Sanxingdui: An Ancient Shu Mystery City that Sleeps for Three Thousand Years and Starts the World upon Awakening

A Hoe Shocking the World - A Accidental Discovery of Yan's Courtyard
In the spring of 1929, Yan Daocheng, a farmer from Moon Bay in Guanghan, was digging a ditch next to his yard when he went down with a hoe and touched a warm pit of jade ware. The accidental appearance of these jade artifacts has revealed for the first time to the world the secrets buried beneath this land. However, the truly shocking discovery did not come until 1986. When the workers at the tile factory were taking soil, they accidentally uncovered two huge sacrificial pits (later numbered as pits one and two). Archaeologists arrived upon hearing the news, and when thousands of treasures such as bronze figures, gold masks, ivory, and jade pendants were rediscovered, the whole world was shaken. The peculiar shapes and complex craftsmanship of these objects completely exceeded the cognitive framework of the time. The outline of a long lost ancient Shu civilization gradually became clear in the dust of three thousand years.

The Brilliance of Ancient Shu - Faith and Power of the Mysterious Kingdom
The Sanxingdui civilization did not exist in isolation, it represents the peak stage of ancient Shu from the late Neolithic period to the Shang Dynasty (and possibly even later). Archaeological research suggests that this is highly likely a highly developed ancient capital city that combines divine and royal power. Among the unearthed cultural relics, the huge bronze standing figure may be the supreme ruler who combines gods, witches, and kings; The bronze divine tree connects heaven and earth, reflecting its cosmology of ascending to the sky and connecting with gods; The numerous bronze figures, masks, and eye shaped objects reveal the ancient Shu ancestors' fervent worship of "eyes" and "ancestors". The discovery of Sanxingdui provides irrefutable physical evidence to prove the existence of an ancient civilization center in the Chengdu Plain, far from the Central Plains, that developed parallel to the Xia and Shang civilizations in the Central Plains and was equally brilliant.

In depth understanding: Exploring more journeys to explore the origins of Chinese civilization>>Liangzhu Ancient City: Empirical evidence of the 5000 year history of Chinese civilization

Treasures of Humanities - The Epic of Belief in Bronze and Gold
The shock of Sanxingdui first comes from the unimaginable visual impact and spiritual connotation of its cultural relics.
Bronze Divine Tree: Treasure of the Town Hall, unearthed from the No.1 Sacrificial Pit. After restoration, it reaches a height of 3.96 meters and is currently the largest single piece bronze artifact in the world. The tree is divided into three layers, with three branches on each layer. At the top of each branch stands a divine bird, and on the side of the tree is a divine dragon winding down from the edge tree. It is highly likely to be a physical manifestation of the heavenly trees such as "Fusang" and "Ruomu" in ancient mythology, and was the most important tool for the ancient Shu people to communicate with humans and gods, and to worship heaven and earth.
Bronze standing figure: Excavated from the second sacrificial pit, with a height of 2.62 meters and a weight of approximately 180 kilograms. The portrait is wearing a high crown and three layers of traditional Chinese clothing, with hands in a huge circular grip shape (the object held in the hands is still a mystery). He has a slender figure and a solemn expression, and is considered to be the image of the Shu king and great wizard holding supreme power. He is the "leader" of the bronze statues in Sanxingdui.
Bronze vertical eye mask: the most iconic cultural relic in Sanxingdui. Its eyes are extremely protruding forward in a cylindrical shape, and its ears are fully extended to both sides, with an exaggerated shape and a surreal sense of mystery. Scholars speculate that this may be the imagination of the ancient Shu ancestors towards the ancestral god "Silkworm Grove" (rumored to have "vertical eyes"), or it may represent their desire for a divine concept of "seeing the world" and possessing extraordinary divine power.
Golden scepter and golden mask: The golden scepter unearthed from the No.1 sacrificial pit is 1.43 meters long, with a wooden stick as the core and a golden leather bag wrapped around it. It is engraved with exquisite patterns of fish, birds, arrows piercing through birds, and heads wearing crowns. It is a dual symbol of royal and divine power. And the golden mask is attached to the bronze portrait, highlighting the wearer's extremely noble identity.

