A painted pottery basin with a white-slip surface unearthed at the Dahecun archaeological site in 2014.

An aerial view of Dahecun National Archaeological Site Park in Zhengzhou, Henan province.

Tourists explore Dahecun National Archaeological Site Park.

Pottery unearthed at the Dahecun site.

Inside a darkened theater in Central China, rivers wind through forests as scenes of hunting, fishing and farming unfold across a panoramic screen. For a moment, the world outside fades away, and visitors enter a landscape that existed long before written history.

At the museum of Dahecun National Archaeological Site Park in Zhengzhou, Henan province, this experience brings the past to life beyond the pottery shards, stone tools and other objects displayed behind glass. Through immersive exhibitions, reconstructed agricultural landscapes and encounters with animals and plants, the park invites visitors to consider a more fundamental question: What was everyday life like for the people who once lived here?

Dahecun's transformation has taken decades. In the autumn of 1964, villagers working in their fields chanced upon a Tang Dynasty (618-907) tomb. They handed the bronze mirrors and other artifacts they unearthed over to local cultural heritage authorities.

Archaeologists subsequently surveyed the area and discovered numerous artifacts scattered across the site. In October 1972, the Zhengzhou Museum conducted a preliminary excavation at Dahecun, marking the beginning of systematic excavation and research.

After three rounds of excavation, archaeologists mapped the site's extent and layout, traced its development over time and established its cultural significance. A dedicated institution to protect and manage the site was established in 1983.

For much of this period, however, the site had only a relatively small museum. Its archaeological significance was considerable, but conveying that importance to the public remained a challenge.

That began to change in 2017, when the museum and the Zhengzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology launched a new round of investigations. Researchers determined that the site covered approximately 530,000 square meters, far more than the previously estimated 300,000 sq m. They also identified features including a ring moat and a city wall, shedding new light on the settlement's size, layout and character.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, chaired a symposium in Zhengzhou in September 2019. He said the Yellow River culture, as an important part of Chinese civilization, is the root and soul of the Chinese nation, calling for better storytelling about Yellow River culture to pool spiritual strength for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

"For Dahecun, this was a historic opportunity," says Hu Jizhong, head of the Zhengzhou Institute of Songshan Civilization, who previously worked as a curator at the Dahecun museum. The museum began planning an expansion in 2019, followed by further planning work in 2020. Construction of the national archaeological site park began in 2021.

Dahecun is widely regarded as an important Yangshao culture site, a Neolithic painted-pottery culture dating back 5,000 to 7,000 years and first identified in 1921. The settlement preserves evidence of the culture's emergence, development, and later transformation, making it a valuable resource for studying the origins and evolution of early Chinese civilization.

Yet archaeological significance does not automatically translate into public appeal. Pottery fragments, stone tools and other everyday remains can be difficult to interpret without sufficient context.

"Many prehistoric site museums face the same challenge: Visitors may be reluctant to come, may struggle to understand what they see once they arrive, and may leave without gaining much from the experience. Dahecun's redevelopment was designed to change that," Hu says.

Architecture and antiquity

One of the most consequential decisions concerned the museum's architecture. Rather than erecting a prominent building that would dominate the site, designers opted for a sunken structure to minimize its impact on the archaeological remains and surrounding landscape. Its exterior walls and retaining structures echo the soil layers that archaeologists study to reconstruct the site's history.

The same philosophy extends beyond the museum. The park includes restored ecological areas, re-created agricultural plots and spaces for hands-on activities. Drawing on archaeological evidence and research into prehistoric flora and fauna, it has introduced more than 130 plant species to evoke the environment in which the settlement's inhabitants once lived.

Animals offer another way for visitors to connect with the past. Deer were common during the Yangshao period, and excavations at Dahecun have uncovered deer remains, including antlers, scrapers made from antlers and antler hammers. These finds shed light on the role deer played in the lives of the settlement's inhabitants.

"To help visitors make that connection, we keep more than 50 gentle sika deer in the park. Visitors can spend time with them and feed them, and sometimes even hear their soft bleats," says Wang Xiaoya, a museum guide.

"In the early morning, joggers come for a breath of fresh air. By afternoon, families gather to explore and learn together. As evening falls, young people arrive to unwind and spend time with friends. A settlement that has stood for thousands of years has found a new place in the rhythm of modern city life," says Zhu Xuan, director of the Dahecun National Archaeological Site Park.

Stepping into the past

Technology offers another way to bring the archaeological record to life for contemporary audiences.

At the heart of the museum is Impressions of Yangshao, an immersive exhibition covering roughly 600 sq m. It explores how the settlement's inhabitants made a living, from hunting and fishing to cultivating crops and practicing handicrafts.

The museum describes the experience as bringing a forest indoors. Naked-eye 3D technology allows visitors to see the scenes without special equipment. Another attraction, the "Light of Yangshao" theater, weaves these elements into a narrative-driven production. Stage mechanisms and cinematic techniques re-create the rhythms of prehistoric life, giving visitors a sense of stepping into another era.

Early visitor numbers and sales have been encouraging, but ensuring the park's long-term financial sustainability remains a challenge.

"Conservation must come first. Before construction or other development can proceed, archaeological work needs to be carried out and the site's remains safeguarded," says Zhao Xiaojun, director of the cultural heritage bureau of Luoyang, another historic city in Henan province that is also home to three national archaeological site parks.

Zhao recently visited Zhengzhou to attend a national conference reviewing progress in protecting and using major archaeological sites across China.

"But preservation alone does not guarantee a park's long-term future. The site also needs to offer something to nearby residents and visitors. Well-designed exhibitions, educational programs and other carefully planned activities can bring local history to life, while tourism can generate revenue to help cover maintenance costs. It is equally important to give nearby communities a stake in the park's success," Zhao adds.

Zhu says cultural and creative products sold at the Dahecun museum have already generated nearly 10 million yuan ($1.50 million) in revenue since opening.

"The next step is to offer a broader range of activities to suit different budgets and interests, while making better use of the park throughout the year," Hu says.

Affiliated with Zhengzhou's cultural heritage bureau, Hu's institute manages and protects the city's heritage sites. "Hopefully, visitors will be able to experience what life at Dahecun was like in different seasons, rather than seeing the site as somewhere to visit just once. The exhibitions will also need to evolve as archaeological research uncovers more about the site."

CHINA DAILY