Shiguan Site

Shiguan Site

The Shiguan Site is located in Nanle County, Henan Province, and is an ancient site dating back to the Neolithic Age and the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Located in Shiguan Village of Nanle County, the Cangjie Temple is said to be “where Cangjie was born and buried, a glory for the local people.” Historical records state that the Cangjie Temple was built on the tomb mound and was first constructed in the second year of the Yongxing era of the Eastern Han Dynasty, which corresponds to 154 AD. Throughout history, it has suffered numerous disasters, being destroyed and rebuilt many times. During the Cultural Revolution, it was completely razed to the ground. The current temple structures have been gradually restored in recent years based on ancient designs.

In September 1999, archaeologists conducted the first exploratory excavation of the tomb area and unearthed a relatively rich collection of cultural relics. The lowest layer belongs to the Yangshao Culture, with successive layers above including the Longshan Culture, the Shang and Zhou Cultures, and a disturbed layer. The Longshan Culture layer is the most prominent, featuring thick deposits, a long time span, and the richest array of artifacts. The site dates back approximately five to six thousand years, which aligns with the legendary period when Cangjie created Chinese characters.

According to historical records, before Cangjie, various clans and tribes already had symbols and drawings similar to writing. After the Yellow Emperor unified the ancient Huaxia tribes, Cangjie organized and standardized these disparate symbols and images, making them uniform and widely used across the land.

In September 2000, the People's Government of Henan Province designated the Nanle Cangjie Tomb Site as a provincial-level cultural heritage protection unit. Some historians and archaeologists, based on archaeological findings, tend to agree that Nanle is a credible birthplace of Cangjie. Cultural heritage expert Luo Zhewen inscribed the words “The Foundation of China’s 5,000-Year Civilization” for the Cangjie Tomb and Temple in Nanle.

According to local residents, the Cangjie Temple Fair in Nanle has a history of a thousand years, originating in the Han and Tang dynasties and flourishing during the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, this place was called the Cangjie Shrine. In the Tang Dynasty, as the nation prospered and people became wealthy, large-scale construction was carried out here to expand the temple, which was then renamed the Cangjie Temple. Since then, it has become a sacred site for both government officials and common people to worship Cangjie.

In 2019, the Shiguan Site was included in the eighth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level