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Ancient kingdom reveals its secrets
en.hangzhou.com.cn   2022-12-28 13:19   Source: China Daily

People living in the city were from different places in China. Some might have come from the central regions and others from the south, according to recent DNA tests on bone fragments found in nearby rivers.

Liangzhu in Chinese means a beautiful isle where lakes and rivers run through the land. Rows of paddy fields were cultivated outside the city. Traces of rice were found in a large store, capable of holding up to 200,000 kg of the crop. It was discovered inside the city.

"It was a very brilliant civilization created by prehistoric people migrating from other places," Wang says.

Yao Huimin's home was in a village about two kilometers away from Liangzhu city. The 36-year-old grew up in the area and witnessed firsthand the unfolding archaeological process of the Neolithic city, which dates back 5,000 years.

A series of tombs were found in her village last year. One — the tomb of a female noble — was discovered next to her house. Yao and other villagers moved out from their houses after the excavation project began.

"I'm breathing the same air and enjoying the same land shared by our ancestors. Life here continues and never stops," says Yao, who works at the Liangzhu site management committee, a government body that is in charge of the management and protection of the Liangzhu site.

Liangzhu city, the relic park of Yaoshan site featuring tombs and a belief system, together with the recently opened relic park of Laohuling site focusing on the dams, offer a comprehensive view of the once glorious civilization to visitors.

According to Yao, the number of visitors to the Liangzhu site reached more than 5 million after 2020, despite the pandemic. It's popular among those who want to discover and learn about the origins of China's civilization.

"The general story of Liangzhu culture is depicted by decades of archaeological work. We will focus on more detailed programs to unveil a vivid civilization," says Wang, the veteran archaeologist who has worked at the site for more than two decades.

Author:   Editor: Ye Lijiao
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