Latest findings prove China's prehistoric ritual system dates back over 5,000 years

The key artifacts excavated from Niuheliang Archeological Site, the most important archaeological site of China's Hongshan culture located in Chaoyang City of northeast China's Liaoning Province, have proved the establishment of a systemic ritual system for offering sacrifice over 5,000 years ago.

The findings were released jointly by China Academy of Social Science (CASS) and Liaoning Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau on June 14.

Dating back to about 5,000 to 5,800 years and covering a protected area of nearly 60 square kilometers, Niuheliang Archeological Site is the largest site complex ever found in Hongshan Culture.

Hongshan culture is an important prehistoric archaeological culture dating back roughly 5,000 to 6,000 years. Its distribution covers three regions located in the west of Liaoning Province, the north of Hebei Province and the east of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Among these, Liaoning is the core area in terms of Hongshan culture distribution and the focal region for studying this culture.

The released findings included burned artifacts and ceremonial objects, evidence that proves the existence of rituals similar to those documented in later historic periods and used in offering sacrifice to heaven and ancestors.

"Liaoji and Guanli are documented ceremonies for offering sacrifice to heaven and ancestors. We found burned fruit cores and incomplete jades in the archeologist sites, which are highly likely to be linked to heaven worshiping. Besides, we also found a pair of potteries, which are also highly likely to be used in rituals to worship ancestors," said Guo Ming, executive head of the field archaeology project at the Niuheliang Archaeological Site.

Another major finding at the prehistoric archeological site was a delicately constructed altar also used in heaven worshiping.

The altar, which consists of three concentric stone circles, requires a construction process that maps out two squares to lay out the stones in exact positions.

"The three concentric stone circles should be built by mapping out two squares and this proves the existence of an ancient Chinese cosmology that assumes the sky is a dome that covers the square land. The altar was built in a period when this belief started to take shape in China," said Guo.

Latest findings prove China's prehistoric ritual system dates back over 5,000 years

Voting for the second phase of Myanmar's multi-party democratic general election concluded on Sunday afternoon.

Voting began at 06:00 local time on Sunday. At 16:00, an election official at a polling station in Yangon's Latha township announced the closure of the polling station.

Following the closure, election staff at the polling station, in the presence of domestic and international media, candidates, and observers, counted the votes, including advance votes, for seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House), Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House), and State and Region Hluttaws (State and Region Parliaments).

The second phase of the election was held in 100 townships across 12 of the 14 regions and states. In the Yangon region, it was held in 16 townships, including the townships of Latha, Bahan, Kyimyindaing and Kawhmu.

"We welcome the election, which is expected to bring new changes to the country," said a Yangon resident.

"I hope the parties can lead us and make it a better country, which is why I support the election," said another voter.

Myanmar's multi-party democratic general election is being held in three phases, with the first phase held in 102 townships on Dec 28 last year, and the third phase scheduled for Jan 25 this year in 63 townships.

"The parliament is scheduled to convene in March. Following the conclusion of the session, the new government will officially take office in April. We hope that more foreign investment will flow into Myanmar, enabling the public to enjoy the opportunities generated by the country's economic development more fully," said Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of Myanmar's National Defense and Security Council.

The Union Election Commission (UEC) said that about 5,000 candidates from 57 political parties are competing in the three phases of the election, adding that it plans to set up over 21,000 polling stations across the country for all three phases of the general election.

The election will produce the elected members of the Union Parliament (Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw) and State and Region Parliaments; the new Union Parliament will then elect a new president, who will form a new Union Government.

Voting for 2nd phase of Myanmar's general election concludes