|
|
Article: The uses of the past: historians and archeologists dig up evidence to support China's growing nationalism.
- Article from:
- Newsweek
- Article date:
- July 7, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Newsweek, Inc. All rights reserved. Any reuse, distribution or alteration without express written permission of Newsweek is prohibited. For permission: www.newsweek.com. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Historians and archeologists dig up evidence to support China's growing nationalism
EACH SPRING, Archeologist Zheng Guang selects a wheat field near Erlitou and digs toward the origin of Chinese civilization. Since the 1960s he has unearthed an imposing imperial palace, extravagant tombs laden with pottery and ornamental jade, clay irrigation pipes and the oldest ritual bronze vessels yet discovered in China, all just meters below this farming village in central Henan province. The relics, most experts concur, establish the site as the last capital of China's oldest dynasty, the Hsia, which reigned supreme for some 500 years until it collapsed in the 17th century ...