Shanxi museum unveils little-known Jin Kingdom

A museum for historical relics in Shanxi province will open its doors to the public on Chinese Cultural Heritage Day, which falls on June 14. The museum honors ancient China's Jin Kingdom and will be located in Qu'wo county in Linfen.

It is also the first museum in Shanxi to unveil the history of the Jin Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).

The Jin Kingdom dates back roughly 3,000 years ago, but questions remain about the kingdom's emergence. It was not until the late 20th century, when Qucun village relics were discovered, that the place was called the birthplace of the Jin Kingdom. Construction of the museum, which is located on the site where the relics were found, began in August 2009. It covers an area of 14.66 hectares, is supported by an investment of 198 million yuan($31.8 million)and is divided into three exhibition halls that feature the history of the Jin State, a chronology of the unearthing of the relics and details about how the relics are protected.