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County-level museum in Hanzhong thrives because of Three Kingdoms culture

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By Zhang Danhua, People’s Daily
The Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD), a fascinating age in early history featuring the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Wei, Shu, and Wu, is one of the most widely known period of history in China. The culture related to it has a profound impact.
As the main battlefield between Wei and Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, Hanzhong in northwest China’s Shaanxi province possesses an important geographic position.
In the Three Kingdoms period, there was a saying that “The one who gets the Dingjun Mountain gets Hanzhong, and the one who gets Hanzhong gets the country.”
Then where is the Dingjun Mountain?
It is located in Mianxian county, a small town with a history of over 2,000 years in Hanzhong.
Over the recent years, the Mianxian county museum has made its name thanks to its efforts to enrich its collection, innovate advertizing models, and promote the culture of the Three Kingdoms. It is presenting the beauty of Chinese history and culture to more and more visitors.
The museum is not big in size, but it houses a number of cultural relics and items that are seemingly able to bring visitors back to the volatile Three Kingdoms period, such as bronze caltrops, a bronze crossbow that dates back to nearly 1,900 years ago, and a valuable model of a Chinese quadrangle built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).
Deputy head of the museum Xiao Yongqin, who has worked for the museum for over 10 years, told People’s Daily that these cultural relics are of vital importance for studying the history of the Three Kingdoms period because not many documents and relevant items from that faraway period still remain today.
Many of the cultural relics displayed at the Mianxian county museum have their own stories.
In about the 1970s and 1980s, a type of ancient weapon called “tongjili,” or bronze caltrop, was discovered in Wuhouping, which is near the Dingjun Mountain and the Hanjiang River in Mianxian county. The weapon has four spikes, each with a length of 2 centimeters. When it is thrown on the ground, in whatever manner, one of spikes always points upward. This weapon was used in ancient times to slow cavalries and troops and thus nicknamed “horse spike” in China.
According to historical records, Yang Yi, an official of the state of Shu in the Three Kingdoms period, once used bronze caltrops to prevent the pursuers sent by Sima Yi, a military general of the state of Wei.
“This weapon is similar to today’s roadblocks,” said Qin Jiaying, a guide of the museum.
The museum now boasts a rich collection that consists of over 2,000 cultural relics it unearthed, purchased and collected. Some of these cultural relics have been displayed at the National Museum of China, the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution and the Shaanxi History Museum. They also joined itinerant exhibitions to Japan, the United States, the UK, among others.
Bigger museums have bigger foot traffic, but they don’t have many cultural relics from the Three Kingdoms period on display. How the Mianxian county museum can give play to its advantages as a county-level facility that collects a large number of Three Kingdoms cultural relics has been a major focus of Xiao over the recent years.
He believes what builds the public’s affection for culture is enduring access to culture.
Therefore, the Mianxian county museum turned to social media. It has made a short video series about cultural relics, which is released one episode each week, and is publishing an article about history, traditional culture and news of the museum on each workday on WeChat.
The change in publicity models has constantly expanded the influence of the museum. The number of visits to the Mianxian county museum grew at least 30 percent during this year’s May Day holiday from four years ago.
There’s much remained to be done in the preservation of cultural relics and cultural promotion, said Xiao.
“Only by well telling the stories of cultural relics and making them lively can we attract more people to the culture of the Three Kingdoms and the Chinese history,” he added.
The development of the Mianxian county museum is a miniature of Hanzhong utilizing its featured culture and exploring the integrated development of culture and tourism.
Hanzhong has a long history and profound culture. It is home to the Tomb of Zhang Qian, a UNESCO World heritage site, the Hanzhong Sanyan water conservancy project, which is listed in the World Heritage Irrigation Structures, as well as the Longgang Temple Ruins under national-level protection.
Over the recent years, Hanzhong has launched a series of featured cultural activities such as a ceremony in memory of Zhang Qian and a travel festival themed with Zhuge Liang, a strategist who served as the imperial chancellor of the state of Shu in the Three Kingdoms period. It also developed a number of cultural and travel products such as food festivals and immersive performances.
During the May Day holiday this year, the city launched over 130 cultural and tourism activities. Both the number of visitors it received and the tourism revenue during the holiday exceeded those in 2019.

