A cornerstone of this research is the Erlitou site in central China’s Henan. Excavated since 1959, this site is widely regarded by Chinese scholars as a major urban center associated with the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 B.C.), traditionally considered China’s first dynasty.
The most critical discovery at the site is the presence of China’s earliest grid-patterned capital layout, offering rare insights into the capital system of early states.
Erlitou is part of a constellation of key sites. From the ritual complexes at the Niuheliang site in Liaoning to the exquisite pottery at the Taosi site in Shanxi, each discovery has helped clarify the picture of China’s early history.
This grand narrative of continuity is given tangible form through a national network of 150 major archaeological sites, 65 national archaeological parks, and over 240 on-site museums. Together, they form an indelible material record spanning millions of years of human history, 10,000 years of culture and over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 