| Based on the audio recording of the speech at the opening ceremony of the Chinese Archaeological Congress held in Chengdu on October 24, 2018, it is compiled into a draft.
The wheel of history has come to this day, and it will soon usher in the commemorative moment of the 100th anniversary of the birth of modern archaeology in China. Here, with 100 years as the timeline, we would like to briefly review our struggle and share our longed-for archaeological dream.
A review of a century of archaeological history
Although Sichuan is located in an inland province, it has become the earliest province in China with image records for archaeological excavations due to coincidence. This refers to the excavation of the famous French scholar Xie Gelan (early translation as Sejialan) in 1914 at the "Tomb of Bao Sanniang" in Zhaohua, Guangyuan, Sichuan. This was followed by excavations at the West China Union University Museum in 1931 in the Guanghan Sanxingdui site, and the excavation of the Pengshan Jiangkou Cliff Tomb at the Central Museum in the early 1940s. In addition, the excavation of the tomb of the former Shu king in Chengdu from 1942 to 1944 also made Sichuan the first province in the history of Chinese archaeology to excavate the imperial tomb.
In the early 1950s after the founding of New China, the Sichuan archaeological team did several great things:
The archaeological excavation of "Ziyang people" in the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, which began in 1950, is the earliest infrastructure archaeological project in New China.
The archaeological excavation of Yangzishan in Chengdu from 1951 to 1953 became the most important archaeological discovery in china because of its large scale and rich discoveries. Unearthed Han Dynasty pottery horses were specially transported to Beijing to participate in the special exhibition of the fifth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The archaeological excavations of the Baocheng Railway Project in 1953-1957, of which the excavation of the ship coffin tomb in the BaolunYuan of Zhaohua in Guangyuan is the most famous, which opened the prelude to the great discovery of the Sichuan ship coffin.
In 1992, archaeologists conducted archaeological surveys in the Three Gorges Reservoir area
The "Archaeological Survey and Protection Plan for Cultural Relics in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of the Yangtze River", which began in 1957 and ended in 1997, is the largest rescue archaeological excavation project in the capital construction project in China's history.
Excavations at the Daxi site in Wushan in 1975
After the 1960s, there are Wushan Daxi Cultural Site, Fuling Xiaotianxi Cemetery, Xinduma Hometown Warring States Tomb, Guanghan Sanxingdui Ruins and Sacrifice Pits, Chengdu Twelve Bridges Ruins and other discoveries.
However, I think that the real comprehensive promotion, and great progress, and the praise of the national counterparts, is still after 1999. The Chinese Archaeological Society held the Annual Conference of Chinese Archaeology in Sichuan that year, which was an important factor that gave birth to the glory of Sichuan archaeology for 20 years.
Sanxingdui New Discoveries, Jinsha Ruins, Luojiaba Ruins, Chengdu Commercial Street Ship Coffin Cemetery, Chengdu Jiangnan Street Ruins, Chengdu Laoguanshan Han Tomb Group, Quxian Chengba Ancient City, Pengshan Jiangkou Shenyin Ruins, Sichuan Baijiu Workshop Ruins Group, Chengdu Plain Ancient City Group, Jinchuan Liujiazhai Ruins, Shifang Guiyuanqiao Ruins, Waterfall Gully Reservoir Area Archaeological Project, Xiangjiaba Reservoir Area Archaeological Project...... As well as about 200 archaeological reports and treatises on various cultural relics.
Including but not limited to the 1999 Chengdu Annual Conference on Chinese Archaeology, it gives us new ideas and boldness. We are fully aware that the cause must be developed, inherited, and even more innovative. Unite the old, middle and young people to continue to exert efforts, and work hard for twenty years. Ten innovative initiatives in archaeology have been completed:
01
Give young people wings to take off
Due to historical reasons, by around 2000, compared with our counterparts in the country, our professional talents were not connected and the phenomenon of talent disconnection was prominent. To this end, we have introduced a series of new policies to support young talents. Ten years of trees, the first results. Today, whether it is an archaeological team leader, undertaking an archaeological project, reporting on the top ten or six archaeological discoveries in the country, and participating in academic conferences at home and abroad, the majority of young people in our institute are absolutely the majority. In 2013, the first collection of young archaeology papers of the National Institute of Archaeology was also published.
