Analysis:
1. A breakthrough in archaeological research in the late Neolithic period in Jinnan area
The Neolithic archaeology in southern Shanxi began with the archaeological investigation of Fenhe River basin in Li Ji 1926 and the archaeological excavation of Yin Xi Village site in Xia County. After the founding of New China, many large-scale archaeological investigations and key excavations were carried out in southern Shanxi. By 1976, the archaeological chronology of Yangshao culture, Miaodigou Phase II culture, Longshan culture (Longshan culture in Henan Province) and Erlitou culture was roughly established. After 1977, the major breakthrough in archaeological research in the late Neolithic period in southern Shanxi was mainly the major achievements made by the Institute of Archaeology of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and other units in the process of excavating Xia culture in southern Shanxi.
Taosi site covers an area of about 4 million square meters, and the area preserved before excavation is 3 million square meters, which is the largest site discovered in China about 4,000 years ago. During the first excavation from 1978 to 1985, more than 300 tombs were discovered from 4550 to 3950, among which the funerary objects of six tombs included drums, earthen drums, special green, knives, painted pottery and colorful dragon Tao Pan. Among the found architectural remains, there is a large area of white-gray wall skin geometric pattern, which embodies the architectural characteristics of "kingly way". It is also found that there are relics of the "intellectual class" with the flavor of the new era, such as copper clocks, writing brushes, calligraphy and so on. The research also shows that the Taosi culture represented by Taosi ruins can be divided into three stages: early stage, middle stage and late stage, which are mainly distributed in Linfen area in the south of Shanxi. Cultural features are not only the characteristics of the Central Plains and the northern regions, but also the factors of Haidai region and the area around Taihu Lake.
These excavations at Taosi site are unprecedented. This discovery is of great significance to the exploration of the origin of ancient civilization in China, which has aroused the general concern of researchers. Among them, Gao Wei, Gao Tianlin, Zhang Daihai and others think that the early stage of Taosi culture was slightly earlier than Xia Dynasty, and it may be in the stage of military democracy at that time, but it may have broken through the shell of clan system and entered the class society. A country (or the embryonic form of a country) has emerged, in which "the adults take the ceremony as the ceremony, and the Guo Cheng ditch pool takes the ceremony as the solid" (The Book of Rites). They also speculated that the Taosi site and cemetery were probably the remains of the Xia people or another tribe adjacent to the Xia people's residence. On the other hand, from the analysis of ancient documents and the excavation of Taosi site, CoCo Lee put forward the view that Taosi site may be the remains of Yao and Shun times. On the other hand, Su Yu 1985 and 165438 pointed out at the "Jin Culture Research Association" held in Houma on June 7, 2008: Taosi is a new star, a chime, a drum, a dragon plate painted with Zhu, a complete set of black lacquered woodwork and knives. It is formed by the cultural collision between the north and the central plains, and it is a society. Later, on June 165438+ 10/4 and June 15, it was pointed out that Taosi site is an ancient city, and its level of social development is incomparable with other sites at the same time in China.
These expositions show that the excavation of Taosi site has raised issues such as the origin of the country, the remains of Xia people in southern Shanxi, the historical facts of Yao and Shun period, and the ancient country 4,000 years ago, which greatly promoted the study of the origin of Chinese civilization.
2. A preliminary understanding of the role of Liangzhu culture in the origin of Chinese civilization around Taihu Lake.
Liangzhu culture is mainly distributed in Taihu Lake area and its southern Hangjiahu area. It was first discovered at 1934 Qianshanyang site in Xing Wu, Zhejiang Province, and the Liangzhu site in Yuhang was first discovered at 1936, which has always been regarded as a representative cultural relic of Longshan culture in Hangzhou Bay area in the early 1950s. At the end of 1950s, Qianshanyang site was excavated and named Liangzhu culture. By 1977, its age was about 4,000 years ago to 5,300 years ago. Because archaeological excavations have not found important relics and precious cultural relics, it has always been considered that the primitive culture around Taihu Lake lags behind the Central Plains. 1973, the remains of primitive rice culture, which had been preliminarily developed about 6500 years ago, were discovered at Hemudu site in Yuyao, south bank of Hangzhou Bay, and this view was gradually changed. The reason why researchers realize the important role of Liangzhu culture in the study of the origin of Chinese civilization is mainly because of the extremely exquisite Liangzhu cultural jade and mound cemetery found in Liangzhu cultural tombs.
