Art
The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City in east China's Zhejiang Province bears testimony to the existence of at least 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, which, as stated by Chinese President Xi Jinping, serves as a source of confidence and strength of the Chinese nation.
The Liangzhu Ruins were once the center of power and belief of an early regional state in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in Late Neolithic China.
Last year, China's National Cultural Heritage Administration unveiled new archaeological discoveries at the ruins of the Liangzhu ancient city and its water conservancy system.
The recent findings have provided a preliminary understanding of the three development phases of the Liangzhu ruins, starting from scattered settlements, to the construction of a water conservancy system, and eventually the erection of the Liangzhu ancient city.
At the Liangzhu Museum, a diverse array of burial objects discovered in the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City are on display, ranging from exquisite jade artifacts to pottery.
"The 5,000 years of civilization is vividly presented in front of us. That's cultural confidence," said a visitor.
"With these archaeological findings and scholarly evidences, our cultural confidence and our 5,000 years of civilization are no longer based on legends and tales. They are now underpinned by substantial material evidences and on-site discoveries," said Jiang Weidong, deputy director of the Administration of Liangzhu Archaeological Site.
The protection and excavation of the Liangzhu Ruins are inseparable with the efforts of Xi.
In July 2003, Xi, then secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee, visited the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu ancient city.
Citing that it bears testimony to the existence of at least 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, Xi urged efforts to protect it well.
Since then, the protection of the Liangzhu Ruins has taken on a comprehensive approach.
In July 2019, it was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural site.
"Cultural heritages are an extensive and profound system that carries the unique values and concepts of Chinese civilization spanning thousands of years. Therefore, preserving cultural heritages holds significant importance as it forms the cultural foundation for our future. General Secretary Xi attaches great importance to this," said Zang Fengyu, dean of the School of Philosophy under the Renmin University of China.