On October 20, 2023, in Sichuan’s Guanghan, renowned for the Sanxingdui archaeological site, a significant academic seminar titled “Bronze Civilization in the Yangtze River Basin: Perspectives on Interaction and Exchange” took place during the 21st annual conference of the Chinese Archaeological Society. The event gathered over a hundred archaeological experts and scholars from across the country to discuss the latest research findings related to early bronze civilizations represented by the Yangtze River Basin.
Key figures at the opening ceremony included Guan Qiang, Deputy Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration; Chen Xingcan, President of the Chinese Archaeological Society; Liu Guangqiang, Mayor of Deyang; and Tang Fei, Director of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau, with Liu Guoxiang serving as the host.
During the keynote speeches and academic discussions, participants delivered more than ten thematic reports showcasing recent field archaeological discoveries and interdisciplinary research outcomes from the Yangtze River Basin and relevant regions. This contributed to a deeper understanding of regional civilizational interactions and exchanges.
Xu Danyang, Deputy Director of the Sanxingdui Site Workstation, revealed that new archaeological explorations at the Yueyawan site suggest it may serve as a primary source for the raw materials used in Sanxingdui stone tools. Meanwhile, Dong Jing, Deputy Director of the Sanxingdui Museum, emphasized the museum’s commitment to enhancing digitization and intelligent exhibition, aiming to establish a world-class institution that embodies international standards while reflecting local culture.
Fang Qin, Director of the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, noted that since the initiation of research on the middle Yangtze River civilization, several archaeological projects have yielded promising results. Xu Lianggao, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Archaeology Institute, identified preliminary insights about the political systems, economic models, and cultural exchanges in the Wu and Yue regions during the Shang and Zhou dynasties based on archaeological data.
Cheng Yi, Director of the Suzhou Archaeological Research Institute, confirmed that archaeological findings and historical records identify the ancient city of Suzhou as the location of the late Spring and Autumn period capital of the Wu state, as well as significant sites of the Chu Jiang Dongjun and Qin Han Huiji regions.
Researcher Niu Shishan, from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, indicated that archaeological work from 2023 to 2024 along the north bank of the Yinxu River has achieved breakthroughs, enhancing research on the planning, layout, and societal aspects of the Yin ruins.
Zhu Zhonghua, Deputy Director of the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, highlighted that Yunnan’s Bronze Age spans from the mid-Xia dynasty to the early Eastern Han, showcasing a rich variety of archaeological remains. Meanwhile, Bai Jiufeng, Director of the Chongqing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, asserted that the Chengyang copper artifact group and the Baoshan culture are attributed to early Ba cultural groups, with Chengyang serving as a political and religious hub.
High Chenglin, Deputy Director of the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, explained that Hunan’s bronze artifacts from the Shang and Zhou dynasties can be divided into three main categories: bronze from the early Yinxu period, “Southern Shang bronze,” and artifacts from the late Shang to early Zhou periods.
Liu Baoshan, Director of the Wuxi Cultural Relics and Archaeology Institute, noted that Wuxi’s Shang dynasty artifacts clearly display features of both Hushu and Majiao cultures, indicating a blend of two cultural exchanges. Yang Wensheng, Deputy Director of the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, remarked that from a macro-archaeological perspective, the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties share more cultural commonalities, reflecting the diversity and unity of Chinese culture.
Zhang Wengjie, Associate Dean of the School of History and Cultural Heritage at Xiamen University, stated that while divination oracle bones from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods are rare, their widespread distribution indicates the prevalence of divination practices during this time, characterized by diversification and the integration of concepts like yin and yang.
Tian Wei, Director of the Field Archaeology Research Institute at the National Museum of China, shared that several sites in the middle and lower Yangtze River regions have revealed remains related to mining and metallurgy during the Xia and Shang periods, suggesting the existence of early small-scale mining activities.
Zhang Aibing, a professor at Anhui University, argued that the copper mining and smelting heritage along the Yangtze River reflects a unified metallurgical industrial system, serving as crucial evidence of ancient China’s longstanding scientific and cultural advancement. Fang Hui, Director of the Cultural Heritage Research Institute at Shandong University, examined the distinctions in sitting postures and ceremonial behaviors between the Yi and Xia cultures based on the original meanings of their characters, emphasizing cultural nuances.
Yang Yimin, a professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, noted that initial analyses of pottery residues from Hubei’s archaeological sites did not identify signs of dairy processing, potentially linked to lactose intolerance in southern populations or the roles of ruminant animals.
Concluding the meeting, Shi Jinsong, Vice President of the Chinese Archaeological Society, indicated that new materials unearthed at the Sanxingdui site have facilitated connections between the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, its middle and lower sections, and the Central Plains, thereby presenting a more comprehensive and nuanced picture of China’s Bronze Age civilizations. He emphasized the need for a multidisciplinary approach in future archaeological work, advocating for deeper investigations into the interplay of resources, technologies, ideas, and populations to explore the motivations, methods, and outcomes of cultural exchanges while also addressing environmental, resource, technology, transportation, ethnic, religious, and societal studies to break regional boundaries and achieve a more holistic understanding.
