Beginning of Yan Huang culture and origin of the Chinese civilization(PDF)
《长安大学学报（社科版）》[ISSN:1671-6248/CN:61-1391/C]
- Issue:
- 2019年04期
- Page:
- 60-69
- Research Field:
- 长安学
- Publishing date:
Info
- Title:
- Beginning of Yan Huang culture and origin of the Chinese civilization
- Author(s):
- GAO Qiang
- School of Historical Culture and Tourism，Baoji University of Arts and Sciences，Baoji 721013，Shaanxi，China
- Keywords:
- Yan Emperor; Huang Emperor; Yan Huang culture; Chinese civilization; pottery; jade ware; pottery inscription; inscribed symbols; Shimao Historic Site
- PACS:
- B22
- DOI:
- -
- Abstract:
- Analyzing the relationship between the Yan Huang culture and the Chinese civilization is of great benefit to exploring the origin of the Chinese civilization. Based on literature, documents and also archeological findings, this paper conducts a comprehensive examination in terms of agriculture, copper smelting, jade ware, sacrifices, written words, fortification and settlements, etc. The study believes that the Yangshao culture and Longshan culture belong to the Yan Huang era of China, and that they marked the beginning of the Yan Huang culture, thus being the origin of the Chinese civilization. During the Yan Huang era, the smelting and use of copper already existed, and China entered the age of using copper and stone at the same time in the Longshan culture era. Jade boasts of very special and unique significance in the Chinese culture, and is a sacrificial vessel no less important than bronze ware. Although a small amount of copper ware was unearthed in the Shimao Historic Site and Taosi Historic Site, it was not as much as the jade ware, indicating that until the era when copper and stone were used equally, jade ware remained the major sacrificial vessel. Thus, jade is a distinctive symbol of the Yan Huang culture, and also an important representation of the early Chinese civilization. The marks inscribed on tortoise shells, bone pieces and pottery are one of the sources of Chinese words. Literature recorded that Shennong, the Yan Emperor cultivated millets and grains, made tiling tools, ploughed land and made pottery, and invented medicine. Archeological findings have proved that China is the place of origin for rice agriculture and millet agriculture, and Yan Huang era was the origin and early development stage of China’s tiling agriculture. With substantial development in agriculture, everincreasing population and the gradual accumulation of wealth, there were more and more largescale settlements. As the political, military, economic, religious and cultural center of largescale settlements, the appearance of cities and towns is one of the marks of the birth of civilizations. There are almost one hundred city and town sites of the Yangshao culture and Longshan culture discovered in China. Yan Huang era marks the beginning of China’s copper smelting, written words, citystates and even countries, and is also the earliest stage of the Chinese civilization. Yan and Huang Emperors were the early progenitors creating the Chinese civilization.
Last Update: 2019-07-25