Site Secret Realm - Spatiotemporal Dialogue of Archaeological Sites
In addition to the treasures in the exhibition hall, the unique feature of Sanxingdui Museum lies in its close connection with the archaeological site.
Exhibition Hall: Divided into exhibition halls such as "Century Pursuit of Dreams", "Mighty King Capital", "Heaven, Earth, Man, and God", it systematically displays the discovery process of Sanxingdui, the production and life of ancient Shu Kingdom, urban architecture, as well as the core sacrificial rituals and spiritual beliefs. The new museum (open in 2023) has advanced exhibition methods and a huge number of cultural relics on display, especially the newly discovered sacrificial pit relics (such as turtle shaped grid tools, top snake body portraits, etc.) are exhibited together, providing a more complete picture of civilization.
Cultural Relics Protection and Restoration Hall: This is a "living" exhibition hall. Tourists can see with their own eyes through the glass windows the process of cultural relic protection experts cleaning and restoring the latest unearthed cultural relics on site. This "present continuous tense" archaeological display allows visitors to feel as if they have personally experienced the archaeological site and experienced the magical moment of cultural relics being "reborn" from the soil.
Site area: Next to the museum is the core area of the Sanxingdui site, including the protected exhibition area of the famous No. 1 and No. 2 sacrificial pits, as well as relics such as the Moon Bay city wall and palace area. Walking among them, one can intuitively feel the grand scale and layout of the ancient capital city of Shu.

Photography tips:
Panoramic view of the divine tree: In the "Heavenly, Earthly, and Earthly Gods" hall of the exhibition hall, use a wide-angle lens to take a close-up shot of the bronze divine tree's celestial power, paying attention to avoiding reflections.
Close up of the vertical eye mask: Using display cabinet lighting, the vertical eye mask is photographed from the side, highlighting its peculiar shape of columnar eyes and bronze texture.
Restoration Museum Documentary: In the Cultural Relics Protection Museum, you can take photos of expert work scenes and record the behind the scenes stories of the "resurrection" of cultural relics (please do not use flashlights, keep quiet).

Four Must Do Things to Unlock a Complete Journey to Sanxingdui
Staring at the 'vertical gaze' and confronting the ancient Shu gods
At the center of the Bronze Pavilion, be sure to pause and engage in a silent conversation with those uniquely shaped bronze figures and vertical masks. Carefully observe their different hairstyles, crowns, and expressions, and try to understand the ancient Shu craftsmen from three thousand years ago, trying to express their beliefs and worldviews through these frozen faces.
Looking up at the 'Divine Tree', imagine the ritual of ascending to the sky and reaching the gods
Standing under the huge bronze divine tree, imagine the scene when it stood at the sacrificial center back then. The great wizards of ancient Shu may be holding grand and mysterious ceremonies around the divine tree, praying for blessings from the gods. Every detail of this tree is worth your time to carefully contemplate.
Visit the restoration museum and witness the "rebirth" of cultural relics
Don't miss the Museum of Cultural Relics Protection and Restoration. Here, we can help you understand that behind every beautifully displayed national treasure, there is a lot of hard work and dedication from archaeological and cultural preservation personnel. Watching them use modern technology and exquisite craftsmanship to restore the shattered fragments of civilization to their original state is another form of shock and emotion.
Collect cultural and creative works, bring mysterious symbols home
The cultural and creative product design of Sanxingdui is highly distinctive. Whether it's cultural and creative ice cream based on bronze masks, or stationery and accessories with mysterious patterns, they are excellent ways to integrate this ancient mystery into modern life, giving your exploration journey a unique commemoration.

