Puzzles of Sanxingdui

　　4. The question of the religious practices of the Sanxingdui culture was difficult to answer, based on the relics uncovered. Some think totems were involved, while some think it was nature worship without any totems, while others believe religious worship was a complex system involving nature worship, ancestor worship and god worship. Sanxingdui reflects a system in which a multi-level political center formed a net-like structure.

　　5. How did the miraculous bronze smelting technique and the culture symbolized by the Sanxingdui bronze ware come into being? Are they the results of the ancient Shu people's independent development, or were they affected by near-by countries, especially the central plains' culture? Or was it the result of adopting foreign cultures, such as those from other parts of Asia? Many scholars thought the bronze ware represented a combination of ancient Shu culture and foreign culture, but with the local factors dominant.

　　6. How long did the ancient kingdom last? Why did it disappear suddenly? Which lasted the longest - the Yufu, Duyu or Kaiming Dynasty? Generally, people thought there was a long development course. It lasted more than 1,000 years, and had a close relationship with several ancient Shu dynasties in legends. Maybe it had disappeared by the end of the Shang Dynasty. The reason of its disappearance may be a regime change. Later, the center of politics and culture moved to Chengdu and its nearby areas.

　　7. What is the age and nature of the two sacrificial pits? Did it originate in the period of the Shang Dynasty, Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn Dynasty, or the Warrior States? The tendency in academic circles is to accept the origin as being in the Shang Dynasty. It means pit No. 1 was created at about the time of the first period of the Yin Ruins. Pit No.2 was equivalent to the second period of the Yin Ruins. Regarding the nature of the pits, some said they were for burial, while others have suggested they were merely utensil pits. But, the most accepted idea is that the two pits were sacrificial, and were where the ancient Shu people offered grand sacrifices. The aim of their worship was heaven, or earth, or the gods, or the ancestors. The changing aim of worship is related to regime changes.

　　Many unearthed utensils of the Spring and Autumn Dynasty, and the Warrior States in Sichuan had some designs and insignias, which were called "Ba Shu picture words." Are they tribal words? Are they pictures or some special symbols? Maybe parts of them had the meaning of words. An understanding of the "Ba Shu picture words" is sure to help unlock the puzzles of ancient Shu in Sanxingdui.