The Erlitou site is located in Erlitou Village, Yanshi, Luoyang, Henan. It was discovered in 1959. The site is about 3800-3500 years ago, which is equivalent to the Xia and Shang periods in Chinese history. It is an important site for exploring the Xia Dynasty culture in China. In 1960, archaeologists discovered a large-scale palace site on the upper level of the Erlitou site, which is the earliest palace site found in China. This discovery provides the most primitive research data for studying the emergence and characteristics of countries in early Chinese history. In 1988, it was announced as a national key cultural relics protection unit by the State Council.
The Erlitou site is divided into four phases. The first and second phases belong to stoneware, pottery workshops, and village culture; the third and fourth phases belong to bronze and palace culture. The academic circles have two views on the Erlitou site, and there is no final conclusion: one believes that the first to fourth phases of the Erlitou site are Xia Dynasty cultural relics, and the found palace is Xiadu; the other believes that the first and second phases are Xia Dynasty cultural relics. The third and fourth periods are cultural relics of the Shang Dynasty, so the found Miyagi is the capital of Shang Dynasty.
together with the later Shang and Zhou civilizations, constituted the mainstream of the formation and development of Chinese civilization, and established the basic characteristics of Chinese civilization based on ritual and music culture.
In late October, more than 70 well-known experts and scholars from the mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, the United States and other countries and regions gathered at the Erlitou site in Yanshi, Henan, the "First Capital of China", to participate in international academic seminars held here meeting. The "submission" formed at the seminar stated: "It is recommended to start the Erlitou site and the Yanshi Shixianggou shopping mall site as the Xia Shang capital site as soon as possible to jointly declare the world cultural heritage."
Over the past few years, Erlitou’s archaeological work has achieved commendable results: clearing out the actual scope of the site, finding the well-shaped streets in the middle of the site, sketching the basic skeleton of the urban layout, and discovering the Miyagi castle wall, confirming the palace The existence of the city. In addition, some new clues about the layout of the site were discovered, and some precious cultural relics including large-scale turquoise inlaid dragons were obtained.
Liu Qingzhu, director of the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the new discovery proves that this is a large-scale city that has been carefully planned and laid out. The planning identification of Erlitou City is of great benchmarking significance for exploring the origins of Chinese civilization and is for people to study. Erlitou ruins and Erlitou culture, Xia and Shang culture, early Chinese city and palace system, early Chinese civilization and the formation of the country and other topics provide a vast space.
Speaking of Erlitou, Xu Hong likes to describe it with 5 "best in China": This is the earliest dynasty capital site in China that can be confirmed so far. It is found that there are the earliest known large-scale palace complexes, the earliest palaces, In the earliest bronze ceremonial vessels and copper casting workshops, the earliest traces of rutting were also found, which pushed the age of the invention of the two-wheeled vehicle in China for more than 300 years.
"Putting the Erlitou site into the historical background before and after its appearance, it is not difficult for us to understand why every discovery of it touches people's hearts, and we have reason to believe that in this mysterious land, there will be There are more of the most unearthed in China." Xu Hong is confident about the future. "The discovery of Yin Ruins shocked the world. Erlitou, like Yin Ruins in the 20th century, will lead the study of ancient Chinese civilization in the 21st century to new glory. "
From about 3000 BC to 1500 BC, over a thousand years, drastic and turbulent social changes occurred in Chinese history. This change can be summed up in terms of civilization, nationalization or social complication. As the earliest stage of Chinese civilization, the civilization of the Xia, Shang and Wednesday dynasties was born in this period. A big watershed in this period was around 2000 BC. At this time, the various archeological cultures in the surrounding areas of the Central Plains, which have been splendid for hundreds of years, have gradually declined; for the first time in Chinese history, a core culture covering a large area appeared, that is, the Erlitou culture represented by the Erlitou site in Yanshi, Henan. In a very short period of time, it has absorbed the cultural factors of various places, and has rapidly risen based on the Central Plains culture. The Erlitou culture, together with the later Shang and Zhou civilizations, constituted the mainstream of the formation and development of the Chinese civilization, and established the basic characteristics of the Chinese civilization based on the ritual and music culture.
