Join foreigners on tour of Liangzhu ruins

The third episode of a Hangzhou cultural video series — The Light of Civilization at Liangzhu — was released recently to unveil the mysteries of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu from the perspective of foreigners. It was produced by the Hangzhou municipal publicity department.

The archaeological ruins of Liangzhu, the oldest of which go back 5,300 years, were inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2019 during the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The site includes city ruins, including palace and altar remains, 11 early-stage dams and high-level cemetery sites. The Neolithic civilization was thought to have lasted about 1,000 years, according to researchers.

The site is also known for its abundance of ceremonial jade, which shows a complex ritual system and indicates the combined authority of deities and kings.

Foreigners — Merveille from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Yasmina from Morocco — were both interested in the Liangzhu civilization. They set off on a journey to explore the 5,000-year-old history of Chinese civilization and appreciate the miracle of the ancient city and its agriculture.

Why do people call Liangzhu miraculous? Why do people find the Liangzhu civilization so fascinating? What did the ancient Liangzhu people use to cook rice?

Watch the video to unveil the mysteries.