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The review briefly presents two academic courses, ‘A History of China’ and ‘A History of Chinese Studies’ by S. V. Dmitriev published online on the “Youtube” platform. The creation of high-quality, publicly available educational resources significantly expands the opportunities for the study of historical sinological disciplines and sets a new standard for their teaching both in higher and supplementary education.

The publication presents a brief review of the new book by A. A. Maslov. Through the investigation of the struggle against COVID-19 in China, the author provides a comprehensive picture of the social-economic situation in the country, analyzes the reasons for the victory over the pandemic by Chinese society and its political structures, as well as modern alternatives for globalization. The book specially introduces the situation in Hong Kong as it represents the deepest social-political challenge in the history of the PRC. Highly commended by the reviewers, the mew monograph by Professor Maslov will be of great interest not only for specialists, but for a broad range of readers too.

The article investigates the problem of the so-called portraiture of personages presented in the terracotta army of the First Qin emperor. The results of analytical work of foreign colleagues were explored (namely, on restoration of the full spectrum of paints on the surface of the clay figures, or comparative studies of the forms of terracotta soldiers’ ears because this part of the human face is absolutely unique and therefore used in modern forensic practice for identification purposes). On the base of visual analyses of the material that could be obtained, taking into account the serial production of the big details (torsos, feet, heads) for assembling of the whole figures, as well as traces of the different instruments on faces of these figures, and after personal experience in working with elastic materials such as clay, the authors proposed a hypothesis that the reconstruction of face details (ears, noses, eyebrows, mustaches, etc.) which complete the assemblage was of the same type of serial mass production. Occasional or intentional deformation of face details in the process of their fixation, supplemented with elements such as coiffures and accentuated sections of face hair served as a basis for visible diversity in the clay soldiers and officials. However, we cannot say much about the personal characteristics of the real representatives of Qin society. We see only a reproduction of the appropriate image, but not the distinct person in the emperor’s army or court. The observations received indicate sheer haste and even negligence in the work of the craftsmen during the final stages of constructing this enormous funeral complex that never reached the level of the preliminary plans.

The review contains information about the performances of employees of the Department of Oriental Studies of the Institute for Humanities of Novosibirsk State University and the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the SB RAS at international conferences, during which they also visited several important historical museums in northeast China. The review also touches on the famous Lamaist complexes of Inner Mongolia – Dalelinsi and Wudanzhao, the Hamin Archaeological Park with Neolithic burials, the Museum of Inner Mongolia in Baotou with its ethnographic collections, archaeological and historical materials from the Neolithic and Han eras to the New Age, as well as the Dafu Private Museum in Chaoyang (Liaoning Province), where the main local cultures of the Neolithic and Paleometal era are represented, many of which have been given the status of national Cultural Heritage of various levels.

The article discusses a unique monument of rock-art on the territory of Xinjiang – namely the petroglyphs of Kangjiashimenzi (Hutubi County). The person who began scientific investigation of this site in 1987 was Professor Wang Binghua. From that time, the issues of Hutubi petroglyphs became among the most popular topics in Chinese archaeological literature but only in a few publications in other countries and only one – in Russia. This article aims to fill this gap. The Kangjiashimenzi rock-art panel comprises 292 images of different size composed as a whole ensemble depicted using a counter-relief technique, with some grinding after. The images were given in quite stylized (dancing) poses. The male figures are often presented with an erect phallus. The picture also includes several coitus scenes. We supposed this ensemble in general served as a pictorial reflection of ancient mystery-plays connected with genus or tribal worships and with sacred wedding rituals. The main part of the petroglyphs dates to the Middle Bronze Age (circa first half of II millennium BC). On the territory of Xinjiang this period was presented by Xiaohe Culture. Within these rock-art engravings, two groups of petroglyphs, most likely, with later dates can be distinguished though they were very precisely incorporated into the ensemble. Images of ‘tigers’ one could connect with activity of nomad tribes of Saka (circa first half of I millennium BC), and antithetical figures of two horses – with some other nomad tribe of Yuezhi (circa II century BC). In any case, the monument with rock engravings has been created and used over quite a long time. It is very probable that Kangjiashimenzi was a functioning sanctuary, at least for the whole region.

The authors investigate the historical fate of one of four construction mega-projects of Qin Shihuangdi, namely, Epang Palace which was supposed to become the worthy dwelling for the first unifier of the Celestial Empire. Construction workers erected the giant platform-stylobate and built three walls around it. During the Middle Ages (from the end of the Han dynasty and up to the Tang dynasty) it accommodated the military Echeng settlement. Within the same period of time, by the efforts of literati and, first of all, by prominent poet Du Mu (803–852) who wrote “The Ode on Epang Palace”, a myth was created about the wonderful residence of the Emperor with many features such as watchtowers, pavilions and galleries, and how all these beauties were destroyed by rebellions in the great fire. Nevertheless, regular archaeological excavations conducted at the site during the period of 2002–2004 did not reveal any traces of such a fire. The Palace wasn’t burned down – it was simply never constructed. Furthermore, though the huge base platform of the Palace was registered by UNESCO experts as the biggest palace building in the world, no further complicated constructions were found on its surface (though some evidence of preparatory works were reported, for example, the many pieces of roofing tiles that were lifted to the platform). The results of archaeological investigations of real Epang meant the death-warrant to false Epang that was built by local authorities as popular tourist attraction, means a source of money. It was ruined in 2012 and replaced with archaeological park where all construction works were to be based on scientific reconstruction.