Pingtan Archaeology: Seeking Cross-straits Cultural Root and Outlining Thousands of Years of History of Pingtan

As relics are excavated one after another, Pingtan has begun deeply excavating the connotation of the cultural relics to create a new landmark of tourism and deeply explore the cross-straits cultural and blood relations.

Pingtan in the history was stereotyping, “abound in granite but no grass”. It was an impoverished county and its cultural deposits were questioned for a time. However, depending on International Research Center for Austronesian Archaeology, Pingtan has made a lot of efforts in archaeological excavation, successively discovered Keqiutou Site, Donghuaqiu, Rongshan, Guishan and such relics to gradually outline the thousands of years of development history of Pingtan, and become a focus of attention.

While the ancient civilization is brought to light again, the local government gradually explores the tourism interpretation by mean of unique cultural connotation and charm to achieve the innovative development of “tourism + archaeology”, so as to enable more people to understand the profound cultural and historical connotation of Pingtan.

Thriving archaeology to unfold thousands of years of vision

A few days ago, an archaeological team from Xiamen University excavated the tombs of the Southern Dynasties about 1,500 years ago, and this is the first tomb relics of the Northern and Southern Dynasties in the archaeological history of Pingtan, and of great significance.

The excavated tombs of the Southern Dynasties are located in the Fairy Maiden Mountain Archaeological Site of Hongwei Village, Pingtan. Reporters saw on the spot that tomb bricks on tomb doors, paved paths and both sides of the tomb wall were engraved with lotus pattern, Wuzhu coin pattern, leaf vein pattern and “Good Luck” inscription; these lines were clearly visible, and there were also pots with dish-shaped mouth, jars with double loop handles, lampstand with lotus-like opening and such cultural relics.

“It can be judged from such exquisite tombs that their owners were wealthy at that time.” Zhang Wenjie, the associate professor of Department of History of Xiamen University told reporters. The discovery of these tombs not only fills the gap of tomb archaeology in the history of Pingtan, but also provides new materials for our research on the historical culture and funeral custom during Six Dynasties.

In recent years, Pingtan has been actively developing cooperation on archaeological investigation, excavation and holding seminar and forum through inviting domestic and overseas institutions and experts studying Austronesian to come to Pingtan, to build up a “cross-straits” combined common homeland. “Based on the prehistoric culture in southeastern coast of China, we will continue exploring the cross-straits blood relations and promoting the cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation between people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, with a view of the prehistoric archaeological investigation, excavation and research on both sides.” said by related responsible person of the Management Committee of Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Area.