On February 8, the premiere of Chinese animated fantasy film Ne Zha 2 (Ne Zha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea) was hold at TCL China Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, and is officially released in North America cinemas on February 14. The Chinese blockbuster, surpassing the earnings of 2015's Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens, had grossed 1.385 billion US dollars on February 14, and topped the list of the highest-grossing single market films in history.

Many Chinese ancient cultural relics and treasures, hidden in this stunning animated film, are quietly "coming back to life" on the screen after thousands of years.

| Barrier Beast

The Sanxingdui site in Guanghan, Sichuan, represents the earliest large-scale bronze human figure site discovered in China to date, tracing back to the Shang and Zhou periods (approximately 1600 – 256 BC) in Chinese history. Among the most representative artifacts unearthed is the bronze head statue wearing a gold mask, which served as a sacred idol enshrined within temples for ceremonial worship. The application of gold masks onto the bronze head statues presents that the ancient Shu people esteemed gold as a symbol of nobility. This distinctive cultural phenomenon is unique to the ancient Shu bronze civilization and reflects the rich regional characteristics of the Shu culture.

| The Small Tianyuan Ding (a ritual cauldron in ancient China)

Ding was a major category of bronze ritual vessels in the late Shang Dynasty of China (14^th –11^th BC), serving as a symbol of hierarchy and power for the ruling class. The Ding was used for various purposes, including cooking meat, offering sacrifices, and feasting. This rare flat-feet Ding, with few examples unearthed or passed down, exhibits a harmonious design from its overall shape to its intricate details, showcasing a remarkably high level of craftsmanship.

| Seven-Colored Sacred Lotus

This is a censer in the Western Han Dynasty of China (202BC–AD8). Its lid is intricately carved into the shape of mountain peaks, adorned with figures, animals, and a vividly crafted Vermilion Bird standing atop the summit. The lid is perforated with small holes, and smoke rises through these openings when incense is burned, creating an ethereal mist that resembles a celestial realm, evoking a sense of a mythical paradise.

| Exterior view of the Yuxu Palace

Auspicious Cranes is a colored silk painting created by Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhao Ji (1082— 1135). The exquisite painting depicts a magnificent scene of cranes hovering above a palace, with crowds of cranes flying in clouds and mist and displaying unique and varied postures. In Chinese culture, cranes symbolize noble aspirations and virtuous characters.

| The big Tianyuan Ding (a ritual cauldron from ancient China)

This is a Bronze Dun of the Warring States Period (4^th – 221 BC), a vessel used for holding food. Its body and lid are nearly symmetrical, each supported by three feet, allowing them to be placed separately. The craftsmanship is exquisite and delicate, with a soft, rounded, and elegant shape. The entire surface is adorned with large triangular cloud patterns that interplay between yin and yang, inlaid with red copper wire, silver wire, or turquoise, showcasing the pinnacle of decorative artistry of the time.

The Jade Knife, unearthed from the Sanxingdui site in Guanghan, Sichuan, is a jade artifact dating back to the Shang Dynasty (approximately 1600 – 1046 BC). It features a thick, straight back and a thin, sharp blade, with the rear end tapering into a straight handle, which is adorned with parallel-lined meander patterns. Its shape closely resembles the straight-handled bronze knives found in the Central Plains region of China in the same period.