BEIJING: Four generations of the Zhang family have watched the archaeological excavation of the Yinxu Ruins in Xiaotun village of Anyang, Henan province.
Their story dates to 1928 when Academia Sinica, then the preeminent academic research institution in China, was originally established in Nanjing. Among its scholars was Dong Zuobin who initiated the scientific excavation of the Yinxu Ruins in 1928.
He and his archaeological team arrived in Xiaotun village to work and lived with Zhang Xuexian, head of seven nearby villages, who deeply understood the importance of preserving cultural relics, according to Xinhua News Agency. Zhang Xuexian, the start of the four-generation story, oversaw the recruitment of workers and logistics for the archaeological team in Anyang.
Despite disruptions caused by war, the excavation remained a focal point until the institute relocated to Taiwan. Zhang Siping, 67, a member of the third generation, proudly recalled, “He was my grandfather. He made our house into an activity hub for the researchers at that time.” The well-known YH127 pit at the Yinxu Ruins, where the largest number of oracle bones were unearthed, was discovered in the family’s field, he said. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
