(Shi Xingeng [left] and Dong Zuobin [right] at Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City)

Five millennia ago, a group of diligent and intelligent people of Liangzhu created the magnificent Liangzhu Culture. Five millennia later, a Liangzhu hard-working and advisable descendent uncovered those miracles created by ancestors. He is Shi Xingeng, the first generation of Liangzhu Culture archaeologist, who unveiled 80 years ago the splendid history of Liangzhu with some black pottery pieces.

Between December 1936 and March 1937, Shi Xingeng, aged 24, on behalf of the West Lake Museum made trial excavations on such six historical sites and obtained a large number of physical materials such as stoneware, pottery slices and pottery. Mr Shi discovered over ten Liangzhu-centered historical sites during the archaeological investigation.

(Mou Yongkang)

(Wang Mingda)

If Shi Xingeng is defined as the first generation of Liangzhu Culture archaeologist, the second generation can be traced back to the 1980s, when Mou Yongkang served as the Director of No. 2 Office of Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics. At that time, Wang Mingda was the excavation team of Fanshan Ruins. The eye-catching Fanshan and the Yaoshan Ruins of emperor mausoleum level at the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City were dug out in 1986 and 1987, respectively. Antiques from the two sites were abundant, jade wares, in particular, making it a ground-breaking discovery.

2016 was the 80th anniversary of the first excavation of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City and the 10th anniversary of the discovery of Liangzhu Ancient City. On November 15th that year, 83-year-old Mou Yongkang, the pioneer of Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, and 73-year-old expert Wang Mingda attended the Academic Symposium on the 80th Anniversary of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City. The two archaeologists noted that the third generation of archaeologists represented by Liu Bin and Wang Ningyuan has made indispensable contributions to the Liangzhu Archaeological Site.

(Middle: Liu Bin)

Now the fourth generation Liangzhu Culture archaeologists have come into shape. They are young, all born after the 1980s and 1990s. On January 28th last year, six young archaeologists from Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics participated in the CCTV's show named National Treasure. They are safeguarding Liangzhu Historical Site with their expertise.

The story of Liangzhu Culture archaeologists will carry on. They are ready to show the world the story of Liangzhu Culture…

(Executive Editor: Yongliu He)