The Chinese for \u2018Chinese civilization\u2019 is \u534e\u590f\u6587\u660e (<\/span>hu\u00e1<\/span> xi\u00e0 <\/span>w\u00e9n<\/span> m\u00edng).\u00a0<\/span>\u6587\u660e is civilization, but \u534e\u590f (<\/span>hu\u00e1<\/span> xi\u00e0)<\/span> comes from the original name for China and refers specifically to the Han Chinese. The \u534e character means \u2018magnificent\u2019 and often referred to the clothes of the Chinese people. \u590f meant \u2018grand\u2019 and signified <\/span>ceremonial etiquette in China.<\/span><\/p>\n As China entered the Neolithic period, different societies were emerging along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers <\/span>\u6c5f\u6cb3<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>ji\u0101ng<\/span> h\u00e9)<\/span>. The people who lived in China during the Neolithic period around 5000-7000 years ago, built villages surrounded by trenches to protect the people from being attacked. The made highly decorated pottery, and tools for farming. <\/span><\/p>\n One such example is the Banpo Village <\/span>\u534a\u5761\u6751<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>b\u00e0n<\/span> p\u014d<\/span> c\u016bn)<\/span> \u00a0found near Xi\u2019an <\/span>\u897f\u5b89<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>x\u012b<\/span> \u0101n)<\/span>, which can be dated back to <\/span>4500 – 3750 BCE. These people were known as the YangShao <\/span>\u4ef0\u97f6\u6587\u5316<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>y\u01ceng<\/span> sh\u00e1o <\/span>w\u00e9n hu\u00e0<\/span>)<\/span> and from studying tombs, evidence of a hierarchical society can be found. Based on these discoveries, the YangShao appear to have been a matriarchal society, with <\/span>\u8d70\u5a5a<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>z\u01d2u <\/span>h\u016bn<\/span>) <\/span>\u2018walking marriages\u2019, of which there is <\/span>only one surviving society like this in China today<\/span><\/a>. Women were said to be the link between the people and the spirit world and acted as shamans.<\/span><\/p>\n In the east of China, in modern-day Shandong Province <\/span>\u5c71\u4e1c<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>sh\u0101n<\/span> d\u014dng)<\/span>, the LongShan community <\/span>\u9f99\u5c71\u6587\u5316<\/span><\/a> (l\u00f3ng sh\u0101n w\u00e9n hu\u00e0) appears on the lower end of the Yellow River <\/span>\u9ec4\u6cb3<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>hu\u00e1ng<\/span> h\u00e9)<\/span>. Pottery from this region is very different from the Yangshao pottery that was dense, and elaborately decorated. The Longshan were known for black and undecorated pots, yet manufactured using a more sophisticated method than the Yangshao. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According\u00a0to archaeological finds, pots made by the LongShan culture are found amongst the Yangshao and eventually all over northern China, suggesting that this one culture, the LongShan, begin to dominate the whole of the northern plains.<\/span><\/p>\n In the south, at the mouth of the Yangtze River <\/span>\u957f\u6c5f<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>ch\u00e1ng<\/span> ji\u0101ng)<\/span>, where modern-day Shanghai exists, another society named the Liangzhu culture <\/span>\u826f\u6e1a\u6587\u5316<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>li\u00e1ng<\/span> zh\u01d4<\/span> w\u00e9n <\/span>hu\u00e0)<\/span> are creating elaborate pottery and it is within this culture that the earliest form of Chinese \u2018characters\u2019 are found. These marks are \u2018ancestors\u2019 of the written Chinese language that will eventually be used in China. <\/span><\/p>\n Image Source<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n The emergence of bronze in China, around 4000 years ago, created another transitional period and introduced more powerful tools, beautiful jewellery and spiritual items and weapons. <\/span><\/p>\n It is at this point that the Xia appear as the first Chinese dynasty and Chinese civilization is first recorded. There are no written documents from the Xia dynasty, although there are many from the next dynasty, the Shang <\/span>\u5546\u671d<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>sh\u0101ng<\/span> ch\u00e1o)<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n Archaeological discoveries show many distinguishing features of the Xia period including the emergence of palaces and large buildings. Most ordinary people, however, would continue to live in the more basic buildings, whilst these \u2018palaces\u2019 were kept for the \u2018high-born\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n It is at this time that there is a surplus of grain, and so some people are able to undertake other tasks that are not farming. Some become craftsmen, warriors, political or spiritual leaders. Buildings were specially built for public spiritual performances and leaders were able to build up their political acumen within society. Spirits of nature and also of the dead ancestors or the current political rulers came to be divine powers. Public sacrifices were probably performed to please these ancestors. This system is said to have been established in the society of Erlitou <\/span>\u4e8c\u91cc\u5934<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>\u00e8r<\/span> l\u01d0<\/span> tou)<\/span>, found in Henan province <\/span>\u6cb3\u5357<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>h\u00e9<\/span> n\u00e1n)<\/span>, where elaborate palaces have been found. <\/span><\/p>\n Little was known about the beginnings of the Xia dynasty, and until archaeological evidence was found in the 1960s, Yu the Great and the Xia dynasty, was mostly legend. <\/span><\/p>\n According to mythology<\/a>, Huangdi <\/span>\u9ec4\u5e1d<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>hu\u00e1ng<\/span> d\u00ec)<\/span> and Yandi<\/span> \u708e\u5e1d<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>y\u00e1n<\/span> d\u00ec)<\/span> were chieftains of the tribes along the Yellow River around 5000-4000 BCE. Many inventions have been attributed to each, including medicine and agriculture to Yandi and Huangdi, vehicles and building skills. Huangdi is also said to have \u2018requested\u2019 the <\/span>creation of Chinese characters<\/span><\/a>, the calendar and arithmetic. <\/span><\/p>\n Many Han Chinese people still refer to themselves as being descendants of Huangdi and Yandi or <\/span>\u708e\u9ec4\u5b50\u5b59<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>y\u00e1n<\/span> hu\u00e1ng<\/span> z\u01d0 <\/span>s\u016bn)<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n The discoveries of tombs and communities dating back from the Neolithic period\u00a0turned these myths into reality. Primitive characters were found etched on bone objects, and village planning showed knowledge of mathematics. Pot kettles shaped like ships were found at Banpo suggesting knowledge of shipbuilding. <\/span><\/p>\n These tribes expanded east along the Yellow River and soon defeated the Chiyou tribe. These three tribes, Huangdi, Yandi and Chiyou were eventually combined to become the first Chinese civilization. <\/span><\/p>\n After Huangdi and Yandi, came Yao <\/span>\u5c27<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>y\u00e1o)<\/span>, Shun <\/span>\u821c<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>sh\u00f9n)<\/span> and finally Yu <\/span>\u79b9<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>y\u01d4)<\/span>, who were leaders of the Yellow River tribes. Floods were rampant during the period, and Yu had his people dredge the river and created an irrigation system to prevent further flooding. <\/span><\/p>\n Image Source<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Yu setup nine districts of China and named the capital Yangcheng <\/span>\u9633\u57ce<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>y\u00e1ng<\/span> ch\u00e9ng)<\/span> (today\u2019s Dengfeng <\/span>\u767b\u5c01<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>d\u0113ng<\/span> f\u0113ng)<\/span>), as well as building roads, creating lakes and removing mountains. This helped break down divisions between the numerous tribes and unify them as the Chinese civilization known as the Xia dynasty.<\/span><\/p>\n It was also at this time, that the line of ruling succession was changed. Originally, succession was based on the abdication of the ruler, to allow another tribesman to take over. However, there are several stories that suggest Qi <\/span>\u5553<\/b><\/a> (<\/span>q\u01d0<\/span>)<\/span>, son of Yu fought king <\/span>\u76ca<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>y\u00ec)<\/span> of the<\/span> Dongyi tribe <\/span>\u4e1c\u5937<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>d\u014dng<\/span> y\u00ed)<\/span> and became the new king. In other stories, the people disliked <\/span>\u76ca (<\/span>y\u00ec)<\/span> and elected <\/span>\u5553<\/b> (<\/span>q\u01d0<\/span>)<\/span> who subsequently fought and beat the Dongyi. This established the hereditary line of succession that continued in many dynasties after.<\/span><\/p>\n Although the Xia dynasty lasted for over 400 years, the final Xia ruler was a tyrant\u00a0and was eventually overthrown by Tang, the leader of the Shang tribe. The Shang dynasty also lasted for many centuries, and this is where we first see the\u00a0documented history of ancient Chinese civilization. <\/span><\/p>\n Resources:<\/p>\n From Yao to Mao: 5000 Years of Chinese History – The Great Courses Audiobook<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n China’s History (Sinopedia Series) – Dawei Cao<\/span><\/a><\/p>\nBefore Chinese Civilization<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writtenchinese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/neolithic-period-in-china.jpg?resize=546%2C459&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writtenchinese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Yangshao-pottery.jpg?resize=360%2C290&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nBanpo Village and the Yangshao<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writtenchinese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Banpo-Xian-\u534a\u5761\u6587\u5316.jpg?resize=900%2C607&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nLongshan and Liangzhu Cultures<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writtenchinese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Liangzhu-jade.jpg?resize=450%2C372&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nThe Xia Dynasty<\/h2>\n
The Mythology of the Xia Dynasty<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writtenchinese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Yu-the-Great_\u5927\u79b9.png?resize=900%2C597&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nYu the Great<\/h2>\n