Shaanxi Archaeology Institute: Working to preserve China's past

Jiao Nanfeng is the president of the Shaanxi Archaeology Institute in Xi'an. An archaeologist himself, Jiao headed the team of scientists that in the 1990s discovered the massive Yangling Tomb, an imperial mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Jingdi and Empress Xiaojing (206 BCE to 24 CE).

China is undoubtedly an archeologist's dream. With more than 4,000 years of uninterrupted civilization, the territory presents a bottomless treasury chest for scientists seeking to uncover clues to events of the past.

In China, archeology students must follow a four-year training program in college and take part in excavations under the guidance of veteran archaeologists in order to get their qualifications. If the student performs well, he will receive a certificate which allows him to head his own excavation team, Jiao says.

"Generally speaking, the work of an archaeologist can be divided into three parts: excavation, research and preservation. The difference between archeology and history lies in field study. Archaeologists spend a big part of their time out in the field, doing excavation work. It can be said that field study takes up the biggest part of our work."

After discovering objects of particular interest, the artifacts are taken to the laboratory for closer study. In the case of never before seen objects, scientific analysis and extensive reporting follows.

Jiao Nanfeng is the president of the Shaanxi Archaeology Institute. (Image: Radio86)Over the past decades, the Chinese government has awakened to the importance of preserving archaeological finds as part of efforts to safeguard the nation's history. Ancient artifacts provide a concrete link to the past and are, in a word, irreplaceable. In addition, ordinary people are also becoming increasingly interested and aware of the need to conserve their cultural heritage, which has served to highlight the importance of archeology as a science.

"The preservation and protection of cultural relics is a major part of our work. We assist related organizations in building museums and display rooms, and to ensure cultural relics are stored under optimal conditions. Preservation is becoming a very important part of our work today," Jiao says.

All-consuming work

Working as an archaeologist demands a high degree of flexibility and dedication. Sometimes field work in particular can be so consuming that family life suffers.

"There is a saying that it's hard for an archaeologist to establish a relationship," Jiao says. "Years ago, when the roads weren't so well built, we had to stay at excavation sites for at least half a year at a time, so naturally we didn't have time to take care of our loved ones. Nowadays, the road conditions are a lot better, so things have improved in that sense."

There is a growing need for archaeologists in China, as more and more emphasis is given to ensuring that new buildings in the world's fastest developing country are not erected on top of historically significant sites without first examining the ground.

"The biggest challenge comes with people. By people, I mean some businessmen and farmers. According to regulations, a factory can be built only after a thorough ground examination by archaeologists. The rule has been made to ensure that there are no relics under the factory, but some business people ignore these regulations. Sometimes we also have to excavate on farmers’ land, and although we do usually compensate them with a certain sum of money, they are often not satisfied and ask for unreasonable amounts," Jiao says.

Xi'an: China's archaeological heartland

Xi'an is a very important archaeological center due to its 'capital' role in China's history: For 1,000 years and 13 dynasties the city was in fact the capital of the ancient Chinese empire. Since the start of excavations, it has produced hundreds of thousands of relics of immeasurable cultural and historical value, Jiao says.

"So far, more than 30,000 archaeological sites have been discovered here in Shaanxi province, including the mausoleums of 11 emperors of the Western Han Dynasty, 18 emperors of Tang Dynasty, as well as that of the well known Emperor Qin Shihuang," Jiao enumerates.

"One of the major projects underway at the Shaanxi Archaeology Institute right now is establishing the exact length of the Great Wall and determining the number of cultural sites that still exist around it. Secondly, we are collaborating with fellow archaeologists all around the country on the Third National Survey of Cultural Relics, a nationwide assessment of the condition of cultural relics. And thirdly, as China faces the growing challenge to better preserve and protect its 100 largest cultural sites, we have been placed in charge of the preservation of eleven of them."

Jiao has worked as an archaeologist for 26 years and has been there to witness the unearthing of many extraordinary finds. Which stand out as the most memorable ones?

The Shaanxi Archaeology Institute in Xi'an. (Image: Radio86)"The most important project for me was the discovery of the Yangling Mausoleum of the Han Dynasty. A couple of senior archaeologists found the location of the mausoleum back in the early 1990's, and I took over as head of the excavation team in 1994. After 14 years of excavation, we can finally present a part of the mausoleum and the treasures it contained to the world. Through this particular excavation, we’ve been able to deepen our understanding of the construction of Han dynasty tombs. We’ve also built an underground museum, which I designed, at the site. It's really rewarding to see your finds in museums being appreciated by millions of people. I believe this is a feeling of fulfillment exclusively enjoyed by archaeologists."

Although archeology is an international field of research, its original standpoints in China and the West have always been slightly different. What distinguishes the different scientific approaches applied in China and the West?

"In origin, Chinese archeology is mainly based on collecting ancient artifacts and textual research. But Western archeology is based more on science. As a result, Western archeology has been leading the application of new technology and materials in modern excavations, while China boasts rich historic records to guide its archaeological research."

"That is still a point of contention within archeology. How to best maintain cultural relics. What we are talking about is 'harmless rust,' which won't harm the cultural relics in any way. Chinese scientists believe the rust is as meaningful as the relic itself. But Western archaeologists prefer to restore the relic to its original appearance," Jiao explains.

As in other fields, international cooperation is crucial to archeology. How is the Shaanxi Archaeological Institute embracing multi-national cooperation models?

"My institute engages in long-term cooperation with German archaeologists, as well as with professionals from Japan, France, Italy and Korea. We’ve benefited significantly from each other's studies. From them, we have learned about the application of advanced techniques and tools in excavation. And in return, we have provided extensive historical documents and records to foreign archaeologists who take a special interest in Chinese history and culture."

And while for most Westerners the term "tomb raider" first evokes a movie starring Angelina Jolie, for Jiao it only brings to mind a very undesired group of people who make his work a whole lot harder.

"The people archaeologists hate the most are the tomb raiders. Sometimes, after very much work, we finally get to the core of the site, only to find that it has already been ransacked by tomb raiders. They also destroy the layouts of these well-designed mausoleums, which can never be restored again. Because of their greed and ignorance, all our hard work goes to waste and our nation suffers great losses."

Translation of interview from Chinese by Yang Tingting.