Farmer's find sheds new light on ancient Chinese civilisation

One of the 20th century's most fascinating archaeological discoveries lies in the once sleepy town of Guanghan, 39km from Chengdu, in Sichuan province.

In 1929, a farmer discovered more than 400 jade artefacts while digging a ditch. The find transformed the village of Sanxingdui (translated as three-star mound) into a pilgrimage site for history buffs and archaeologists worldwide.

Researchers descended on Guanghan and unearthed bronze, jade and gold relics dating back to the Shang dynasty, more than 3,000 years ago, making the find one of the oldest in China.

The workmanship of the artefacts and layout of the site were evidence of a sophisticated and stable society.

Historians were at a loss to explain the presence of a civilisation as advanced as the Sanxingdui. They had always believed Chinese civilisation had originated in the area between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. There is no mention in the historical records of contemporary civilisations of a culturally advanced entity existing on the Upper Yangtze. And the disappearance of the Sanxingdui culture was as sudden as its appearance.

The Sanxingdui archaeological site encompasses a 3km walled city, the first capital of Shu. It ranks in size and complexity as one of ancient China's greatest cities. It is larger than its contemporary, the Shang dynasty city of Zhengzhou.