武王墩考古重大发现再现楚国礼乐文明

Core Insights - The archaeological discovery at Wuwangdun Tomb in Huainan, Anhui, is significant for the study of Chu culture and the historical context from the Zhou to Qin-Han periods, with the excavation set to conclude in December 2024 [1] Group 1: Archaeological Findings - The Wuwangdun Tomb is the only scientifically excavated Chu royal tomb in China, yielding over 10,000 artifacts, including a large number of musical instruments, which reflect a major transformation in music during the Warring States period [1] - Among the artifacts, over 50 zithers and more than 20 sheng and yu instruments were found, with some zithers exceeding two meters in length, marking the largest zither discovered to date in China [1] - A bamboo ruler measuring approximately 69.4 cm was discovered, indicating that the length of one foot in late Warring States Chu was about 23.1 cm, showing a trend towards standardization in measurements among various states before the Qin unification [1] Group 2: Cultural and Dietary Insights - The analysis of relics from bronze tripods revealed plant remains such as plums, gourd seeds, melon seeds, ginger, and jujubes, as well as animal remains including cattle, pigs, sheep, fish, and birds, indicating culinary practices in the Chu state [2] - The systematic archaeological findings at Wuwangdun Tomb vividly illustrate the richness of Chu culture and the continuity of Chinese civilization, with results set to be exhibited at the National Museum soon [2]