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Neolithic Era of China — Primitive Society and Mythical History

This epoch spans from the emergence of human beings to the establishment of the Xia Dynasty around 2070 BC by Yu the Great, who successfully led the people in defeating the Great Flood.

 

During this time, many primitive cultures were scattered in different places across China.

 

Gradually, they grew stronger, leading to numerous conflicts and merger wars. 

Red-crowned Crane Bone Made Flute, Peiligang Culture (About 7000 — 8000 Years Ago)

Red-crowned Crane Bone Made Flute, Peiligang Culture (About 7000 — 8000 Years Ago) — Henan Antique Archaeology Institute (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Some Important Cultures in the Neolithic China

Dawenkou Culture

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Dawenkou was an era with the rise of Private Ownership and Patriarchy and the gradual collapse of the Matrilineal system.

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  • Around 4500 BC — 2500 BC

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  • Shandong Province, East of China.

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Achievements:

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  • Cultivation of Millet and Keeping of Livestock.

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  • Advanced Pottery of Different Colors.

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  • Wide use of Stone, Wood, Ivory, Jade, and Bone Tools.

Unearthed Artifacts of the Dawenkou Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying) 

Longshan Culture or Black Pottery Culture

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Developed from the Dawenkou Culture, the Longshan Culture Entered the Bronze Age.

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  • Around 2500 BC — 2000 BC

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  • Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi Provinces, etc., the Middle Kingdom Era of China.

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Achievements:

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  • Thin Fetal Black Pottery and Jade Articles showed the advanced technology of Longshan Culture.

Unearthed Artifacts of the Longshan Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying) 

Hongshan Culture

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Hongshan was an agricultural, Matrilineal culture with grand worship sites, altars, temples, and hierarchy.

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  • Around 4000 BC — 3000 BC

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  • Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Hebei Provinces, North and Northeast of China.

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Characteristics:

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  • Delicate jade articles had clear ceremonial uses and were widely used in tombs. 

Unearthed Artifacts of the Hongshan Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Yangshao Culture

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Yangshao was an ancient Matrilineal society that was made of village-scale clans. 

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In later centuries of Yangshao Culture, the Matrilineal system declined, while hierarchy,  slavery, Private Ownership, and Patriarchal Commune appeared. 

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  • Around 5000 BC — 3000 BC

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  • Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Hubei Provinces, the Middle Kingdom Area of China.

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Achievements:

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  • Yangshao was a further developed agricultural culture that contained millet, rice, vegetables, and livestock cultivation, with hunting and fishing activities as supplements.

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  • Painted Pottery was quite exquisite during this era. 

Unearthed Artifacts of the Yangshao Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying) 

Majiayao Culture

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Developed from the Westward of the Yangshao Culture, the Majiayao Culture officially entered the Bronze Age.

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  • Around 3300 BC — 2100 BC

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  • Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Ningxia Provinces, Northwest of China.

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Achievements:

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  • Highly Developed Painted Pottery.

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  • The earliest unearthed bronze knife in China was from the Majiayao Culture.

Unearthed Artifacts of the Majiayao Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Qijia Culture

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Developed from the Westward of the Yangshao Culture, the Qijia Culture was a Patriarchal Clan Society that had entered the Bronze Age, which evolved hierarchy, Polygamy, and Human Sacrifice.

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  • Around 2200 BC — 1600 BC

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  • Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia Provinces, Northwest of China.

Unearthed Artifacts of the Qijia Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Shijiahe Culture

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Shijiahe was a Bronze Age civilization with grand worship ceremonies, city ruins, and exquisite jade articles.

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  • Around 2800 BC — 2000 BC

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  • Hubei, Hunan, Henan Provinces, Middle-South of China.

Unearthed Jade Artifacts of the Shijiahe Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Hemudu Culture 

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Hemudu was an ancient Matrilineal society that consisted of clans.

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  • Around 5000 BC — 3300 BC

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  • Zhejiang Province, East of China.

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Achievements:

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  • Advanced Black Pottery Production.

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  • Wide Use of Stone, Bamboo, Wood, and Bone Tools.

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  • Earliest Cultivation of Rice.

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  • Stilt Style Houses.

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  • Utilization of Fabric.

Unearthed Artifacts of the Hemudu Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Liangzhu Culture

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Liangzhu was a well-developed culture with a ruling class, fancy palaces, about 3 million square meters big capital city, mature agricultural production, and an over 5000-year-old water conservancy system.

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  • Around 3300 BC — 2000 BC

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  • Zhejiang, Jiangsu Provinces, East of China.

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Achievements:

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  • Exquisite ritual jade articles, which were believed as magical objects that could connect with deities, were used in worship ceremonies and the burial of nobles.

 

They were the representative of the monotheistic religion, public power, and strict hierarchy of the Liangzhu Culture. 

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  • Unearthed delicate black pottery, fabric, ivory, and lacquer wares are concrete evidence of the mature social division of labor. 

Unearthed Artifacts of the Liangzhu Culture (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Scientific Developments of Neolithic China

 

  • The invention of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. 

 

  • Application of Terrace, which expanded cultivated farmland and decreased water and soil loss.

 

 

  • Wide utilization of Pottery, Lacquerware, and Bronze Ware. 

 

  • Invention and application of Bow and Arrow in wars. 

 

  • Wide Cultivation of Rice, Millet, Soybean, Domestication of Pig, Fermentation of Wine, etc.

Unearthed Artifacts of the Neolithic of China (Photo by Dongmaiying)

The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing)

 

Finished around 5000 years ago, the Classic of Mountains and Seas had only pictures initially.

 

The descriptive Chinese characters were added centuries later.

 

This miraculous book includes about 40 states, 550 mountains, 330 rivers, over 100 historical figures, agricultural activities, customs, and more than 400 Mythical Creatures and their legends, in addition to Creation Myths, Mythical Worlds, and Mythstical Deities. 

Magic World of the Classic of Mountains and Seas

It is a combination of reality, myth, and legend; from the description of the wondrous and fantastic world in the book, people could find many prototypes even in the current world.  

 

This book records an era of mysterious immortals and brave heroes with influential contributions.

 

The boundary between humans and celestials was quite blurring; supernaturals could come to the civilian world and help them, while excellent people could become immortals because of their outstanding accomplishments. 

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Together, they changed the world and made it a better place through their diligence, strong will, and exceptional courage.

 

This is the origin of Chinese people’s Ancestor Worship and the initial stage of Chinese culture. 

Chinese King of the Neolithic Era

Important People in the Neolithic of China

 

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