02
Go abroad for archaeology
Exploring the influence of the Sanxingdui culture has always been the focus of archaeological work in Sichuan. After learning of similar discoveries in Vietnam, we took the initiative to contact our Vietnamese counterparts and expressed their desire to go to archaeology. With the consent of the Vietnamese side, we joined hands with the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Research Institute to raise funds and organize an excavation team to independently carry out archaeological excavations at the NgyIli Site in Vinh Phuc County, Vietnam in 2006. This is an epoch-making event in Chinese archaeology, known as the "first shovel to go abroad". He opened the precedent for Chinese archaeologists to go abroad to archaeology. Today, it is said that there are more than 20 Chinese archaeological teams active in Asia, Africa and Latin America at the same time.
03
Investigation - excavation - collation research - science popularization - conservation and utilization planning - curation integration
The traditional archaeological operation process is: investigation - excavation - collation research. The new era requires archaeologists to be experts in investigation and excavation, but also to bravely undertake the task of popularizing the science of archaeological achievements and the protection and utilization of cultural relics sites. We realized earlier that archaeologists should lead the planning and use of archaeological cultural heritage. Over the years, he has participated in or led more than 20 such projects, mainly including: Quxian Hanque Exploration - Conservation Planning - Exhibition Chen Outline, Hanyuan Waterfall Ditch Archaeological Excavation to Exhibition Chen Outline, Luojiaba Archaeological Excavation - Site Protection Program - Exhibition Chen Outline, Sanxingdui Site Excavation - Archaeological Site Park Planning Outline, Xiangjiaba Reservoir Area Archaeological Survey - Excavation - Exhibition Chen Outline, Jiangkou Shenyin Site Survey - Excavation - Exhibition Chen Outline, and also choreographed and directed the world's first archaeological science animation (Archaeological Training Camp, A digital animation feature film "The Legend of the Sacred Tree" that deeply interprets an important cultural relic, and creatively designs a series of complete sets of cultural and creative products such as family life series and gift bag series). Truly achieve the integrated operation from investigation, excavation, collation and research, conservation planning, display outline to cultural creation. He has published the first and second curatorial monographs on cultural heritage in China.
04
Established the "Doctoral Library of Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology"
In order to attract young talents, we set up a doctoral library, allocated funds, and published doctoral dissertations for doctors who worked in our institute. It is understood that this practice is the first among all scientific research and teaching units in the country. By this year, the Doctoral Library had included three doctoral dissertations.
05
Archaeological Expeditions (Cultural Route Expeditions)
As early as 2005, we joined hands with the Palace Museum to start a multidisciplinary comprehensive investigation of cultural routes based on archaeology through self-financing and seeking social sponsorship. From the second year onwards, a special archaeological expedition center was set up in the hospital. For more than ten years, it has inspected 14 sichuan-Tibet north-south line, jinniu road, rice warehouse road, lychee road, five-foot road, Tangbo ancient road, etc., and over the years, thousands of ruins have been found, expanding the field of archaeological research and actively serving social needs. The cultural route "Shu Dao" application mainly relies on our survey results and has been included in the Preliminary List of World Cultural Heritage of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. The deeds and results of the Wuzhidao Cultural Route Examination were also included in the Sichuan 2011 College Entrance Examination History Paper Examination Questions.
06
Systematically carry out ming-Qing-republic handicraft archaeology
Through participating in the preparation of some museum exhibition programs, we realized that many museums at all levels in China have a limited number of Ming and Qing cultural relics collected, far from meeting the needs of the development of the museum industry, so in the field work, we have taken the opportunity to investigate and excavate the traditional handicraft industry of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China, increased the investigation of sites and the collection of cultural relics specimens, and persisted for many years, and the results were gratifying. Not only has it excavated the ruins of the six major wineries in Sichuan represented by Shuijingfang and Bad HouseTou (all of which have been included in China's world cultural heritage preliminary list by the State Bureau), but also obtained more than 100,000 pieces of cultural relics, with remarkable results.
