China discovers 2,500-year-old building foundations of ancient Yue State

BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Large-scale building foundations dating back approximately 2,500 years have been discovered in Shaoxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, the National Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Friday.

This discovery marks the first confirmation of such structures from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) within the city, providing crucial clues in the search for the capital of the ancient Yue State.

The findings were revealed at a briefing held by the administration to highlight major advancements under a project that explores archaeology in China.

In addition to the Yue State structures, archaeologists have unearthed high-status architectural remains of the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties (202 BC- 220 AD) in Shaoxing.

Notably, ink scripts excavated from the site correlate closely with historical records on Kuaiji Commandery's Shanyin County, situated in what is now Shaoxing City. This discovery offers valuable information to researchers studying Kuaiji.

These discoveries represent significant achievements amid China's ongoing archaeological exploration efforts.