Despite chilly wind and overcast skies, thousands of people lined up outside the Shanghai Museum last night for free tickets to the last day of an exhibition of cultural relics on loan from Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.

"The Civilization of the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties," the biggest exhibition on the museum's 2004 program, which started last December 25, has attracted nearly 300,000 visitors.

"We know that many locals are still interested in seeing these national treasures," said Li Feng, the museum's spokesman. "It's a pity that the exhibition didn't last long. So we decided to open to the public through midnight on its last day and those who come after 5pm will get free tickets."

According to Li, the museum prepared 5,000 free tickets.

But a long line appeared outside the museum after 8pm, although 3,500 tickets had already been handed out.

"I read in the newspaper that the museum will open to midnight free of charge," said Pan Wei, a 50-something retired worker.

"I purposely come here to catch the last train. Xi'an is a bit too far for me to visit. I know that some terra-cotta warriors are on display."

The 219 national treasures were on loan from 13 museums and archaeological institutes in Shaanxi Province in northwest China. Some of the items never traveled outside the province, including two polychrome terra-cotta warriors in a kneeling pose.

So far, only eight ancient polychrome figures have been discovered anywhere in the world.

"We also revealed the result of the '10 Most Favored Items' from the visitors at this exhibition," added Chen Xiejun, the museum's curator.

About 10,000 visitors voted for their favorite exhibits, naming a group of containers that are said to have held the finger of Sakyamuni Buddha (the sage of the Sakyas, a Buddhist god), the most popular item on display.

"Although it's a pity that the finger bone of the Sakyamuni Buddha isn't coming, the containers are so intricately designed and they are a compensation," said Wu Wei, a 30-something white-collar worker.

A Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) agate cup and the kneeling polychrome terra-cotta warriors were named the second and the third most popular exhibits.

(Shanghai Daily February 18, 2005)