“Introducing Archaeology into Campus” —— The Archaeological Seminar on Unveiling the Brilliant Chinese Civilization

On June 4, Zhengzhou No. 86 Middle School invited Dr. Zhou Ligang, an associate researcher at the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, to deliver an archaeological seminar on unveiling the brilliant Chinese civilization, with a total of more than 300 teachers and students attending the event.

At the beginning of the seminar, Dr. Zhou made a popularization of archaeological knowledge on what archaeology is, why we delve into archaeology, and how archaeology proceeds, and brought archaeology equipment such as Luoyang shovel and hand shovel for better explanation. At the same time, he also clarified common misconceptions about archaeology, led everyone to comprehend archaeology more accurately, and stimulated students’ interest and enthusiasm in archaeology.

Next, Dr. Zhou elaborated on the archaeology in Henan Province. He mentioned the origins of humanity from prehistoric times, the Peiligang Culture, the Yangshao Culture, the Longshan Culture, the Erlitou Site of the Xia Dynasty, the Wangchenggang Site in Dengfeng, the Zhengzhou Shang Dynasty City Ruins and the Yin Ruins in Anyang of the Shang Dynasty, and the Eastern Zhou Capital in Luoyang and the Site of the Ancient Capital of Zheng and Han States in Xinzheng of the Zhou Dynasty, as well as the cultural relics unearthed from these sites, such as silk and porcelain wares, which allowed students to appreciate the rich historical and cultural heritage of Henan Province, making them feel proud of being a citizen of Henan Province and building their confidence in culture of Henan Province.

Last, Dr. Zhou shared his work experience in archaeology abroad, which made the students feel that China’s archaeological endeavor is heading toward the world. At the same time, he also told everyone that it was precisely because Chinese archaeologists participated in the archaeological excavation of the Huns’ Cemetery of Mongolia that the trust and friendly relations between the two countries have been further enhanced, jointly promoting the development of the global archaeological and cultural undertakings. All of this allowed students to truly feel the power of China and the strength of the Chinese Culture, further enhancing their confidence in Chinese culture!

After the seminar, the students still remained in high spirits and asked Dr. Zhou various questions related to archaeology. Among them, two students specifically mentioned issues related to cultural relics protection, which fully reflected the students’ love for Chinese archaeological culture and their appreciation for Chinese archaeological artifacts. It is indeed commendable to see such attention paid to cultural relics protection!