Yuhui Village Site

Yuhui Village Site

The Yuhui Village Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Neolithic Age

The Yuhui Village Site, also known as Yuxu, is located at the southern foot of Mount Tu, in Yuhui Village, Qinqi Township, Yuhui District, western suburbs of Bengbu City. The site extends from the eastern bank of the Huai River to below the embankment, covering areas to the east and south of the village. It spans approximately 300 meters from east to west and about 2,000 meters from north to south, covering an area of around 600,000 square meters. It is a relatively large site from the Longshan Culture period. Surface remains at the Yuhui Village Site include pottery, stone tools, and bone implements. The pottery is mainly sandy red-brown ware, with a small number of vessels made from grain husk or clam shell tempered clay. The pottery walls are thick and fired at low temperatures. Shapes include jars, bowls, and basins, with tripod feet in styles such as flat side-triangular, “ghost face” hollow feet, and pointed conical feet. The decorative patterns on the pottery are mostly plain, with a small number featuring incised lines, string patterns, rope impressions, and impressed pits. Based on the distribution characteristics of the site and the collected samples, the Yuhui Village Site is a large ancient human settlement from the late Longshan Culture period of the Neolithic Age along the Huai River. Radiocarbon dating indicates it dates back to around 4,100 years ago, roughly corresponding to the legendary era of Yu the Great.

Artifacts unearthed at the Yuhui Village Site exhibit characteristics of both northern and southern cultures, as well as unique cultural features of the Huai River basin. They reflect the interaction, integration, or dissemination of cultures between the north and south, making the site highly significant for exploring the origins and formation of Chinese civilization.

In 2007, the Yuhui Village Site was included in the National Project for Tracing the Origins of Civilization. In May 2013, it was designated by the State Council as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units