Chinese archaeologists uncover dynasty-transcending marvel

China 24

Chinese archaeologists uncover dynasty-transcending marvel

An archaeological marvel has been unveiled in eastern China. The site dates back centuries and offers a window into ancient life. 

CGTN’s Frances Kuo reports.

Archaeologists first began digging at this site in Eastern Jiangxi Province four years ago.

Now, they’ve confirmed that it contains a whopper of a finding – China’s largest Taoist temple.

“We have conducted investigations into the Taoism ruins collected from this site and the surrounding 30 square kilometers,” (11 square miles) explained Xu Changqing, the director of the Jiangxi Provincial Research Institute of Archaeology.

Experts say these are remnants of the great Shangqing Palace – a place of worship for several Chinese emperors.

“We obtained a clear picture of the basic characteristics of the Taoist activities here and discovered the superposition of geological layers from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and the architecture styles in these periods,” Xu said.

The palace was a main location for a sect of Taoism, an ancient religious belief encouraging harmony with nature that views the world as composed of complementary forces: yin and yang.

The temple was built during the Song dynasty dating back more than a thousand years ago. Five thousand square meters of the palace have been excavated. Several pottery and porcelain pieces, along with some glazed tiles from the temples ancient paintings, were also discovered.

It’s a breathtaking discovery from the past that China believes deserves World Heritage status.

“We will protect the excavation site and design some exhibitions on the results of our excavation and protection efforts,” said Xu.

The finding is a rare, close-up look into China’s long history that brings it back to life.