Henan, Where China Began丨Discover 'earliest China' at Erlitou site in Luoyang

何以中国 行走河南丨来洛阳，探寻“最早的中国”

The Erlitou site, first discovered in 1959, is located near Erlitou village of Luoyang's Yanshi district and dates back to some 3,500 to 3,800 years ago. The hypothesis that the Erlitou site was in fact Zhenxun, the last capital of the Xia Dynasty, has become a mainstream in China's archaeological circle. Both the Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project and the Project for Tracing Chinese Civilization Origins regard it as a core site. According to a news briefing on Erlitou archaeological discoveries held on May 28, 2018, the Erlitou culture, represented by the Erlitou site, was the core and vanguard in the overall development of Chinese civilization.

二里头遗址位于河南省洛阳市偃师区二里头村附近，距今约3800-3500年。1959年首次发现，经考证为夏都斟鄩所在地。二里头遗址是夏商周断代工程和中华文明探源工程的关键性遗址。2018年5月28日，中华文明探源工程成果发布会指出，“以二里头遗址为代表的二里头文化，是中华文明总进程的引领者和核心。”

It was suggested that about 200 years after the founding of the Xia Dynasty, King Taikang built his capital in Erlitou of Yanshi, the largest of its kind nationwide at that time. The Erlitou site has been characterized by many breakthroughs: for example, as a capital built in the Central Plains with the palaces in the center, a layout around the central axis ("Center" is a symbol for kingship in traditional Chinese culture), bronze wares made by the mold-casting technique and a formation of ritualistic and music system, all indicating it as the earliest central kingdom in a vast territory in East Asia.

夏王朝建立后，经过约200年的发展，在今二里头建造了同时期全国范围内规模最大的都邑，择中建都的都城选址、择中立宫和中轴线的宫室布局理念、以范铸法铸造青铜器的工艺技术、以青铜器和玉礼器以及铃和磬等构成的礼乐制度，形成了王朝气象，是东亚大陆最早的广域王权国家。

Since its first excavation in 1959, over 60 years have passed; so far, the Erlitou site has been identified as China's earliest imperial city with the earliest urban road network, palace complex, bronze ritual vessels and state-owned workshops.

从1959年发现二里头遗址到现在，60多年过去了，已发现目前所知中国最早的宫城、最早的城市干道网、最早的宫殿建筑群、最早的青铜礼器群，以及最早的官营作坊区等。

The Erlitou site covers a total area of 3 million square meters, but only less than 2 percent has been excavated. More puzzles are waiting to be uncovered.

二里头遗址总面积300万平方米，目前已发掘面积不足2%，仍有许多未解之谜等待考古工作者。（赵汉青 杨佳欣）

Web editors: Shen Jianqi, Zhang Rui