07
The first virtual archaeological experience hall and cultural relics hospital were established
With the continuous development of the archaeological cause and the society's desire to obtain archaeological knowledge, archaeologists are required to have a fixed position of science popularization, and at the same time, the traditional ideas and practices of cultural relics protection must also have major changes to meet the requirements of cultural protection in the new era. In view of this, we mainly self-funded the creation of the world's first "virtual archaeological experience hall", "heritage hospital" and "cultural relics mobile hospital" in 2013. The former has greatly improved the image of our hospital and expanded its social influence. The virtual experience hall was also selected by the 2017 Beijing College Entrance Examination Language Paper. The establishment of the cultural relics hospital and the cultural relics mobile hospital has changed the protection methods and working procedures of cultural preservation workers for archaeologically excavated cultural relics, especially the cultural relics mobile hospital has moved the protection operation position forward, which has won valuable time for the protection of vulnerable cultural relics after excavation.
08
Jointly organized the department of cultural relics and archaeology technology
After entering the new century, the rapid development of archaeology, the urgent need for a large number of archaeological technicians, in view of the relatively complete categories of cultural heritage protection in our institute, the provincial department arranged for us to cooperate with the provincial art vocational college to jointly run a specialty in cultural relics and archaeology technology. All professional courses and professional basic courses other than foreign languages, politics and languages of this major are undertaken by our professional staff. By this year, more than 180 people have been enrolled in three classes, and the graduated students generally have a good reputation in the employed units.
09
Actively and continuously carry out public archaeology
Today, public archaeology can form a trend of fire in the country, which is inseparable from the appeal of a group of people of insight and the persistent efforts of several archaeological institutions. Our institute is the earliest archaeological institute in the country to carry out public archaeology and set up corresponding departments. The archaeological expedition that began in 2005 attracted the participation of the community, and in 2011, the large-scale public archaeology science popularization activity "Sanxing Piap into the Campus" was launched, and with the strength of one hospital, it entered 104 colleges, middle schools, and primary schools in the province within one year, creating a new record for public archaeology. In the critical and sensitive moment of entering the water of important relics, we did not take closure measures, but instead recruited volunteers to participate in archaeological excavations in the core area for the whole country. In addition, such as the creation of the virtual archaeological experience hall, the compilation of the cartoon book "Introduction to Children's Archaeology", the wedding of the archaeological excavation site, the release of archaeological cultural and creative products, etc., are all creative public archaeology series activities, which profoundly and widely popularize archaeology.
10
Be a pioneer in internal water archaeology
China has about 280,000 square kilometers of rivers and lakes inland waters, equivalent to the area of two Shaanxi provinces, under which there is a rich historical and cultural heritage. Constrained by the limitations of technology and funds and inherent ideas, archaeologists can only look at the water and sigh. We seized the opportunity of the underwater battlefield relics of the late Ming Dynasty at the mouth of the Pengshan River to appear, and together with the Underwater Archaeology Center of the National Bureau of Cultural Relics, we diverted the cofferdam of the Taotuo Min River and carried out the first underwater archaeological excavation in China's internal waters, and a large number of precious cultural relics, including 45,000 gold and silver objects, have been harvested. This initiative has opened up a new field of Chinese archaeology.
Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond
It is planned to promote the work around the following eight aspects.
Infrastructure construction
Construction of Sichuan Archaeological Experience Hall: Taking entering shopping malls and airports as the entry point, the virtual archaeological experience hall version 4.0 of tens of thousands of square meters of display experience area will be created.
Relying on the four major sites, four major archaeological workstations (finishing bases) have been established: Guanghan Sanxingdui Archaeological Workstation, Pengshan River Estuary Underwater Archaeological Workstation, Quxian County Dam Archaeological Workstation, xuanhan Luojiaba Archaeological Workstation.
Archaeological excavations in Bashu
Within the scope of today's Sichuan and Chongqing, there were two major powers in the ancient pre-Qin period, Ba and Shu. After Chongqing became a municipality directly under the central government in 1997, a large area of eastern Sichuan and northern Sichuan, which belonged to Sichuan, was still within cuba, so Sichuan could still be called Bashu. Of course, Sichuan's archaeological work should also pay equal attention to Bashu. On this basis, we will take three major projects as the starting point and seek key breakthroughs:
The first is the ancient Shu civilization inheritance and innovation project. The focus is on finding the source of Shu, investigating the tombs of the Shu kings, and discovering more sacrificial pits. The second is the comprehensive investigation and key excavation of the Ba cultural site. The third is the excavation of the city sites of the three major counties of the Qin and Han Dynasties in Sichuan (Guanghan County, Wuyang County, and Tangqu County).
