West to the city of Yuyao, about 20 kilometers away, there lies the village of Hemudu. In 1973, when farmers were digging groundwork for a pump, they encountered many pieces of chinaware and bones of animals, which revealed the mystery of a long-lost ancient village.
It is discovered that over four cultural layers are buried in the 40,000 m2 site, the remotest being 7,000 years ago. A lot of tools made of bone, pottery, stone, wood and jade have been excavated, which present a vivid picture of ancient China in its maternal time. Rich evidences have been found for the study of histories of agriculture, architecture, textile and art. And the unearthed rice proves that the Yangtze River is as important as the Yellow River for the Chinese people and their civilization.
The discovery of paddy and planting tools proves that China is one of the earliest producers of rice in the world. The tenon-mortise structure used in cabins, the pig-shaped chinaware, bones of pigs, cows, dogs, and six wood oars and one boat-shaped chinaware altogether best illustrate the wisdom and ability of the early people in their struggle against the natural elements. Besides, the vividly made pottery pig, butterfly-shaped ivory piece and other small pieces also show a strong taste in beauty and art. The discovery of painted bowl and wood-structure well, which has never been found earlier in other places, also wins Ningbo score.
The important discoveries in Hemudu, ranging from agriculture to forestry, from architecture to arts, provide scholars from various fields with valid and vital evidences in the study of Chinese history. The relics have not only been listed as the most important ones in China, but also attract the attention from scholars overseas. Cambridge Encyclopedia on Archaeology has introduced the site in details in its 1980 version and the UNESCO has pinned it on its map of world famous cultural sites.
Following the guide provided by the relics, people could learn or visualize some facts about the life of their ancestors at that time:
First, their food was rice and fish. The man-planted rice is the most significant finding among all the discoveries. The mixture of paddy, chaff and stem has an average height of 50 cm over the 400 m2 in the fourth cultural layer. The discovery shocked the academia and ignited a heated debate on the origin of paddy in Asia.
Second, the wood-structure cabins show that the ancient people were quite masterful in building. Experts guessed that the ancient people would build their cabins in the order of piling, keeling, poling, beaming and roofing, which not only enables their cabin to prevent the damp and humid air, but also make themselves safe from snakes and wild beasts. The adoption of tenon-mortise structure and the smart choice of direction facing to the sun show the wisdom of ancient Hemudu dwellers.
Third, the ancient people in Hemudu used boats and oars. The discovery of finely made oars and fish bones demonstrated the ancestors' life as fishers. And the stone adze found in the Asian-Pacific islands which bore the characteristics of Hemudu culture clearly demonstrates the pioneering spirits of these Chinese navigators some 6,000 or 7,000 years ago.
Fourth, these people liked jade. Though a lot of ornaments made of bones, horns, teeth and stones have been discovered, the most striking ones are those made of jade, which is the symbol of purity and integrity in Chinese culture. Whether these people were the first ones to use jade in China remains an interesting mystery.
Last but not least, the ancient people worshipped phoenix and birds. Among the many cultural relics unearthed in Hemudu, there are many that carved with birds and the sun and one special piece called "two birds and the sun" has attracted much curiosity all over the world. This is the origin of the sun and bird worship of the late people in Chinese history.
Hemudu site is both rich in relics and finely reserved by nature. With so many cultural relics discovered, it undoubtedly proves itself as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. After the excavation, hundreds of thousands people from both home and abroad came to visit it. To better preserve the site, a museum occupying some 39,000 m2 was open in 1993. In 1999, the site itself was open to public. And in 2002, a mimic primitive eco-zone occupying an area of 47 hectares was built to represent the cultural scene. And now, a villa area is on its way of construction, which will enable the interested visitor from all over the world to enjoy the long and amazing history in a most leisure and comfortable way.
