Discovery of ancient city in Sichuan may shed light on China's origins

Ran Xiuping, a middle-aged hotel owner, is proud of Zhaohua, her hometown in Guangyuan, the northernmost city in Sichuan province. With a history of more than 2,300 years, the town has great appeal to visitors year round.

But Ran thinks it's a pity some visitors disparage the town by saying that most of its traditional-style buildings were built in recent years and are a sham.

Now, a new archaeological find just outside the town may confirm Zhaohua's claim to antiquity. One archaeologist speculates that the newly discovered ancient city may be linked to the important Sanxingdui ruins in Guanghan, 240 kilometers south, whose discovery in the 1980s showed that Chinese civilization dates back at least 5,000 years.