A Glimpse of Ancient Capital Ruins in Luoyang①|Discover "Earliest China" at Erlitou Ruins

走进洛阳大遗址①|来洛阳，探寻“最早的中国”

(相关资料图)

Editor"s note:Luoyang city in Central China"s Henan province is an important birthplace of Chinese civilization, serving as a capital for more than 1,500 years in Chinese history. Along the Luohe River on the Yiluo Plain, a core area of Luoyang Basin, are located 5 ancient city ruins, namely Yanshi Shang Dynasty Capital Ruins, Erlitou Ruins, Capital Ruins of Dynasties of Eastern Han, Former Wei, Western Jin and Later Wei, Capital Ruins from Sui to Tang Dynasties, and Capital Ruins of Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Such a dense distribution of capital ruins is rarely seen in the world. At present, Luoyang is accelerating protection of major ruins and construction of "Five Major Capital Ruins Museum Cluster". Starting on April 29, we are launching 5 bilingual video stories about the ruins mentioned above under the theme of"A Glimpse of Ancient Capital Ruins in Luoyang"to help you know more about Luoyang, Henan and China. Here is the first story of the series:Discover "Earliest China" at Erlitou Ruins.

编者按：作为华夏文明的重要发源地，洛阳拥有1500多年建都史。在洛阳盆地腹心的伊洛平原上，沿洛河一线从东到西排列着偃师商城遗址、二里头遗址、汉魏洛阳城遗址、隋唐洛阳城遗址和东周王城遗址“五大都城遗址”，如此密集的都城分布举世罕见。目前，洛阳正加快推进大遗址保护和“五大都城遗址博物馆群”建设。4月29日起，大河网推出“走进洛阳大遗址”5期双语特别报道，聚焦洛阳“五大都城遗址”，以双语短视频的形式，向外讲好古都洛阳故事，让更多外国友人在行走河南中了解历史、读懂中国。今日推出第1期：《来洛阳，探寻“最早的中国”》。

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The Erlitou site, first discovered in 1959, is located near Erlitou village of Luoyang"s Yanshi district and dates back to some 3,500 to 3,800 years ago. The hypothesis that the Erlitou site was in factZhenxun, the last capital of the Xia Dynasty, has become a mainstream in China"s archaeological circle. Both the Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project and the Project for Tracing Chinese Civilization Origins regard it as a core site. It was suggested that about 200 years after the founding of the Xia Dynasty, King Taikang built his capital in Erlitou of Yanshi, the largest of its kind nationwide at that time. The Erlitou site has been characterized by many breakthroughs: for example, as a capital built in the Central Plains with the palaces in the center, a layout around the central axis ("Center" is a symbol for kingship in traditional Chinese culture), bronze wares made by the mold-casting technique and a formation of ritualistic and music system, all indicating it as "the earliest central kingdom in a vast territory in East Asia". According to a news briefing on Erlitou archaeological discoveries held on May 28, 2018, the Erlitou culture, represented by the Erlitou site, was the core and vanguard in the overall development of Chinese civilization.

二里头遗址位于洛阳偃师二里头村附近，约距今3800-3500年。遗址于1959年发现，经考证为夏都斟鄩所在地。二里头遗址是夏商周断代工程和中华文明探源工程研究的关键性遗址，夏王朝建立后，经过约200年的发展，在河南偃师二里头建造了同时期全国范围内规模最大的都邑，形成择中建都的都城选址，形成择中立宫和中轴线的宫室布局理念，形成以范铸法铸造青铜器的工艺技术，形成以青铜器和玉礼器以及铃和磬等构成的礼乐制度，形成了王朝气象，是东亚大陆最早的广域王权国家。2018年5月28日举行的中华文明探源工程成果发布会上指出“以二里头遗址为代表的二里头文化，是中华文明总进程的核心与引领者。”

A dragon-shaped artifact made of turquoise. [Photo provided to dahe.cn]

Since its first excavation in 1959, over 60 years have passed; so far, the Erlitou site has been identified as China"s earliest imperial city with the earliest urban road network, palace complex, bronze ritual vessels and state-owned workshops. The Erlitou site covers a total area of 3 million square meters, but only less than 2 percent has been excavated. More puzzles are waiting to be uncovered.

二里头遗址自1959年开始发掘，至今已历经六十多年的岁月，发现有目前所知中国最早的宫城、最早的城市干道网、最早的宫殿建筑群、最早的青铜礼器群，以及最早的官营作坊区等。二里头遗址总面积300万平方米，目前已发掘面积不足2%，更多的考古发现等待着探索。（编译/赵汉青 杨佳欣 视频/何蒙贺 审校/李雪）