Reflecting on Chengdu’s ancient past reveals a town with a story etched in time. This is the story of Shigao. Let’s explore its past.
Shigao is located in Chengdu. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province. Its history stretches back over 2300 years. But evidence shows human habitation from 3700 to 4500 years ago.
Chengdu’s name has remained constant. Since its founding, it has been Sichuan province’s capital. The fertile Chengdu Plain significantly helped the local population.
The Shu people represent an ancient ethnic group. They moved to Sichuan establishing their kingdom four to five thousand years ago. They developed a unique and advanced culture. The Chengdu Plain became the heart of the Shu Kingdom.
Around 3200 years ago the Sanxingdui Cultural Site was likely the kingdom’s early capital. A new influence emerged from the west plateau and blended with the culture. This led to the Sanxingdui Culture reaching its peak.
About 2300 years ago the capital moved to present-day Chengdu. This event was considered Chengdu’s true beginning for a long time.
However, the discovery of the Jinsha Cultural Site in 2001 changed this view. The founding of Chengdu moved back another 700 years. The Jinsha Site showed an ancient civilization separate from central China. The site held many jade items and bronze masks. There were also tree-shaped articles gold masks and staffs.
Gold masks and staffs are rare in ancient Chinese culture. They resemble those of ancient Egyptian and Mycenaean civilizations. The sacred tree and staff also appeared in Mesopotamia. These findings added an exotic flair to Jinsha.
Many mysteries surround Jinsha. Most believe it to be another center of the ancient Shu Kingdom. It emerged after Sanxingdui. Chengdu was the central area of this kingdom.
During the Warring States Period the Shu Kingdom built its capital in Chengdu in the middle of the 5th century BC. The kingdom experienced the brilliance of Sanxingdui and Jinsha. Archeologists have found many ancient tombs here. Boat coffins characterize burials from this time. A tomb discovered in Shangye Jie contained around thirty boat coffins. These coffins date from 770 BC to 256 BC.
People made canoes from tree trunks. Using canoes as coffins is a unique burial custom of the Ba and Shu people. People placed the deceased in a boat coffin. They hoped they would return home across the sea after death. However, boat coffins do not float in water. The Ba people hung them from cliffs. The Shu buried them deep in the earth. The larger the coffin the higher the rank of the occupant.
In 316 BC the Qin State conquered the Ba and Shu kingdoms. They established the Shu Shire. Chengdu was a county and seat of the shire government. Five years later the king ordered Chengdu to be built like Xianyang. The Dujiangyan Irrigation Project began around 250 BC. It continues to function after 2000 years. After the Qin Dynasty unified China Chengdu remained part of the Shu Shire.
In the Han Dynasty Chengdu became known for lacquer craftwork and tea culture. During the Five Dynasties the emperor of Later Shu planted hibiscus around the city walls. This earned Chengdu the nickname Furong Cheng or Hibiscus City.
During the Tang Dynasty engraving typography was invented and used in Chengdu. In the Song Dynasty Chengdu rivaled Yangzhou as a prosperous city. The earliest paper currency ‘Jiao Zi’ was issued here during the Northern Song Dynasty.
The city declined during wars in the late Ming Dynasty. Its economy gradually recovered during the Qing Dynasty. Through expansions Chengdu once again became a grand city. Following the Opium War Chengdu declined and Chongqing took its place.
In 1928 Chengdu became the capital of Sichuan Province again. It has remained so since the founding of the PRC. Shigao has been part of this transformation in Chengdu. It contributes to the rich tapestry of Chengdu. Its historical significance continues to resonate today.