The Sanxingdui site, located in Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, has been discovered since 1929, and through the unremitting efforts of several generations of archaeologists, it has gradually shown an ancient civilization that lasted for thousands of years and was extremely rich in cultural connotation. As one of the largest and most abundant sites discovered in southwest China so far, the great value of the Sanxingdui site has been widely recognized by the academic community. However, because some of the excavated artifacts show a level of exquisite craftsmanship that almost surpasses modern technology, it has also caused some speculation and controversy about the origin of ancient civilizations.
One of the most amazing finds at the Sanxingdui site is a large number of exquisite bronzes. These bronzes are not only unique in shape, but also use very advanced welding techniques. Archaeologists have found that the ancestors of Sanxingdui have mastered many key processes in modern welding technology more than 4,000 years ago, such as mastering temperature and using alloys, which is a very remarkable achievement. In addition, the casting and sculpture technology of Sanxingdui bronzes has also reached the peak level, which can be called a miracle in the history of ancient Chinese metallurgy and art.
Among the many national treasure-level cultural relics in Sanxingdui, the bronze longitudinal mask and the bronze sacred tree are particularly eye-catching. The bronze longitudinal mask is 1.38 meters high, and it vividly reproduces the image of an ancient king dressed in magnificent costumes and with a majestic face. Some scholars speculate that this is likely to be the portrait of the founding monarch of the ancient Shu Kingdom, King Silkworm Cong. The bronze sacred tree has a peculiar shape, which is similar to the Fumu recorded in the ancient Chinese mythology "Classic of Mountains and Seas", reflecting the religious concept and cosmic imagination of the ancient Shu ancestors. These precious cultural relics not only prove the uniqueness of the ancient Shu civilization, but also reflect its close exchanges with the culture of the Central Plains.
In recent years, with the further deepening of archaeological work, the importance of Sanxingdui site has become more and more prominent. Some scholars have noted that the Sanxingdui civilization has similarities with the Mayan civilization in ancient Americas in some ways, which has led to discussions about transoceanic exchanges between ancient civilizations. More importantly, Sanxingdui provides extremely valuable material for the study of the origin of the Yangtze River basin and the entire Chinese civilization, making the history of Chinese civilization more complete and three-dimensional, and highlighting the status of Chinese civilization in the long history of the world.
Of course, the discovery of the Sanxingdui site has also brought some controversy. Some people believe that the reason why the Sanxingdui civilization has not received enough attention from the international community is that the exquisite craftsmanship and mystery of its unearthed cultural relics have challenged the existing theory of the origin of ancient civilizations. Although there is some truth to this view, it is more a reflection of some people's awe and suspicion of the unknown.
In fact, the discovery of the Sanxingdui site is not a "subversion" of Chinese civilization, but a great enrichment and supplement to it. It proves that ancient China was not only a civilization center in the Central Plains, but a regional civilization pattern of pluralism and integration. Although these regional civilizations have their own characteristics, they are interrelated and mutually influential, and together constitute the main body of Chinese civilization. The discovery of Sanxingdui and other sites has given us a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the life, beliefs and aesthetics of ancient Chinese, and also provided important physical evidence for the formation process of Chinese civilization.
In the future, with the continuous advancement of archaeological work, the Sanxingdui site will surely reveal more historical mysteries. This requires the joint efforts of archaeologists, historians and experts and scholars in other related fields to conduct rigorous analysis and research on the unearthed cultural relics, systematically sort out the characteristics, chronology, and geographical distribution of the ancient Shu civilization, and put them in the context of the history of Chinese and even world civilization. Only in this way can we truly understand the precious heritage left to us by the ancestors of ancient Shu and use it to write a new chapter of Chinese civilization.
In short, the Sanxingdui site is a treasure of Chinese civilization, which not only witnesses the glory of the ancient Shu civilization, but also shows the breadth and profundity of the Chinese civilization. The study of Sanxingdui is not only an important topic in archaeology, history and other disciplines, but also related to the cultural self-confidence and historical consciousness of the Chinese nation. With an open and inclusive attitude, we should dig deep into the historical value of Sanxingdui with a rigorous and scientific approach, so that this brilliant civilization heritage will shine with new brilliance. At the same time, we should also learn from the past and learn from the present, draw nourishment from the wisdom of the ancient Shu ancestors, and provide spiritual power and cultural nourishment for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The ancient Shu civilization shown at the Sanxingdui site is an important part of Chinese civilization. It is in the same vein as the Central Plains civilization and has its own system, reflecting the pluralism and inclusiveness of the development of Chinese civilization. To know Sanxingdui is to know a more three-dimensional and richer China. Let us join hands to explore the mystery of the ancient Shu civilization and write a new chapter of Chinese civilization together.