A new excavation at the Liangzhu World Heritage Site in China has revealed a sophisticated complex dedicated to celestial observation and communal ritual. The most striking find consists of two monumental jade-incrusted mirror-altars, constructed from polished black nephrite and surrounded by concentric circles of river stones. These structures were designed to reflect the Pleiades star cluster during the spring equinox, marking the start of a multi-day 'Star-Reflection' festival.
According to the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics, the altars were central to a belief system that linked the movements of the stars to the success of rice cultivation. The presence of hundreds of miniature jade cicadas scattered around the site suggests that the festival also involved themes of rebirth and seasonal transition. This discovery pushes back the known history of Chinese astronomical festivals by nearly a millennium.