China State Post Bureau held a ceremony at the Chengtoushan Ruins in Li County, Changde City, Hunan Province on the morning of Nov. 6 for the release of a special stamp featuring the Ruins.

Industry sources believe that the special stamp for Chengtoushan Ruins, the most ancient town ever discovered in China, not only reflects the spring of the profound culture of the Chinese people, but also plays an active role in protection and promotion of traditional Chinese culture.

Chengtoushan is located in the abdomen of Liyang Plain by the Dongting Lake. It is the most ancient and best preserved ancient town with the most profuse connotation ever found in China. Archaeologists discovered here the most ancient and best preserved paddy field and altar in the world. It is also proved to have the longest history of human activities and the clearest stratum and cultural relationship.

In an area of 7,000-odd square meters, archaeologists discovered more than 16,000 pieces of various cultural relics during 11 archaeological excavation missions in over ten years. There are currently more than 400 pre-historic cultural ruins under strict protection of the local government.

The excavated cultural relics and archaeological discoveries have brought forth many new ideas regarding the origin of the Chinese culture, the headstream of Changjiang River culture, the inchoation of urban civilization, and the evolution of agricultural civilization.

The cluster of ruins of ancient cultures represented by Chengtoushan has drawn close attention of archaeologists both home and abroad. Chengtoushan Ruins made twice the list of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in China and was selected as one of the top 100 archaeological discoveries in China in the 20th century.

China hopes to add the Chengtoushan Ruins to the World Cultural Heritage list and is in the application procedure at present.

(Chinanews.cn November 9, 2005)