Jinsha, the Founder of Chengdu Culture

Release Time: 2017-10-24

    Undoubtedly, collections in the Jinsha Site outshine the rest in Chengdu in value. The well known Sun Bird has been a logo of China cultural heritage seen everywhere. Considerable evidences have proved that Jinsha is the extension of Sanxingdui Culture. Years of natural and man-made disasters forced a branch of ancient Shu people to move to the Chengdu Plains under the guide of their “King” and they settled down and developed in Jinsha. Historical data showed that in the past, the ancient Shu kingdom had a vast territory, then where was its political and economic center? How could the unique Shu culture survived during those tough days? “Jinsha may give us the answer”, said Wang Yi, the curator of the Jinsha Site Museum, who is also an archaeologist. Through the foresighted Jinsha over the basin, an opening and tolerating Chengdu was shaped in the ancient Jinsha period. 

Comments by cultural consultant >>>Tan Jihe: all the secrets of Chengdu lie in Jinsha. 

    “It is the origin of the homestead in Chengdu” is the way Prof. Tan Jihe, a researcher from Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences and the president of Sichuan Academy of History and Culture, describing the Jinsha Site. He said, “At Jinsha Site, the Shaocheng culture of 3,000 years ago was discovered, all the secrets of Chengdu lie in Jinsha.”  Its discovery backdated the history of Chengdu to 3,000 years ago when an ancient and creative kingdom was established on this land. During the Jinsha Period, the tolerance and creativity were given full play in culture. Most of the jadeware found in Jinsha were from Henan and Zhejiang but with local features of Chengdu. Its origination, development, romance and affection had no parallel anywhere else in the world. Generally goldware is only found in tombs of king, but in Chengdu, it was unexcavated in large number, high quality and fine workmanship, including the Gold Mask and the Sun Bird. Jinsha shows the world an open and tolerant Chengdu. It culture is personalized and creative. To more tolerance it is, its attainments in culture, arts, economy, society and civilization would be more special.