This essay includes two parts — the basic knowledge and travel guide of Sanxingdui (including traffic, ticketing and other information).
I. About Sanxingdui
If you want to have a deeper understanding of Sanxingdui, you can read the basic knowledge section first. If you are leisure tourists who just want to take a bus or have dinner or stroll around the site, you can jump to the travel guide part.
1. Why is it called Sanxingdui?
The site is named for its unique view. There are three loess mounds in the south and a crescent moon bay platform in the north of the site, which has forming a wonderful landscape — three stars accompany with the moon. The naming of archeological culture is always following “the principle of small place names”, that is, named after the paticular name of the first found typical sites.
2. What is Sanxingdui?
Sanxingdui covers 12 square-kilometers in total. Life went on here about 2600 to 4800 years ago, equivalent to the late Neolithic age. The ancient city was built by the ancestors of Sanxingdui hundreds years later after they came to the site. It covers an area of 3.6 square kilometers including the east wall, west wall, south wall and the inner wall of moon bay , as well as the newly discovered “north wall”, and the lee Family’s courtyard walls, etc.
Sanxingdui culture refers to an archeological culture of and around the Chengdu plain, such as small flat-bottled pots, birds head-like handles, and Gaobingdou (a kind of pottery vessel). The sources of those culture are under researching. We can only know that they are associating with the Xia and Shang cultures in central China and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze river, other elements are still unclear. But obviously there is no connection with the Maya and aliens.
The following picture is about the history of Sanxingdui site based on the current archaeological discovery and research. But the excavation area of the site is only about 10,000 square meters.
Most of the cultural relics in Sanxingdui are official archaeological excavations, rarely circulated in folk. If you see those so-called “Sanxingdui jade” outside Sanxingdui Museum, Sichuan Museum, Sichuan University Museum and National Museum, they are definitely fake.
At present, only few scattered symbols (they may have special meanings) but no characters have been found in Sanxingdui.
Sanxingdui Museum is a museum of special sites. Currently, there are two exhibition halls with a nearly 12,000 square meters display area, one is the first hall ,also called comprehensive hall – mainly displays some golden, coppery, jade, stony, figuline and other cultural relics (Sacred Tree is in this hall) and the other is the second hall, also called bronze hall (Large Standing Figure is in this hall).
II. Travel Guide
1. Scenic Shuttle Bus (direct and round trip)
For details, please call our customer service hotline: +86 135 6880 5757
Travel season, through tickets are limited. Please book in advance to avoid delay.
PS: the complimentary explanation service attaching to the Shuttle Bus ticket is based on fundamental explanation. Those interested in Sanxingdui ruins can choose the detailed commentator service in Sanxingdui. Also you can choose the travel package of Panda Base and Sanxingdui to enrich your trip.
2. Tourist Services
Sanxingdui is opened for whole year except for half a day off on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
1. Ticketing guide
Tickets selling time: 8:30-17:00At present, Sanxingdui has opened four ways to purchase tickets, namely Alipay, WeChat, cash and credit card. However, the commentator services still require cash payment. If you need to hire a commentator or rent a audio guide, please prepare cash.In addition, the tickets offer discounts for some holidays and festivals. Women’s Day (March 8) : 50% off for female audience.International Museum Day (May 18) : 50% off for all visitors.China Tourism Day (May 19) : 50% off for all visitors.International Children’s Day (June 1) : children under 14 years old free of charge.Chinese Cultural Heritage Day (second Saturday in June) : 50% off for all visitors.Teachers’ Day (September 10) : free with teacher certification.Double Ninth festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month) : people over 60 years old free with their ID CARDS.
2. Additional Service
The information desk of Sanxingdui Visitor Center provides free luggage storage service for all visitors.The Visitor Center offers free drinking water, self-serve coffee and milk tea machines (pay by scanning code) and lounge chairs for visitors.As Sanxingdui is a large site, please prepare drinking water in advance and arrange your rest time.
3. Sanxingdui provides Chinese-English commentator service (compensable), self-service audio guide and free WeChat guide.
(1) About Commentator Service RMB 10 for 3 hours Serving Time : 8:30 to 16:30There are 7 language commentator services including Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, German and Russian. If you don’t have special needs, the self-service audio guide will be enough.(2) WeChat Audio GuideFollow the WeChat Account: Sanxingdui1997, you can choose one from three introduction versions. It’s free and convenient.* please try to wear headphones and turn down the volume when using WeChat Audio to avoid disturbing others.
Wish you have a good journey in Sanxingdui Museum!
