A photo of a jade eagle adorns the wall of the venue at the ongoing exhibition Vanguard of Civilization: Jade Artifacts From the Lingjiatan Culture at the Palace Museum in Beijing. (Jiang Dong/China Daily)

Jade, a gem carrying ancient lore, whispers tales of emerald dreams that reflect how our ancestors saw the world. Its verdant hues also mark a dawn of civilization whose lineage thus becomes visible.

More than 5 millennia ago, people living by the Yangtze River created one of the largest and best-preserved settlements in China. They left a rich legacy of prehistoric jade whose luster still shines.

Since archaeologists first unveiled the Lingjiatan site in 1985, these Neolithic ruins in Hanshan county, Ma'anshan city, Anhui province, have yielded artifacts witnessing the advanced jade craftsmanship, mysterious belief system, and a wide network of communication dating back 5,300 to 5,800 years.

The late archaeologist Yan Wenming (1932-2024) once said: "The Lingjiatan people were the vanguards on the path toward civilization."

On the eve of the 40th anniversary marking the Lingjiatan site discovery, a key exhibition lifted its curtain in the Hall of Literary Brilliance (Wenhua Dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Vanguard of Civilization: Jade Artifacts From the Lingjiatan Culture will run through March 16 and display about 400 artifacts from the Palace Museum's collection and several other museums in Anhui to portray a panorama of this prehistoric cultural hub.

"It's rare for these exhibits to be publicly displayed," says Xu Lin, a jade researcher with the Palace Museum and the chief curator of the exhibition.

"For many researchers who may be familiar with some famous artifacts when writing papers, this is the first time they have seen them.

"As a spectacular repertoire, the exhibition displays Lingjiatan culture and its jade artifacts that demonstrate the splendid Neolithic civilization of China."

Six jade human figurines — three sitting and three standing — are the most recognized items from Lingjiatan. Four of them are now exhibited at the Palace Museum.

"The figurines are exquisitely dressed, with solemn expressions, arms and palms close to the chest and fingers spread apart, resembling a gesture of reverence to a deity," Xu explains.

"They display a state of tranquility and devotion."

"Bracelets" are carved on their arms and, judging from their attire and posture, experts generally consider them to be images of priests within the higher ranks of the social elite.

Jade figurines of Lingjiatan bear similarities with counterparts from Hongshan. (Jiang Dong/China Daily)

The curator recalls a similar gesture found in other jade figurines of the Olmec culture in Mexico, despite the long distance and gap of time between them. Xu explains that ancestors share the same awe toward nature.

A jade eagle with identical forms and patterns on each side and two wings shaped like a pig's head is a highlighted item.

"It suggests that pigs were considered a symbol of wealth by the early inhabitants of Lingjiatan," Xu says, as large-sized jade pigs were also unearthed at the site.

"But another explanation could be that the two wings are chubby bears, and bears represent prowess in traditional culture," she adds.

Coincidentally or not, when the characters ying ("eagle") and xiong ("bear") are combined, they sound the same as yingxiong ("hero"). Combining eagles and bears is also a common theme in jade artifacts in later periods of Chinese history.

As there is still debate on which animal acts as a guard to the brave eagle, an octagonal star pattern carved on the eagle's belly further demonstrates its exceptional status.

This motif has been found on other jade artifacts from Lingjiatan and pottery pieces from elsewhere in China during the Neolithic era.

"This jade eagle was likely used in sacrificial rituals, showcasing the ancient people's reverence for the spiritual essence of all things and their highly imaginative creative spirit," the curator says.

"Lingjiatan artisans shaped jade into innovative symbolic forms. These creations embody their recognition of ritual authority and primal appreciation of beauty."

An exhibited tree-shaped ornament also shows an aura of sacredness. Its pattern resembles carved symbols dating back 7,000 years in another site in Bengbu and some brick paintings dating 3,000 years later than the Lingjiatan era unearthed in Huaibei. Both cities are in Anhui province.

If such a long lineage of regional totems needs more proof, some obvious evidence of long-distance communication has already stunned researchers of modern times.

Around 1,400 kilometers away to the north of Lingjiatan, Hongshan culture prospered during roughly the same era as Lingjiatan in present-day Northeast China. Similarities between the areas startled people and stirred many memories.

Both cultures tended to use jade as burial objects and built stone altars and tombs. More importantly, resemblances between the jades they carved — ranging from eagle, dragon, and crest-shaped artifacts to humans — cannot be explained as coincidence.

"When people first found cylindrical vessels at the sites of Hongshan culture, people argued how they were used and some even guessed they were pillows," Xu recalls.

Following the discovery of Lingjiatan, disputes soon ended as similar cylindrical vessels emerged together with jade divination sticks. The vessel shape is now believed to be an abstract portrayal of turtle shells.

"There must have been some exchanges among social elites between the two societies in which the division of social classes and combination of theocracy and kingship had formed," Xu explains.

"They showcased their unique splendor while engaged in mutual influence and interaction. ... They enriched the cultural landscape of ancient China."

Features of Lingjiatan jades were also seen in the Liangzhu culture in present-day Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back 4,300 to 5,300 years, is admired as the capital of a jade-worshiping regional state also famous for its complicated water conservancy construction and rice-cultivation civilization.

"Lingjiatan was a pivotal position for tracing the origins of Chinese civilization and exploring how it developed," says Tang Jun, director of the administration of the Lingjiatan site. "This exhibition can better usher in academic fruits and connect similar sites across the country to promote joint studies."

The sands of time have not buried Lingjiatan in the public's collective memory. A ceremonial jade artifact from the site known as bi with concentric circles was used as the prototype for designing the medals presented at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

The vanguard of civilization is marching on in glory.