Shang Dynasty Ruins

Shang Dynasty Ruins are situated in the downtown of Zhengzhou City, and cover an area of 25 square kilometers. In 1955, a wall with its girth of seven meters was found in the center of the ruins. It was then proved to have existed at the beginning of the Shang Dynasty, earlier than Yin Dynasty Ruins in Anyang. In the Warring States Period and the following dynasties, the walls were used and mended.

The highest wall is about nine meters high, while the lowest one is one meter high with the most part of it under the ground. The city is in a shape similar to a rectangle. The north city wall is about 1,692 meters long, the west is about 1,700 meters long, and the south and east ones are both about 1,870 meters. The bottom of the wall is 20 meters wide, while the top 5 meters wide.

In the city, many agricultural producing tools were found, which means that agricultural activities were once carried out there. And it is the characteristic of the city in the early period. Out of the city, there are some ruins of handcraft workshops built in a certain layout.

Ruin of copper casting workshops was discovered over 300 meters out of the north city wall. Another ruin of copper casting workshops was found about 600 meters out of the south city wall. The ruin of pottery workshops is about 1,300 meters away from the west city wall. And graveyards can be seen out of the west, east and south walls. The jade wares involving jade spade unearthed mirror the high level of the jade processing techniques at that time. Besides, there are also pottery ocarinas unearthed, which show the long history of Chinese ancient music.

Shang Dynasty Ruins have been a national priority cultural relic protection site. The discovery of them provides precious real object materials for the research on the formation and development of slave societies and ancient cities in China.

Location

Shang Dynasty Ruins are situated in the downtown of Zhengzhou City.

Ticket Price

Free