Archaeologist who discovered ancient Chinese city pleads guilty to corruption

Liu Bin, the Chinese archaeologist celebrated for discovering the 5,000-year-old Liangzhu ruins, has pleaded guilty to charges of bribery and embezzlement. The discovery of the Unesco World Heritage site in Zhejiang province significantly altered the understanding of early Chinese civilization.

According to Southern Weekly, Liu accepted the charges during a court hearing on May 20 in Zhejiang. Prosecutors accused him of exploiting his role between 2009 and 2021 to benefit specific organizations and individuals in securing contracts for cultural relic protection and archaeological surveys. He also allegedly inflated project costs related to the Liangzhu civilization while serving as director of the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

During his tenure, Liu is accused of accepting approximately 4.65 million yuan (US$685,900) in bribes. Furthermore, he allegedly siphoned off 300,000 yuan from research funding. Liu's defense team argued that he had voluntarily confessed, demonstrated remorse, and returned the full amount of 4.9 million yuan he received through bribery and embezzlement.