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Starship to leave for Mars at end of 2026 – Elon Musk

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Elon Musk has announced an ambitious timeline for SpaceX’s Mars mission, revealing that the company’s massive Starship rocket is set to depart for the Red Planet at the end of 2026. The mission will include Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, as part of the spacecraft’s payload.

“If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely,” Musk posted on his social media platform, X.

The Starship rocket—considered the world’s most powerful—is central to Musk’s long-term vision of colonizing Mars. However, significant technical hurdles remain before this dream becomes reality.

NASA is also counting on a modified version of Starship to serve as the lunar lander for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade. But before SpaceX can proceed with interplanetary travel, it must demonstrate that Starship is safe, reliable, and capable of complex in-orbit refueling—an essential requirement for deep space missions.

SpaceX recently encountered a setback when the latest test flight of Starship ended in an explosion. While the booster was successfully caught in its orbital test, the upper stage failed, tumbling out of control before the live feed abruptly cut. The incident mirrored a previous attempt.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated an investigation before Starship can fly again, adding another layer of scrutiny to SpaceX’s ambitious timeline.

Despite these challenges, Musk remains optimistic, continuing to push forward toward his goal of making humanity a multi-planetary species.

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Obi donates N20m to Colleges of Nursing in Ahiara and Ihiala

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The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has donated N20 million to two Colleges of Nursing Sciences in Imo and Anambra States. The beneficiaries are Holy Rosary College of Nursing, Ogbe, in Ahiara Catholic Diocese, Mbaise, and College of Nursing Sciences, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala.

Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, presented N10 million cheques to each institution during his visits on Friday. At the Holy Rosary College of Nursing, he handed over the cheque to the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev Simeon Nwobi, at the college’s construction site. Similarly, at Our Lady of Lourdes, Ihiala, he presented the donation to the Students’ Union Government (SUG) President, Miss Anigbo Chisom Mary, in the presence of excited students.

Highlighting the significance of his donation, Obi stressed that healthcare and education are critical to national development. He commended the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara for investing in nursing education, describing it as a vital step in securing Nigeria’s future.

“My Lords, what you are doing is a great service to our country,” Obi said. “This donation is not a favour but a recognition of your efforts in nation-building. I will always support this project because it is about securing a better future for Nigeria.”

Obi further urged the government to prioritize quality education, including the prompt payment of teachers’ salaries. He emphasized the need for free and accessible education at the primary and secondary levels, both in public and private schools.

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Tinubu’s administration not running govt in secrecy — AGF Fagbemi

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The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency, stating that government affairs will no longer be conducted in secrecy.

Speaking at a Stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting on the Application of the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) in Awka, Anambra State, Fagbemi urged Nigerians to use the Act to demand accountability from their elected and appointed officials. The event was organized by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Represented by Garba Sunday, a lawyer in the ministry’s FoIA department, Fagbemi emphasized that the FoI Act empowers citizens to access government records and information without providing reasons for their request. He encouraged public officeholders to disclose their activities to foster trust and dispel rumors.

“The Act also provides for people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups to access government records. However, while the law guarantees access to information, there are exemptions and conditions that must be met before certain records can be released,” Fagbemi stated.

He commended the Anambra State government for actively implementing the Act, allowing citizens to stay informed about governance. He further called on Nigerians to exercise their right to information and participate in governance, adding that transparency leads to good governance.

“We appreciate the efforts of organizations like Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) and CTA for making this town hall meeting possible. The purpose of the FoI Act is to promote **transparency, accountability, and good governance—**not to be used as a tool for blackmail or political attacks,” he added.

In her remarks, CTA Executive Director, Faith Nwadishi, lamented that many Nigerians remain unaware of their rights under the FoI Act, despite its enactment over 14 years ago.

“The Act allows citizens, including women, youth, and people with disabilities (PWDs), to track budgets, monitor government programs, and expose corruption. However, those who passed the law have done little to educate the public about its importance,” she stated.

Nwadishi highlighted that the town hall meeting aimed to empower marginalized groups to use the FoI Act in holding government institutions accountable. She also noted the work of the Strengthening Accountability and Governance in Nigeria Initiative (SAGNI) in promoting transparency in the Federal Capital Territory, Anambra State, and Edo State.

As calls for transparency and accountability grow louder, stakeholders emphasized the need for public institutions to proactively disclose information and for Nigerians to actively demand their rights, ensuring that governance remains open and inclusive.

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