The Land That Time Forgot: Sanxingdui and the Shu Kingdom

For years, it was believed that Chinese civilization was born solely on and around the Yellow River in Northeastern China in the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BC. But with the discovery of the Sanxingdui (lit. "three star mound") site in Southwest China in 1927 as well as subsequent excavations up to the present day, this notion is being challenged and rewritten. The treasures unearthed reveal a complex and sophisticated society that's as old as those that popped up along the Yellow River at the exact same time. Who were the mysterious people who left such stunning bronze and jade artifacts behind, which are culturally and artistically distinct from those of the Yellow River Chinese? What was their society like? Come with me as we take a look at this forgotten kingdom and what its discovery means for Chinese history.