Ruins help in unraveling mysteries, majesty of early Chinese civilization

Excavation findings at the site have been matched with the inscriptions to gain a more detailed picture of the Shang Dynasty, archaeologists working at Yinxu said at a news conference organized by the National Administration of Cultural Heritage in Beijing on Thursday.

Xu Lianggao, a researcher with the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the information helped confirm the location of key buildings and structures.

In an area where palaces and ancestral temples were believed to be located, new unearthed findings indicate a 60,000-sq-meter royal resort, including a lake with a central island, manmade waterways to the nearby Huanhe River and more architectural foundations.

"Our previous understanding of the layout of palaces in Yinxu has been refreshed," Xu said. "Images of the Shang civilization now become more vivid and are more complete."

A 15-meter-wide road north of the Huanhe River, and two other roads south of Yinxu's palace area were also found. Xu believes they were probably part of a complex road system.

Previous research has allowed researchers to determine basic structures, districts and various functions of the Yinxu site, Xu said. Interdisciplinary studies in recent years have deepened knowledge of Shang architecture, belief systems, handicraft industries, and many other fields, he added.

Previous study methods had helped decode historical records, and "our generation now turns to archaeology to write more histories for the Shang Dynasty," Xu said.