Three-Star Mounds (Sanxingdui) – an archaeological excavation site dating back from late Neolithic Age (7000BC-5000BC) to the late Shang and Zhou period (16th-711 BC) .The relic site, with more than 3,000-year history might be the capital of ancient Shu kingdom. Local researchers discovered sacrificial pits containing thousands of gold, bronze, jade, and pottery artifacts in artistic styles that were completely different from those historically associated with Chinese culture. In later dates, more than 500 cultural relics, including a 3,000-year-old gold mask, were discovered. Additional masks, jade tools, and ivory relics were also found in nearby pits. The most striking finds were dozens of large bronze masks and heads with angular human features, exaggerated almond-shaped eyes, protruding pupils, and large ears (rumors suggest that they were of alien origin). Archaeologists also unearthed a giant bronze man that stood almost 3 meters tall as well a towering scared tree that is over 4 meters high and took archaeologists 10 years to put the 1300 pieces together . These discoveries showcase a sophisticated Bronze Age civilization and provide fascinating insights into the art, culture, and beliefs of the ancient cultural that once flourished in the region. The Museum has an exhibition area of 4,000 square meters with excellent modern facilities. We thoroughly enjoyed our VR experiences of digging the pits alongside with archaeologists. This museum is only 25 miles from Chengdu, do not miss it if you are in this area.
Yang Yang knows that I prefer hands-on experience to being an observer, so she signed us up for lessons in Face-Changing, which is unique to Sichuan Opera. I have seen many performances of this act but have never figured out how it was done. This time we learn the secret of this technique, although neither Ray nor I were able to master it in half a day. After many hours of hard work, the teachers were able to piece together a 45-second video that showcased what we had learned. In the evening, we attended a Sichuan Theater Show and truly appreciated how smoothly and quickly these transformations were achieved by professionals.
Chengdu people are known for prioritizing the enjoyment of life. They love to relax at teahouses and play chess or mahjong on the street. Locals can be found practicing singing and dancing in the park. Chengdu people also love their food. There are restaurants in every street, every alleyway, and I lost count of how many restaurants are in one mall. You would never go hungry in this place. Sichuan food appears spicy with a pile of red peppers on top of every dish, but it doesn’t taste that hot. What one tastes is the numbness of pepper corns, which they use generously in every dish, even in the ice cream. In the park, we saw many pink and blue sheets on billboards with personal information of marriageable males or females looking for partners. I found it interesting that these sheets not only for young people but some senior citizens in their 60s and 70s also posting them for companionships. Chengdu is definitely a fun city to visit.
