Yinxu Ruins Highlight Efforts to Trace and Preserve Ancient Chinese Roots

The Yinxu Ruins in Anyang, Henan province, the site of an ancient Shang Dynasty capital, are marking the 20th anniversary of their inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Excavations at the site, dating back at least 3,300 years, have yielded significant findings that illuminate China's early civilization, its oldest known writing system, and historical legends, bolstering Chinese archaeology since the 1920s.

Considered a jewel of Chinese archaeology, Yinxu serves as a crucial link between China's early national history and the modern era. In recent years, the Yinxu Museum has seen increased visitor engagement through the sale of merchandise inspired by ancient artifacts. Notably, an owl-shaped hair-drying cap, modeled after a wine vessel found in the tomb of Fu Hao, a prominent female general of the Shang Dynasty, has become a popular item, fostering a tangible connection to the past.

Museum director Zhao Qingrong explained that such products transform obscure archaeological knowledge into an accessible aesthetic experience. "This way, we transfer the obscure archaeological knowledge into an accessible aesthetic experience, so that people can connect with the Yinxu Ruins in their daily lives and thus develop an emotional bond with that remote era," she stated.

Yinxu has yielded numerous bronze vessels and oracle bones inscribed with jiaguwen, recognized as China's earliest formal writing system. Over the past two decades, China has intensified efforts in cultural heritage preservation and innovative inheritance. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the importance of preserving cultural relics and visited Yinxu, noting its role in understanding Chinese civilization and inspiring modern development. He has highlighted the jiaguwen inscriptions as the root of fine traditional Chinese culture.