Capital of Yao's state

Gao said that historians believed that the earliest state of China was formed as a result of agricultural development. In Taosi, the discovery of astronomical tools to guide farming; the grain remains like millet, wheat, maize and rice; diverse farming tools; and the remains of a relatively big city all prove that the region was the center of one of the earliest states in China.

"According to legends, Yao was one of the sage emperors living in the area. But the lack of confirmed historical records and materials makes many people skeptical of the existence of Yao and his regime," Gao said.

Over the past four decades, remains of palaces, royal tombs, ceremonial buildings and storage areas, as well as fortifications such as high walls and moats, have been found at the Taosi site, showing that it is a capital settlement of an ancient state, Gao said.