Infrastructure and archaeological works
If the national cultural relics protection policy is not greatly adjusted, we expect that in the next 7-8 years, Sichuan's archaeological work will still be based on cooperating with the national large and medium-sized capital construction projects.
Archaeological project of cascade power station in the lower reaches of Jinsha River: Mainly points to the archaeological rescue excavation project of three cascade hydropower stations in the lower reaches of Jinsha River, Namengtan and Wudongde, with a total of about 400,000 square meters of excavation tasks, of which the field work of Xiangjiaba has been completed, and the excavation of Wudongde is still in progress. We estimate that it will take about 7-8 years to complete the final collation and publication tasks of the above three archaeological projects at the earliest.
The ruins of Xinzhuang on the double line of the Chengdu-Kunming Railway
Archaeological project of Chengdu-Kunming Complex Line and Sichuan-Tibet Railway: It is expected that the archaeological excavation mission of 70,000-80,000 square meters will take about 5-7 years.
Leshan Minjiang Cascade Power Station and Aba Shuangjiang Power Station Archaeological Project: It is planned to excavate about 40,000 square meters and complete the field excavation task in about 5 years.
A comprehensive investigation and study of the Sichuan Grotto Temple
This is the professional direction that we have been supporting as the key construction of the hospital since 2003. In terms of the protection of cultural relics of the Cave Temple, as early as 2014, the "Sichuan-Chongqing Grottoes Protection Plan" co-compiled with the China Cultural Heritage Research Institute has been approved by the state. It also joined hands with Northwest University to start from the survey and mapping of one niche and one cave, and it was done quickly and unexpectedly. Taking stock of the achievements of the past 15 years, the grotto field survey report "Sichuan Grotto Temple Department" series of books has been compiled and published 6 books. Taking the investigation of the family as the starting point and the "General Catalogue of the Tang and Song Dynasty Niches in Sichuan Scattered Seeing" compiled by the city and prefecture as the basic unit, 3 works have been compiled and published. It should be pointed out that, perhaps different from many colleges and universities, most of the funds required for the above projects are self-funded by our institute.
Sichuan stone inscription rescue and protection project
This is a cultural security project that our hospital plans to start and receives special support from the Provincial Department of Finance of 35.8 million yuan after making preliminary results. The project promised to investigate all about 50,000 inscriptions in the province in three years, and each rubbing four copies received a total of not less than 200,000 rubbings. Subsequently, he organized and published the "Sichuan Stone Carving Inscription Integration" (about 150 volumes), and held no less than 30 thematic exhibitions with the theme of Sichuan stone carvings at home and abroad.
Sichuan stone inscription rescue and protection project field work photo
Archaeological expeditions and cultural route expeditions
In the future, it will be mainly cross-provincial and in-depth investigation.
Cross-border integration
It is planned to cooperate with Tsinghua University, Peking University, Sichuan University, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Northwest University, Jilin University and other universities.
Create a high-quality college course "Into Archaeology"
Cultivate a group of national industry sought-after, set "discovery, exploration, research, curation, dissemination" pentathlon in one of the characteristic talents.
Sichuan already has a group of young archaeologists who have emerged in the country, as well as the number of cultural heritage resources in the country that have been reserved by the three cultural relics censuses, which is a strong foundation for making our cause bigger and stronger, and on this basis, as long as we continue to uphold the spirit of innovation, we will certainly be able to firmly seize the opportunities of the future and overcome the challenges of the future. We must consciously go deep into the country's cultural power and the development strategy of cultural and tourism integration, so that Sichuan archaeology can step onto a higher academic level and create another century of glory.
(Note: According to the transcript of the speech at the opening ceremony of the Chinese Archaeological Conference held in Chengdu on October 24, 2018, the author was the president of the Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology at the time)