Pingdingshan Site

Pingdingshan Site

The Pingdingshan Site is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Pingdingshan Site is located on the southeastern slope of Pingdingshan in Pingdingshan Village, Nanlang Town, adjacent to the Zhongzhu Highway. In July 1986, during a field survey, the Zhongshan Museum discovered exposed relics at the site and conducted a clearance operation.

The excavation covered an area of approximately 150 square meters, with about 30 square meters having been cleared. The site is divided into two cultural layers: the first layer yielded relics from the Sui Dynasty, while the second layer contained artifacts from the Han Dynasty.

The Han Dynasty relics consist of two categories: ironware and pottery. The ironware includes iron knives, iron axes, iron spades, and iron cauldrons. The pottery includes clay-orange colored pottery with small checkered patterns stamped on them, pottery jars with string patterns on the shoulders, pottery pitchers with carved concave string patterns, triangular patterns, and diamond patterns on the shoulder and belly, as well as straight-bodied flat-bottomed pottery lifting tubes and pottery bowls. Also unearthed were bead-shaped pottery spinning whorls and oval pottery net sinkers with cross grooves on both sides. The Sui Dynasty relics include celadon high-footed plates with cypress tree patterns and medallion patterns printed on the inner base, and celadon bowls with carved string patterns and floral patterns on the inner base.

The pottery lifting tube is 22 cm in height and 11.5 cm in diameter. It is made of hard gray clay. It has a straight mouth, a low neck, a sloping shoulder, a straight belly, and a flat bottom. A pair of bridge-shaped ears are attached to the upper belly, and the shoulder and belly are decorated with carved concave string patterns, triangular patterns, and diamond patterns.

The pottery spinning whorls and net sinkers fall into three categories: First, the spinning whorls, which are 3 cm in diameter, made of red clay, shaped somewhat like diamond-shaped bead counters, with a hole pierced through the center. Second, the net sinkers, which are about 4 cm in length, made of hard gray-brown clay, oval in shape, with “ten”-shaped grooves on both sides. Research indicates that all these items date back to the Han Dynasty period (206 BC – 220 AD).

There are two types of celadon high-footed plates: one type is 4.5 cm in height and 12.5 cm in diameter, with cypress tree patterns printed on the plate’s inner core; the other type is 6 cm in height and 12 cm in diameter, featuring a wide opening, a shallow plate, a flat inner core, a ridge where the plate wall transitions to the base, and a high, hollow, flared foot. The inner and outer walls are coated with celadon glaze, the ring foot is left unglazed, and the inner core is printed with medallion patterns.

There are two types of celadon bowls: one type is 6 cm in height and 10.5 cm in diameter, with a square-round lip, a straight mouth, a deep round belly, and a solid disc-shaped foot. The entire body is coated with bluish-green glaze, and there is a brown spot on the inner wall. The other type is 5 cm in height and 12.5 cm in diameter, with a slightly gathered mouth, a round lip, an arched wall, a deep belly, and a flat bottom. The inner base is carved with several concentric string patterns and floral patterns. It is coated with bluish-green glaze, the inner wall is fully glazed, and the outer surface is partially glazed. Research indicates that these belong to the Sui Dynasty period (581–618 AD).

Based on the above-listed relics, it is determined that the site is a hilltop settlement from the Han and Sui dynasties. It reflects that the ancestors of Nanlang lived mainly on fishing and farming, maintaining a self-sufficient lifestyle.

Nanlang Town: Nanlang Town is the hometown of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of China’s democratic revolution. It is located in the eastern part of Zhongshan City, bordered by Wuguishan Mountain to the west, the Pearl River Estuary to the east, the Zhongshan Torch Development Zone to the north, and Zhuhai City to the south, facing Hong Kong across the sea. The town covers a land area of 218.85 square kilometers, with a permanent population of 109,000, including 41,100 registered residents. Nearly 50,000 overseas Chinese and their descendants reside in 37 countries and regions across five continents, making it a well-known hometown of overseas Chinese. The transportation is convenient, with the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, Zhongjiang Expressway, Zhonggong Highway, Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Light Rail, and Zhongshan Eastern Expressway running through the area… More detailed information about Nanlang Town++