Jade articles unearthed from Liangzhu cultural tombs, especially jade cong with animal face patterns, were first discovered in 1973 during the excavation of Liangzhu cultural tombs at Caoxieshan site in Wuxian County, Jiangsu Province, and this phenomenon was confirmed in the excavation of Liangzhu cultural tombs in Zhangling Mountain in Wuxian County in spring and summer of 1977. Therefore, at the "Symposium on Neolithic Culture in the Lower Yangtze River" held in Nanjing from 19771October 8 to 171October 8, the participants clearly put forward the view that Liangzhu culture appeared private ownership and was on the eve of civilization. For example, Wang Zunguo, a representative of Nanjing Museum, thinks that the colorful jade articles in Liangzhu culture, especially the jade ritual vessels, are the distinctive features of Liangzhu culture, and puts forward that Liangzhu culture is just on the eve of civilization. Wu Ruzuo believes that people who can appreciate this kind of jade cong have a special position in society, which reflects that class society is rising or on the eve. Mou Yongkang and Wei believe that these developed agricultural tribes of Liangzhu culture have raised silkworms, produced silk and linen fabrics and quite advanced bamboo weaving technology, and produced a large number of exquisite jade articles, especially large jade cong and jade bi, which shows that the Jiangnan area at that time has become one of the more advanced areas in China in the Neolithic Age. In the development of primitive civilization of Liangzhu culture, we seem to hear the footsteps of private ownership approaching.
These findings and research knowledge guide researchers to further explore the tombs and tombs of Liangzhu culture. From 1978 to 1985, the tombs of Wujin Temple Wharf in Jiangsu, Zhuodun in Kunshan, Shaoqingshan, Shandong Mountain in Zhang Ling, Wuxian, Fuquan Mountain in Qingpu, Shanghai, and Qianjin Corner in Haining, Xubu Bridge, Qiu Ping Wharf in Pinghu, Wujiabu in Yuhang, Sanguandun in Haining, Zhejiang and Gaojialing were excavated successively. Among them, the discovery of Liangzhu cultural tombs in Wujin Temple and the deepening of its understanding, and the comprehensive exposure of Liangzhu cultural mound tombs in Fuquan Mountain in Qingpu are two important achievements in the study of Liangzhu culture in this period.
Wujin Sidun Cemetery was excavated at 1978, 1979 and 1982 respectively, and three tombs were found continuously. Tomb No.3 is the largest tomb, and its owner is a young man of about 20 years old. More than 65,438,000 pieces of pottery, stone and jade were buried, among which jade ritual vessels were featured. 33 jade cong, placed around human bones; 24 jade jade articles, placed on the human skeleton or behind the front foot. Excavator Wang Zunguo and others, combined with Zhou Li's description of the use of jade cong and jade bi, think that this is a prehistoric jade burial, and Sidun cemetery is the cemetery of clan dignitaries and their families in Liangzhu culture; Based on the analysis of animal face patterns on jade articles and gluttonous patterns on bronzes in Shang Dynasty, it is pointed out that Liangzhu culture is one of the origins of ancient civilization in China. Wang Zunguo further analyzed the characteristics of tombs and jade carving in Liangzhu culture, and further believed that Liangzhu culture has a group of jade workers who master skilled technology and specialize in jade carving. Jade carving, like pottery making, has become an independent production department, and the society at that time is about to leap into the threshold of civilized times. These understandings were groundbreaking at that time and had an important impact on later research.
1982, a tomb of Liangzhu culture was excavated at Fuquanshan site in Qingpu, and 1 19 funerary objects were unearthed, including a batch of jade and stone tools, such as jade bi, jade cong, jade bracelet and jade guest house. 1983 to 1984, a large-scale excavation of Fuquanshan site was carried out. This excavation not only found a number of Liangzhu cultural tombs and a number of exquisite jade and pottery remains, but more importantly, it made clear that Fuquan Mountain, a Liangzhu cultural cemetery on a mound, was a high-platform cemetery artificially built at that time, with a scale of about 84 meters long and 74 meters wide. This understanding is of great significance to the study of Liangzhu culture, which makes researchers suddenly understand that finding and studying the tombs of Liangzhu culture should be comprehensively investigated with the site form where the tombs are located. Some tutai sites in Liangzhu culture period may be mostly aristocratic cemeteries in Liangzhu culture period. Inspired by this, researchers later discovered a number of high-platform cemeteries of Liangzhu culture (some are altar cemeteries) in southern Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang.
