The Lost City At Jinsha: A Kingdom Buried Under A Chinese Suburb | Mysteries Of China | Timeline

Archaeologist Agnes Hsu-Tang, director of New York-based China Institute, goes on a quest to answer one of ancient China’s most beguiling mysteries. An ancient kingdom based in Sichuan has been uncovered. Found at Jinsha - an excavation site in a Chengdu suburb - are a gold mask, bronze masks, jade daggers, and tons of ivories. Who were these people? What did they believe in? And why did they bury such exquisite objects along with their dead?

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[geraldmiller]

I spent 12 years teaching English in China. So much to see and do, that I only experienced a fraction of all the unearthed mysteries.

[normandong]

This massive discovery not far from Chengdhu of an ancient kingdom simply amazes us. There is so much to learn and it will take more than one video to explain this. Current politics in China, COVID concerns and restrictions on visits work against learning & sharing this discovery. If some guided tours could be arranged for archeological sites, it would be tremendous. China's history is slowly being pushed back farther in time, and this needs to be documented and taught. Must applaud this video and research near Chengdhu. 👏

[asianthor]

Unfortunately, if that area is an urban center with lots of construction, who knows how much more of this beautiful civilization is underneath all that construction. I'm from Guatemala, and in the capital city of Guatemala, developers knew very well there was a lot of Pre-Classic Maya civilization ruins, relics underground but decided not to let the Government know about it because otherwise the Government would have stop construction in order to study, and eventually dig out the countless sites that would have taken years to do so.

[ckwongau]

i grew up in New Zealand, when i look at the big eye statue of Sanxingdui and Jinsha, i think the style looks a bit like the NZ Maori or Pacific Polynesian big eye caving .
The artifact of Sanxingdui and Jinsha may be different to the mainstream Chinese Han culture . But they are still connected to the Han culture.
Liu Bang ( founder of Han Empire ) was once exiled to the Sichuan with the Title "King of Han", his follower went to Sichuan, many local tribesmen of Sichuan were recruit into his Han Army, his follower had inter-married with many local tribe and assimilated the tribe into Chinese culture . From Sichuan Liu Bang broke out of the blockade of his enemy and conquered China .The Han dynasty was founded from Liu Bang's stronghold in Sichuan, and the Han Dynasty was so admired the Chinese People named their ethnic group "Han" as respect to the Han Dynasty.
During the Han Dynasty Princes of the Royal Liu family were sent to rule Sichuan, more assimilation with the people of Sichuan into the Han culture, after a few hundred yr, near the end of Han dynasty, the Three Kingdom period, the Descendant of the Royal family of Liu return to Sichuan, as China was split into three Kingdom, the Sichuan were the kingdom of the loyalist to the Han empire, the next few decade more intermarriage and assimilation of the local people, The Kingdom of Sichuan were turn into a war machine and large center of civilization, their attempt to save the Han Empire had fail, but a strong blood and cultural connection between the Han and Local Tribes of Sichuan is still alive in every Han Chinese citizen .

[dirremoire]

I really admire how Chinese archaeologists are able to reconsider and revise their history as needed based on new discoveries. Here in the US, "Clovis first" still reigns supreme despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary.

[AlexRodrigues-zfsx]

In 2009 I had the privilege of spending a few weeks in Chengdu.
I took the opportunity to visit. It's a spectacular place.
Chinese civilization is really fantastic.

[karenabrams]

Human sacrifice seems to be a common part of life everywhere even up to a thousand years ago. It’s even written about in the Hebrew Bible’s Old Testament. There’s a character called Jeptha and the way he ends up sacrificing his only daughter to his god is interesting. The way it’s told tries to absolve Jeptha of guilt for the bargain he struck with that god. Who also happens to love human foreskins. Ick.
Loved the show. Hope there’s more to come. Ancient civilization is fascinating.

[tp]

This will be an even better video if the woman wasn't hung up on human sacrifices it didn't keep trying to force them to fit in every single scenario

[YNomadicDusk]

So nice/exciting to see something coming out of China! Thanks for this!

[johnparr]

Very interesting very well made documentary, fabulous presenter*

[cherylcallahan]

*Time-Line World History (Agnes) Documantries appreciate your videos Listening 🌟 from Mass USA TYVM 💙 🇺🇸*

[GehanAdel]

I staggered when I saw those magnificent objects; however, i feel deeply disappointed because there is no any written script about their life as a result all we have only speculations about them.
Thanks a lot for this intricate details and for your effort.

[Spoonrrr]

interesting... but opening the first emperors tomb will be on another level. Just imagine what they will find in there?

[Tekmirion]

Informative and well presented! Well done to China and the wonderfull mysteries around its religion and tradition! Stay true to your roots! Polytheism is the only real and true religion!

[cdfdesantis]

China is such an ancient civilization, comparable to Egypt, & with just as much buried history. Remove a bucket of sand in Egypt, or a shovelful of dirt in China, & chances are some amazing piece of history will be revealed.

[heyquantboy]

If the Shu people were in contact with the Shang- and the Shang had writing, why did the Shu not leave writing behind?

[Suryanshi]

I was very interested by the topic of a lost city or civilization. But I am disappointed how this whole episode has a tunnel vision on proving human sacrifice. Hope they named it "Human Sacrifice in Jinsha?"

[jakemoeller]

Very interesting documentary! New discoveries rekindle debate, which is good for understanding. We will never know for sure what these ancient cultures were representing with the uncovered artifacts, though.

[gregb]

Can it be determined if the Shu people are related genetically to the people who live in Jinsha now?

[patricialong]

China has always been a very strange mix of history, development, technology and weirdness and it is simply fascinating! Besides Buddha, one does wonder if they ever realized you simply cannot take it with you when you die?!