A screen wall with four Chinese characters meaning "ancient Huangsipu". [Photo/Zhangjiagang Museum]
An exhibition on Yangtze River civilization and the Maritime Silk Road has recently opened at the Huangsipu Ecological Park in Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, while the "Huangsipu Site Artifacts Exhibition" is being held concurrently at the Zhangjiagang Museum. These exhibitions are helping people to discover the rich history and cultural treasures in the region.
Huangsipu Site, discovered in 2008, has undergone seven rounds of excavations, leading to the discovery of numerous traces from the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). Pottery from more than 20 different kilns across the country and various artifacts related to the Maritime Silk Road has been unearthed.
A statue of Jianzhen, a senior monk during the Tang Dynasty. [Photo/Zhangjiagang Museum]
The site was also the departure point for the sixth successful voyage to Japan by renowned Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen in 753. Jianzhen had made five attempts to travel to Japan, all of which were thwarted by official obstruction or adverse weather conditions. In Japan, he helped design the Toshodai Temple, a famous Buddhist sanctuary in Japan which resembles a temple found at the Huangsipu Site.
Huangsipu's location along the bustling Yangtze River made it an important trade hub along the Maritime Silk Road. Commodities like ceramics, silk, and tea were transported here to Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, and Africa.