Lying about
2
km northwest of Anyang City, the Yin Ruins cover an area of 30
square km. It was once the capital of the Shang Dynasty empire
3,300 years ago and is the first capital ruins with a historical
record confirmed by oracles and archaeological excavations. "Yin"
was the ancient name for the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1100 BC).
The ruins have been dubbed the "cradle of Chinese archaeology"
by archaeologists. Excavations which started in late 1920s have
revealed tombs, foundations of palaces and temples, bronzes, jade
carvings, lacquer ware, white carved ceramics, green-glazed ware
and oracle bones.
One of the most significant discoveries are inscribed animal bones
and tortoise shells, known as the oracle bones, which carry the
earliest known examples of Chinese characters.
Since its
excavation in late 19th century, more than 150,000 pieces of animal
bones and tortoise shells bearing inscriptions recording harvests,
astronomical phenomena, worship rituals and wars have been
unearthed here, providing scholars with valuable historic and
linguistic information.
The ruins also bear witness to the prime of China's bronze age.
The four-legged bronze cauldron Simuwu Ding, discovered in 1939,
measures 133 cm in height and weighs 875 kg. It is the world's
biggest bronze ware item ever excavated. Archaeologists said it was
used in worship ceremonies and was also a symbol of the aristocrats
at that time.
The asymmetric city layout, which has been adopted by many Chinese
cities including Beijing for over 3,000 years, also originated from
these ruins. The capital included palaces, a burial ground, a civil
residential quarter, a bronze-casting workshop and places of
worship.
Besides, the tomb of China's first female general, Fuhao, wife
of one emperor of the Shang Dynasty, was also discovered in the
ruins.
A museum was completed and opened to the public in September 2005
for the precious items unearthed from the ruins. The tomb of Fuhao,
together with 36 pits for worship, had been restored to their
original look. Over 560 characters inscribed on shells and bones
were on display with annotations in modern Chinese and English.
Because of its outstanding universal value, the Yin Ruins was
enlisted as a World Cultural Heritage site of UNESCO on July 13 at
the 30th Session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in
Lithuania.
Yin Ruins Museum of Anyang, Henan Province
Tel: 86-372-393 2171; 393 7159
Post code: 455000
Website: http://www.ayyx.com/en/index.htm
(China.org.cn August 1, 2006)
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