Zhengzhou, 5 May (Zhongxin Net) -- Question: The Chinese civilization explores the source, and Henan archaeology shines

China News Network reporter Han Zhangyun

The exploration of the origin of Chinese civilization accompanies the whole process of Chinese archaeology from its birth to its development, and has always been the most important proposition of modern Chinese archaeology in the past hundred years.

The picture shows the site of Ligang in Xinzhengpei, Henan. Photo by Han Zhangyun

On May 5, the 12rd China Archaeology Zhengzhou Forum was held in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, where more than 150 experts and scholars from a number of domestic cultural and museum units explored new ideas and new developments in the study of the origin of Chinese civilization around the theme of "The Origin and Formation of Chinese Civilization".

Wang Wei, member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and chairman of the Chinese Archaeological Society, said on the same day that archaeological discoveries have confirmed that Chinese civilization is an important part of world civilization, and the development history of Chinese civilization for more than 5,000 years has made significant contributions to the progress of human civilization.

The picture shows the southeast city wall of Zhengzhou Shangcheng National Archaeological Site Park. Photo by Wang Yi

Henan is an important birthplace of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization, and has rich cultural heritage. According to the data of the Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, there are 65519,5 immovable cultural relics in Henan Province, including 420 world cultural heritage items, 4 national key cultural relics protection units, and 1990 of Henan, the eight ancient capitals of China, including Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Luoyang and Anyang. Since 53, Henan has been selected for a total of <> projects in the selection of "National Top Ten Archaeological New Discoveries", far ahead in the country.

The picture shows the site of the double locust tree in Gongyi, Henan. Photo by Wang Yi

At the forum, Ren Wei, director of the Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, said that Henan, as the core area of the origin and formation of Chinese civilization, occupies an important position in the study of the origin and formation of Chinese civilization.

"The archaeological excavations of Yinxu, which began in 1928, confirmed that the history of the Shang Dynasty was the history of faith, and also established the historical mission of reconstructing China's ancient history through archaeology. Since then, after nearly a hundred years of archaeological exploration, it has proved that Chinese civilization originated in the local territory and developed independently in the process of absorbing and borrowing elements from other civilizations. Ren Wei said that Henan, as the cradle of the birth of modern Chinese archaeology, shoulders the great mission of exploring the origin of Chinese civilization.

At various stages of the research on the origin of Chinese civilization in the field of Chinese archaeology, Henan archaeology has gradually become the backbone of the research on the origin of Chinese civilization.

The picture shows the cultural relics excavated at the Erlitou site inlaid with turquoise animal face pattern bronze plaques. Photo by Han Zhangyun

In 2001, the state launched the "Chinese Civilization Source Exploration Project", and five of the six important sites focused on research in the first phase of the project are located in Henan. Henan archaeologists have been responsible for and participated in the research of 6 sub-projects in the "Chinese Civilization Source Exploration Project", becoming the backbone of the project.

Since 2019, the "Research Project on the Civilization Process of the Central Plains" and the "Xia Culture Research Project" led by Henan and the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences have been successively included in the "Archaeological China" project of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. In these two major archaeological research projects, Henan archaeologists have undertaken the main tasks of archaeological investigation, exploration, excavation, research and other tasks, and are the main forces for promoting the two major projects.

Through continuous archaeological investigation, exploration, excavation and research, the achievements of Henan archaeology are intertwined with many archaeological achievements in other parts of the country, and jointly prove the important time and space nodes of the origin, formation and development of Chinese civilization.

Around 5800 years ago, the Yangshao culture temple digou type culture, represented by the Lingbao Beiyangping site group in Henan, can basically be determined as the core culture of the origin stage of civilization in the Central Plains.

Around 5300 years ago, the late Yangshao culture represented by the Gongyi double locust tree site group in Henan Province can basically be determined as a civilization form in the preliminary sense. Among them, the site of Gongyi double locust tree, as a high-specification Tuyi central settlement in the middle and late Yangshao culture in the Yellow River Basin, provided key materials for studying the development process of civilization in the Central Plains around 5300 years ago.

The picture shows the Erlitou Archaeological Site Park. Photo by Han Zhangyun

From 4300 to 3800 years ago, the Central Plains region has accurately formed a more mature form of civilization, and radiated cultural influence to all directions, becoming the core and leader of the general process of Chinese civilization.

Ren Wei said that in the next step, Henan will accelerate the reshaping reform of the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, continue to promote the two major projects of "Archaeological China" of "Research on the Civilization Process in the Central Plains" and "Xia Culture Research", plan and implement research projects on the origin stage of civilization and business culture, push the Chinese civilization source exploration project to depth, and strive to form a number of breakthrough and landmark achievements, contributing Henan's strength to the research on the origin and formation of Chinese civilization. (End)