The excavation and formation of Liangzhu cultural cemeteries such as Sidun in Wujin and Fuquan Mountain in Qingpu have made a major breakthrough in the study of Liangzhu culture, prompting researchers to pay attention to the role of Liangzhu culture in the origin of Chinese civilization in Taihu Lake. When Xia Nai discussed the origin of Chinese civilization in 1983, he thought that Liangzhu culture was one of the prehistoric cultures that had the closest relationship with the origin of Chinese civilization, and the jade wares such as jade bi and jade cong in Liangzhu culture were important clues to explore the origin of Chinese civilization. Su held that "Liangzhu culture is a shining social entity in the history of ancient civilization in China" at the "Symposium on Paleofauna, Paleoanthropology and Ancient Culture in Taihu Basin" on June 5438+0984+065438+ 10/7. And further put forward: "Although the dawn history of our ancient civilization with a history of 5,000 years is still' if bright, if dark', it is no longer a myth of nothingness."
In the archaeological research of China, the topic of "5,000-year-old civilization" was put forward because of the discovery and in-depth understanding of the high-platform cemeteries of Liangzhu culture such as Sidun in Wujin and Fuquan Mountain in Qingpu.
3. Discovery and research of prehistoric city sites
The study of prehistoric city sites was carried out because of the discovery of the city site in the late Longshan culture in Wang Chenggang, Dengfeng, Henan. By 1985, the prehistoric city sites discovered were not only the Wang Chenggang city site in Dengfeng, but also Pingliangtai in Huaiyang, Henan Province and the border king in Shouguang, Shandong Province, all of which were made of earth. More than 0/0 stone wall settlements such as Ashan, Xiyuan, Shamujia, Heimaban, Tumd Right Banner, Wei Jun, Liangcheng Tiger Mountain, Xibaiyu, Bancheng and Damiaopo were found in central and southern Inner Mongolia. Among them, Wang Chenggang, Pingliangtai and Bianwang are relatively standardized in shape, and they are located in and near the Central Plains where Neolithic culture is developed, which attracts more attention from researchers.
There are two parallel cities, east and west. Each city covers an area of about 65,438+0,000 square meters and was built around 4,300 years ago. The plane of Dongcheng may be square, and most of the city walls have been washed away by the river. The remaining south wall is about 30 meters long in the west and 65 meters long in the west. The south wall intersects the west wall vertically. Xicheng may have been built after the destruction of Dongcheng, and it is also square. The west wall of Dongcheng is the east wall of Xicheng; The south wall is 82.4 meters long; The western wall is about 92 meters long. The wall base notch is 4.4m wide and 2m deep; There is a gap about 10 m wide on the east side of the south wall and the south end of the east wall, which may be the remains of the south gate of Xicheng. The existing foundation pit is laid under the wall foundation.
The Pingliangtai ancient city in Huaiyang was discovered in 1979, with a square plane and an area of about 34,000 square meters, 4300 years ago. The residual height of the city wall is more than 3 meters, the top width is 8 to 10 meter, and the bottom width is about 13 meter. It is built with small plates. A city gate was found between the north and south city walls. There are east and west guard rooms at the south gate, and there is a drainage pipe under the door. There is a moat outside the city wall. More than 65,438+00 long rectangular row buildings have been found in the city, including plane buildings and high-rise buildings. Adobe buildings are widely used. A piece of copper slag was also found in the city.
The site of Wangcheng on Shouguang Border was discovered in 1984 and excavated in 1986, and it was confirmed as the inner and outer city site. First, build a small town, which is square, with an area of about 1 1,000 square meters, and has four doors, east, west, north and south. The big city covers an area of more than 57,000 square meters and has four gates. The city wall has been tamped down. Many cornerstone remains were found in Dacheng foundation trench.
The discovery of these city sites 4,000 years ago has given the academic community a new understanding of the social form more than 4,000 years ago. Among them, the discovery and research of Wang Chenggang site have the greatest influence. Bao Huai, who presided over the excavation of the city site, demonstrated that the city site was Yangcheng in the summer, and also pointed out: "The Xia Dynasty was the first slave state power in the history of China. The emergence of castles is an important symbol of entering a civilized society. " "Wang Chenggang Castle Site is one of the earliest urban sites in the current discovery era. It marks the middle and late period of Longshan culture type in western Henan, and the society entered the era of slavery. " The formation of these understandings based on archaeological discoveries and research indicates that the research on the origin of the Central Plains civilization in China has entered a substantive exploration stage.
In addition, in 1983, a "palace" building with an area of more than 290 square meters in the late Yangshao culture was discovered in the Dadiwan site in Qin 'an, Gansu Province, which triggered subsequent thinking on the central settlement site in the late Yangshao culture.
