Sunjiacun Site

Sunjiacun Site

The Sunjiacun Site is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

The Sunjiacun Site is located in Dinggang Town, Zhenjiang New District. It lies approximately 10 kilometers north of the Yangtze River and the mountain range on the southern bank of the Yangtze where the burial mounds of the nobility from the Wu Kingdom are found, and about 3.6 kilometers northeast of the Duanshandun Site. The site is situated in a hilly area that transitions from mountains to plains. To the west, there is a spur of the Ningzhen Mountain Range running in a northwest to southeast direction. The Zhenjiang Dagang area, where the site is located, is considered the birthplace of Wu culture. This area features many high-status noble tombs and platform-shaped sites, forming a cluster of Wu Kingdom sites. Sunjiacun is situated in the southern part of this cluster. Archaeological findings indicate that the region was rich in cultural artifacts and remains, signifying a dense population and suggesting that it may have been a central hub of the Wu Kingdom.

Considering the Sunjiacun Site’s unique geographical location, distinct structural features, and archaeological discoveries related to smelting and casting—including relevant relics and remains—it is highly possible that the Sunjiacun Site was an official “national-level” bronze weapon smelting and casting “factory” of the Wu Kingdom at the time. These archaeological findings hold significant importance for the study of Wu culture, ancient Chinese handicraft technology, and the regional civilization of the lower Yangtze River area.

In 2019, the Sunjiacun Site was included in the eighth batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province