Located in East China’s Zhejiang Province, Yiwu City is the global epicenter of small commodities production. Every day, a wide variety of products leave their factories and are transported around the world. However, few people know that this center of high-tech trade and gentile industry is also home to ancient cultural sites and famous intangible cultural heritage. Visitors can not only stop by to purchase food but also delight in the city’s cultural environment as they explore.
1. Qiaotou Site: a heritage of Shangshan culture
Yiwu is home to an important site of Neolithic relics dating back about 9,000 years. This site is considered one of the first signs of Chinese civilization. Located in the village of Qiaotou, just west of central Yiwu, the site was discovered in 2012 and excavations have continued since then. In 2019, it was named one of the “Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries in China”.
At the site, which covers approximately 2,400 square meters, archaeologists discovered domesticated rice, stone tools, painted pottery, tombs, and remains of the surrounding moat. These findings offer transparent evidence of early human settlements.
Qiaotou is one of several Shangshan Culture sites in Zhejiang, dating back to about 11,000 to 8,500 years ago. The Shangshan Culture was first discovered in 2000 at a Neolithic site in Shangshan village, Pujiang county. Since then, about 20 similar sites have been identified throughout the province.
Video: Exploring cultural sites and heritage in Yiwu