Tourist Route Suggestions
The Sanxingdui New Museum has a grand scale and an astonishing number of cultural relics, requiring at least 3-4 hours of careful visit. We recommend connecting it with the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu city for a full day in-depth traceability journey of the "Twin Treasures of Ancient Shu Civilization".
One day panoramic tour of "Tracing the Origins of Ancient Shu" (highly recommended):
Morning (9:00-12:30): Depart from Chengdu (recommended to take high-speed rail to Guanghan North Station, only 18 minutes) and arrive at Sanxingdui Museum. Systematically visit the exhibition hall in the order of "Century Pursuit of Dreams" → "Mighty Royal Capital" → "Heavenly, Earthly, Earthly, and Divine", with a focus on viewing the divine tree, towering figure, vertical eyed mask, and golden scepter. Then visit the Museum of Cultural Relics Protection and Restoration.
Noon (12:30-14:00): Have a simple meal at the museum restaurant or return to Guanghan city.
Afternoon (14:30-17:30): Take a bus back to the city center of Chengdu and head to the Jinsha Site Museum. Here, watch the unique "Sun God Bird" gold ornaments, golden masks, and ten section jade congs that are inherited from Sanxingdui, and learn about the continuation and development of ancient Shu civilization from Sanxingdui to Jinsha.
Evening: Enjoy Sichuan cuisine dinner in the city center of Chengdu, ending this civilization dialogue that spans three thousand years.
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 How to reach: Multiple convenient ways
The Sanxingdui Museum is located north of Chengdu, with convenient transportation.
High speed rail+bus: the most recommended way. Take the high-speed train from Chengdu East Station to Guanghan North Station (approximately 18 minutes), then transfer to bus No. 13 to reach the entrance of the museum, or take a taxi (approximately 15 minutes).
Tourist Express: Multiple transportation hubs in Chengdu, such as Wuhou Temple and Kuanzhai Alley, have direct scenic area express trains to Sanxingdui, providing one-stop access and suitable for tourists who do not want to transfer.
Self driving: Just navigate to "Sanxingdui Museum", about an hour's drive from the center of Chengdu, and there are plenty of parking spaces in the scenic area parking lot.

 Best Travel Time
The Sanxingdui Museum is mainly for indoor visits, suitable all year round, but to avoid overcrowding, the following time slots can be selected.
Spring and Autumn weekdays (March May, working days from September to November): The climate is comfortable, and there are relatively fewer tourists during the peak season, allowing for a more relaxed appreciation of cultural relics.
Summer and Winter: The indoor air conditioning is sufficient and not affected by outdoor weather, making it an excellent cultural summer retreat or cold shelter. But it is necessary to avoid extreme peaks during statutory holidays and summer weekends.
Important reminder: Samsung's popularity is extremely high, and it is necessary to book and purchase tickets through official channels in advance at any time.

Practical Information and Surrounding Areas
Opening hours: The new museum is open all year round, with regular hours from 8:30 to 18:00 (closing at 17:00). It is closed on Mondays (excluding statutory holidays).
Ticket fee: Real name registration is implemented for time slot reservation, and the ticket price is usually 72 yuan/person. Students, the elderly, and others enjoy preferential policies.
Explanation service: It is strongly recommended to use the official voice guide or book a manual explanation, otherwise facing numerous unique cultural relics, it is easy to be confused. The museum also provides paid AR navigation equipment, making the experience more vivid.
Surrounding accommodation options:
Guanghan City: Hotels offer high cost-effectiveness and a wide range of dining options, making them suitable for tourists who want to experience local life in depth and continue exploring the next day.
Chengdu city area: With a wide range of choices, from youth hostels to five-star hotels, and a variety of nighttime entertainment and delicious food, it is the choice of most tourists.
Suggestion for booking IntoTravelChina: Tickets for Sanxingdui, high-speed rail, and accommodation in Chengdu are all very tight during peak season. By booking with us, not only can we solve the problems of ticket reservation, round-trip transportation, and accommodation in Chengdu in one stop, but we can also arrange professional tour guides who are proficient in ancient Shu civilization for you, ensuring that your exploration journey is both smooth and in-depth. >>Click to contact IntoTravelChina travel consultant

One day essence tour of Chengdu urban culture: Chengdu Museum (history) → Taikoo Li (modern fashion) → Kuanzhai Alley (traditional street) → Sichuan Opera Performance (night). This route crosses the past and present of Chengdu within a day.

Sichuan Sichuan Classic 6-day Ring Road: Chengdu → Leshan (Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, Mount Emei) → Sanxingdui → People's Park, Jinli Old Street → Giant Panda Base, Chunxi Road. This is a classic Sichuan journey from modern cities to natural wonders and cultural heritage. >>Explore the 6-day essence of Sichuan

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