Erligang (Zhengzhou Shang City)
Zhengzhou Shang City · Erligang Culture Type-Site · Zhengzhou Early Shang Walled City
Early Shang Erligang 1600–1400 BCE (Xia→Shang transition)·Early Shang (Erligang culture, Zhengzhou phase)·🇨🇳 Henan Province, Zhengzhou City, Guancheng District, Shangcheng Road–Renmin Road intersection (Zhengzhou old walled city, Zhengzhou plain south of Yellow River 25 km south of Yellow River), China
About
About Erligang (Zhengzhou Shang City)
Erligang (Zhengzhou Shang City) — Early Shang walled capital (c.1600–1400 BCE, Erligang culture) under modern Zhengzhou old city, excavated 1950s–80s An Jinhuai and Zou Heng (Henan Institute). Erligang is the Erligang type-site: 7 km rectangular rammed-earth wall (hangtu) 20 m wide at base, 9 m high preserved, with moat, palace platform 70×70 m north, bronze foundry (jue, ding, weapons), and cemeteries. Earliest Shang capital after Erlitou Xia, with Oracle? no, Erligang bronze with Taotie motif. Overlaid by modern Zhengzhou, wall visible on Shangcheng Road.
Why it mattersErligang type-site — earliest Shang capital with 7 km hangtu wall proving Shang state formation after Erlitou
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Erligang vs Erlitou Xia–Shang break or continuity?
Theories
- 01Zhengzhou as Cheng Tang first capital per Xia-Shang-Zhou project
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1600 BCE Early Shang Erligang wall and palace
- Period
- Early Shang Erligang 1600–1400 BCE (Xia→Shang transition)
- Culture
- Early Shang (Erligang culture, Zhengzhou phase)
- Builders
- Early Shang kings (Cheng Tang dynasty per tradition) and hangtu builders
- Purpose
- Early Shang capital controlling Zhengzhou plain and Erligang bronze production— Yellow River and Central Plains
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.1600 BCE
7 km hangtu walled capital founded
c.1500 BCE
Bronze foundry with Taotie ding peak
1950
An Jinhuai discovers Zhengzhou Shang wall
On the ground
Structures & features
34.7500° N · 113.6800° E · 110 m · 2 mapped features
Northern Palace Platform (Hangtu Platform)
palace70×70 m hangtu palace platform with postholes and Erligang bronze north
34.7510° N · 113.6792° ESoutheastern Wall and Bronze Foundry
wall20-m wide hangtu wall segment and bronze foundry with piece-mold furnaces southeast
34.7485° N · 113.6811° E