Overview
This lecture explores the prehistoric origins of Chinese civilization, focusing on the transition from Paleolithic hunter-gatherers to the early stages of plant and animal domestication, and sets the stage for the rise of Neolithic communities.
Imperial China and Its Predecessors
- Beijing has served as China's capital during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
- The Forbidden City and the Summer Palace were key imperial residences.
- Chinese emperors claimed legitimacy through the Mandate of Heaven.
- The imperial system, lasting over 2,000 years, ended with the 1911 Xinhai Revolution.
- Modern knowledge often focuses on China's rulers and monumental architecture.
Early Chinese Civilization and the Archaeological Record
- Chinese civilization predates the first imperial dynasty by over a millennium.
- Early complex societies emerged before written records, known mainly through archaeology.
- Chinese myth credits legendary figures and early dynasties with foundational roles.
- The transfer of power from the (semi-mythical) Xia to Shang dynasty set the precedent for dynastic succession.
Paleolithic China: Environment and Hunter-Gatherers
- Around 20,000 BCE, much of China was cold and arid during the last glacial maximum.
- Hunter-gatherer societies were mobile, using flaked stone tools and tailoring clothing.
- Sites like Shui Donggou and Longgu show artistic expression and early trade.
- Social structures were likely egalitarian.
Regional Variation: North and South
- Northern China: Microblade tools adapted to harsh environments, diverse animal hunting, and emerging plant processing (grindstones for wild seeds and nuts).
- Southern China: Cave sites reveal broad diets and the world's earliest pottery (as early as 18,000 BCE), likely used for cooking and special occasions.
Climate Change and Early Sedentarism
- Post-glacial warming expanded wild rice in the south and edible grasses in the north.
- The "collector’s strategy" emerged: longer occupation of sites, more use of pottery, and formalized burials.
- Polished stone tools began to be used, reflecting more woodworking for building.
Domestication and Permanent Settlements
- Evidence of millet domestication appears at Nanchuangtou (9500-9000 BCE).
- Earliest domesticated dogs found in China from this period.
- Shangshan in the south, dating 9400-6600 BCE, is considered China’s first village, with potential rice domestication.
- Pottery became more common, sometimes used for boiling with heated stones.
End of the Paleolithic and Transition to Neolithic
- By 7000 BCE, settlements were larger and more permanent, but hunting and gathering remained dominant.
- Social structures remained simple, with no clear elite.
- The Neolithic period, marked by true agriculture and complex villages, was about to begin.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Mandate of Heaven — the divine right claimed by Chinese emperors to rule.
- Paleolithic — the early Stone Age marked by hunter-gatherer societies and stone tool use.
- Microblade — small, sharp stone tools used for composite weapons.
- Domestication — selective breeding of plants and animals for human use.
- Neolithic — "New Stone Age," characterized by farming and permanent settlements.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the emergence of Neolithic cultures in the Yellow and Yangtze river valleys for the next lecture.