Southern China is now one of the most populated regions in the world. Yet, prior to the Southward expansion of the Han empire around 100BCE, there were no major cities in the Lingnan region.
南中國現時是世上人口最密集的地區之一。然而，漢帝國往南擴張之前（約公元前100年），嶺南地區並沒有大型的城市。
Centre member Prof. Lam Weng Cheong is an archaeologist who specializes on the development of material culture in ancient China. His recent research project investigated how the expansion of the Han empire brought changes to the population density and living pattern of the local population in the Lingnan area. Through an analysis of material cultures found in archaeological sites, which include metal weapons, production tools, ceramics, and ritual items, Prof. Lam and his team were able to infer the migration pattern of the ancient people based on the movement of the goods. The Han empire from the north brought with them advance technologies such as iron tools and sophisticated farming methods. Such technologies have profoundly shaped the destiny of the region. Through the works of archaeologists like Prof. Lam, we can piece together of the lives of ancient people and ancient cities from the remains of their material culture.
本中心成員林永昌教授，是位專於研究中國古代器物文化的考古學家。他最近有一個研究計劃，探討漢帝國的擴張如何改變了嶺南地區的人口密度和原住民的生活模式。通過分析在考古遺址發現的工具，包括武器、生產工具、陶器和祭祀用品等，林教授與他的研究團隊能從器物的流動，推斷出古人的遷徙路徑。當時，來自北方的漢帝國帶來了先進的技術，例如鐵器和精耕細作的農業。這些技術改寫了這個地區的發展。通過考古學家如林教授的工作，我們可以通過古代物質文化遺產，拼湊出古人的生活和古代城市的面貌。
A pottery pot with double-f pattern, Bronze period, the pre-Qin graveyard, Hengling Shan, Boluo in Guangdong Province. 在廣東省博羅橫嶺山一先秦墓地發現的一個具有「雙f」圖案的青銅時代陶器