4. New discoveries and research progress of Hongshan Culture in western Liaoning.
Prehistoric archaeology in western Liaoning began in the 1920s. 1930, Liang Siyong inspected the Hongshan site in Chifeng. 1935, Japanese scholar Hamada cultivated and found the remains of Hongshan Culture behind Hongshan. Yin Da was named Hongshan Culture. In the early 1960s, Liu Guanmin, Xu Guangji and others from the Inner Mongolia Team of the Institute of Archaeology of China Academy of Sciences began a systematic study of the Xiliao River Basin, and gradually made clear the cultural characteristics and relationships of Hongshan Culture, Fuhe culture, Xiajiadian lower culture and Xiajiadian upper culture in this area. 1979, a sacrificial site for Hongshan Culture was found in Dongshanzui, Kazuo, Liaoning Province, and pottery figurines such as pregnant women, jade ornaments of dragon heads and turquoise ornaments were unearthed. It began to be clear that Yulong discovered in Sanxingtala Village, Wengniute Banner, Inner Mongolia in 1976 and the jade tombs excavated in Hutougou, Fuxin, Liaoning Province in 1973 all belonged to 5000 years ago. 198 1 year, Sun Shoudao and Guo Dashun discussed the primitive civilization and the origin of dragons in the Liaohe River basin and got to know Hongshan Culture again. They believe: "There are many factors contributing to the arrival of civilization, such as the development of agriculture and irrigation, the formation of castles and cities, the emergence of figures, the emergence of classes and countries. The origin of dragons is not only based on the development of primitive agriculture, but also related to the astronomical phenomena related to farming. It is also the product of primitive religious beliefs, primitive ideology and primitive culture and art. It can be said that it is the crystallization of various civilized factors. " "With the appearance of the dragon image in Hongshan Culture as a symbol, we saw the dawn of civilization in this area at the historical source of the Liaohe River Basin more than 5,000 years ago."
This understanding links Hongshan Culture's research with the discussion on the origin of Chinese civilization, and opens up a new channel for the study of the origin of Chinese civilization. After fully exposing the late sacrificial site of Hongshan Culture in Dongshanzui on 1982, they incorporated the study of primitive culture in Xiliaohe region into the series of explorations on the theory of archaeological cultural types since 198 1 and the study on the cultural structure of the North and South Great Wall in Yanshan, and discovered the late Hongshan Culture in Niuheliang at the junction of Jianping County, Lingyuan, Liaoning Province on 1983.
Dongshanzui Hongshan Culture Sacrificial Site is made of stone, covering an area of about 2,400 square meters. Buildings are distributed along the central axis and wings. To the north of the central axis is a square altar (possibly a stone pier), with a length of 1 1.8m from east to west and a width of 9.5m from north to south. To the south is a circular altar with a diameter of about 2.5 meters.
Niuheliang is located in the northwest of Dongshanzui, about 50 kilometers apart. It consists of more than 10 stone piers and a sacrificial building site. Many female statues have been found in the ruins of sacrificial buildings, the largest of which is about three times that of real people; Life-size head, red cheeks and lips, light blue round jade tablets embedded in the eye socket. In this architectural site, a kind of wall skin decorated with painted patterns was also found, which was called "Goddess Temple". Stone piers are distributed on the hills near the ruins of sacrificial buildings, and there are several stone piers in some places. At 1985, Niuheliang No.2 site was excavated. Among the stone piles with a length of 1 10, a row of four stone piles, some square and some round, were found. Some have a central tomb, and several or even more than 20 tombs are in a stone pier. Many beautifully made jade articles, such as Jade Pig Dragon and Yuhuan, were unearthed in the tomb. Individual large stone piers are 60m in diameter and 16m in height. After 1985, gravel excavation was carried out in many places.
The discovery of large-scale sacrificial buildings and stone piers in Hongshan Culture in Dongshanzui and Niuheliang provides a lot of brand-new materials for the study of Hongshan Culture, which urges researchers to rethink the origin history of Chinese civilization and the ancient history of China. 1985 10. On the basis of these important discoveries, Su raised the question of ancient cultural cities in western Liaoning. At that time, the main purpose of his topic "Ancient Culture and Ancient Country in Western Liaoning" was to reveal the origin and concrete process of China culture, Chinese nation and China scholars, although it still revolved around the main line of academic research he formed in the early 1980s. The related theories formed when he put forward the topic of ancient ancient culture in western Liaoning advanced the history of Chinese civilization by 1000 years for his later study on the origin of Chinese civilization and the discovery of Hongshan Culture in western Liaoning.