The most distinctive feature of the Dabaotai tombs is a wall of evenly cut yellow cypress wood piled 2.7 m high that separate the tomb's outer and inner hallways. This is called "Huang Chang Ti Cou," the highest-level funeral meant of the Western Han Dynasty. "Huangchang" refers to the core of cypress wood, and "Ticou" stands for the structure where the ends of the wood are put together towards the inner part in layers. This special funeral meaning is known for its strength and moisture resistance.

Meanwhile, a starry sky dome was set up on the top, providing visitors with a more immersive viewing experience.

"The dome displays the four divine creatures of the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD): the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermillion Bird and the Black Turtle. The starry sky also represents the twenty-eight mansions popular during the Han Dynasty's astrology. We use modern technological methods, including digital technology, lighting to create an immersive atmosphere and help visitors better understand the 'Huang Chang Ti Cou'," said Yang Zhiguo, the curator.

Two major exhibitions, one temporary and one permeant, were also launched in the new museum on Tuesday, displaying the opulent lifestyle and spiritual pursuits of Western Han nobility and a view of social features in the ancient China's Youyan region during the Han Dynasty.

Beijing's Dabaotai Western Han Tombs museum reopens

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will extend the two-week ceasefire with Iran that was set to expire on Wednesday night (midnight GMT Tuesday).

"Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The U.S. president said he will "extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other."

The U.S. military will continue the blockade against Iran and "remain ready and able," according to Trump.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X Tuesday that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports is "an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire" and attacking Iranian merchant ships and detaining their crew members were even more serious violations.

"Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying," Araghchi wrote in his post.

Mehdi Mohammadi, an advisor to Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also said the U.S. blockade must be met with a military response, dismissing Trump's ceasefire extension announcement as "meaningless".

"Extending the ceasefire by Trump has no meaning. The losing side cannot dictate terms. Continuing the blockade is no different from bombing and must be met with a military response. Moreover, any extension of the ceasefire by Trump is certainly a way to buy time for a surprise attack. Now is the time for Iran to take the initiative," Mohammadi posted on X.

Trump extends ceasefire; Iran vows military response to naval blockade