Archaeologists working along the Gansu corridor have recovered remarkably preserved silk banners depicting the Wind God, Feng Bo. These artifacts, found in a military outpost's ceremonial hall, suggest that even remote border guards performed elaborate 'Wind-Smoothing' rituals to ensure the safety of Silk Road caravans. The banners are decorated with intricate blue and white patterns representing shifting air currents and auspicious clouds.
The discovery is significant because it includes a written ledger of the materials used for the festival, including the exact amount of wine and grain sacrificed to the wind. The preservation of the silk is attributed to the extremely arid conditions of the Gobi Desert. Experts believe these banners were carried in processions around the outpost to symbolically 'tame' the dust storms that threatened trade routes.