Visiting Chengdu, you can’t help but encounter two iconic symbols at every turn. The first is the beloved giant panda, and the second is the Sun God Bird.
The Sun God Bird motif can be found in many prominent locations throughout Chengdu, including the Tianfu International Airport, the South Railway Station, the subway stations, and the translucent roof of the main venue for the Chengdu Universiade. This emblem has seamlessly integrated into the cultural fabric of Chengdu, becoming a recognizable symbol of the city.
However, the influence of the Sun God Bird extends far beyond Chengdu. In 2005, it stood out from over 1,600 candidates recommended by experts and was designated by the National Cultural Heritage Administration as a graphic symbol of Chinese cultural heritage. It has since become a representation of the countless brilliant cultural treasures of our nation.
What gives this artifact such compelling allure? Its intricate, mysterious, and stunning beauty far exceeds expectations. On the very afternoon of our arrival in Chengdu, we headed straight to the Jinsha Site Museum to “meet” this national treasure.
The Sun God Bird gold ornament was unearthed in 2001 at the Jinsha archaeological site in Chengdu. On the 18th day of the excavation, while conducting a thorough search, archaeologists were drawn to a small clay lump that shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight. After peeling away the outer layer of soil, they discovered it contained a stunning gold artifact. After restoration, the lively and expressive “Sun God Bird” appeared to come to life.
At the Jinsha Site Museum, the Sun God Bird is showcased prominently in the “Timeless Treasures” hall. There, a delicate, thin piece lies tilted on a transparent display, gently rotating 360 degrees. About the size of a CD, it’s crafted from gold foil with a purity of 94.2% and is only 0.02 centimeters thick. The design comprises two layers: the outer layer features 12 rays symbolizing the sun, while the inner layer depicts four Sun God Birds flying counterclockwise, their tails connecting. The pattern is artfully balanced, dynamic, and symmetrical.
Historically, ancient Chinese civilizations revered both the sun and bird spirits. In ancient legends, the sun was often depicted as a golden crow. These motifs frequently appear together in various archaeological finds, such as the “Flying Bird Carrying the Sun” from the Dawenkou culture, the jade eagle from the Lingjiatan site, and the “Bird and Sun Combination” on Liangzhu jade discs, among others.
Originating from the rice-farming cultures of the middle and lower Yangtze River regions approximately 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, the “Sun God Bird” symbolizes the connection between agriculture and spirituality.
The earliest known reference to the Sun God Bird stems from the Hemudu culture, which dates back around 7,000 to 5,000 years. Artifacts featuring dual birds with sun motifs have been excavated from this important Neolithic site in the Yangtze River basin.
From its beginnings in the Yangtze delta, the Sun God Bird spread alongside the expansion of rice cultivation, transcending rivers and traversing regions including both banks of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers.
At the Jinsha Site in the Chengdu Plain, this iconic motif reflects a process of systemic development, embedding richer meanings related to agricultural practices. Experts suggest that the outer layer’s twelve rays represent the twelve months or hours, while the four birds may symbolize the four seasons or cardinal directions, showcasing the ancestors’ understanding of natural laws based on their farming civilization.
In addition to artistic treasures, the Jinsha Site Museum boasts an important artifact known as the “ancestor of agriculture”—the wooden plow. This simple-looking tool is the only relatively intact wooden agricultural implement from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties discovered in China and serves as crucial evidence of the agricultural prosperity of the Chengdu Plain.
Shaped like a modern shovel and measuring 1.42 meters in length, the wooden plow is crafted from a single piece of wood and used for turning soil. Its remarkable state of preservation, found deep within a discarded “pond” at the site, can be attributed to the lack of air exposure.
According to the “Book of Changes,” which states, “Cut wood for the plow, shape wood for the rake, to teach the world,” the invention of early tools such as the rake was pivotal. The plow historically evolved from the rake, and current archaeological findings confirm that the rake and plow indeed represent the fusion of these primitive agricultural tools. Although an incomplete wooden plow was previously found at the Hemudu site around 7,000 years ago, this Jinsha artifact is notably intact.
Additionally, the earliest known image of the legendary figure Da Yu originates from the Wu Shrine in Jiaxiang County, Shandong, dating to the Eastern Han dynasty. Da Yu is depicted holding a short-handled tool, emblematic of both the plow and water management efforts.
It’s fascinating to consider that our ancient ancestors might have toiled tirelessly in rice fields, contemplating celestial phenomena while simultaneously guarding against the flooding of rivers essential for irrigation. The beautifully crafted Sun God Bird and the humble wooden plow both symbolize the advanced technologies of their time and stand as testaments to the flourishing agricultural civilization along the Yangtze River.