Erlitou was originally the name of an ordinary village on the Luoyang Plain in the hinterland of the Central Plains. Like the names of thousands of villages in China, she couldn't be more simple. But behind her, under the green wheat fields, there is a glorious history of the Chinese nation more than 3,000 years ago. This history has also been forgotten by subsequent generations for more than 3,000 years, until she joined the archaeologist 50 years ago. His vision has since been among the halls of the history of Chinese civilization and even the history of world civilization. We also know from this that, on the basis of thousands of years of prehistoric Chinese culture, the earliest "China" emerged here.
The earliest urban arterial network, the earliest central axis layout of the palace complex (the capital and the architectural representation of the royal power), the earliest bronze ritual instrument group (the beginning of the Chinese bronze civilization), the earliest bronze casting workshop, the earliest turquoise ware Workshops, the earliest evidence of the use of two-wheeled vehicles, the earliest large-scale cities with clear urban planning.
After reading these "earliest", it is difficult for me to put down the "The First China" I held in my hand. What drove me to finish reading in one breath was the desire to learn about prehistoric China, the infinite wisdom of the ancestors behind these "earliest", the self-confidence of the author's narration under a large number of physical evidence, and the feeling of clearing the fog and seeing the clear sky. . I don’t know how many Chinese people are trapped in the confusion of “knowing China now” but not knowing “prehistoric China”. I am also one of them. Entering the school, holding the “History of the country” in my hand, looking back to the tragic China, it seems clear, but also vague, written in records. History always feels that there is no such thing as a "Shang Ding Han pot", and it always feels that written records can hardly reflect the five thousand years of Chinese history. Fortunately, the traditions of "respect for filial piety" and "good tombs" have left us with a large number of historical objects, allowing us to continuously peel off the layers of historical soil and step by step to approach the "prehistoric China" infinitely. Source, to trace the ancestors who have long gone.
First of all, the capital of Erlitou in the Erlitou era was the "central state" at that time; the Luoyang Basin and even the Central Plains region where the Erlitou culture was located was the earliest "China". As the earliest "core culture" in East Asia, the rise of Erlitou culture also gives people the feeling of being born in the air and suddenly emerging. The Erlitou culture, together with the later Shang and Zhou civilizations, constituted the mainstream of the early Chinese civilization and established the basic characteristics of the Chinese civilization based on the ritual and music culture.
Secondly, the Luoyang Basin, where the capital of Erlitou is located, is "Beimangmianluo". Regardless of traffic, geographical conditions, natural climate and cultural "hybridization", they have laid a solid material foundation for the formation and development of Erlitou culture. The division of palaces, traffic arteries, and functional areas at the Erlitou site all show that the Erlitou site is a large-scale city that has been carefully planned and laid out. The Erlitou site is the earliest capital with a clear plan that can be confirmed so far, and the construction regulations of ancient Chinese capitals in later generations are in the same line. In this sense, the layout of the Erlitou site is a precedent for the ancient Chinese capital planning system.
Third, since ancient times, China has been known as the "state of etiquette", "music divides high and low, etiquette distinguishes respect and inferiority", which is an interpretation of the state of etiquette. Therefore, the ritual system is the key to understanding Chinese civilization. As the main thread, the research on wine rituals, sacrifices and wars, and rituals and musical instruments have carried out a detailed and overall interpretation. This interpretation includes not only the “royal power” and “ritual system” of the upper structure, but also the “life” of the lower structure. Industry (official handicraft industry)" and "life". Bronze, jade, etc. as ritual vessels are symbols of the status of the ruling class. The bronze ritual vessels in Erlitou are the logos of the Bronze Age in China. As the author said, "Without the Erlitou bronzes as the "ancestors", there would be no great views of the Bronze from the Tomb of the Fu Hao of Yin Ruins and the majestic domineering of the Si Mu Wu Da Fang Ding, without the prosperity and glory of the subsequent Chinese bronze civilization!"
Fourth, inclusive of all rivers, tolerance is great. The era of Erlitou has already bid farewell to the era of "states" of "small country and few people". After entering the dynasty era, the advantages of time and location have made the culture of Erlitou accepted the baptism of the impact of the four directions, and sublimated in blood and fire; At the same time, thanks to the gift of the Quartet, the integration of East, West, South and North cultural factors has achieved a high degree of development and political maturity. And the strong radiation of Erlitou culture is not so much the active and systematic transmission of information from Erlitou culture to the outside world, rather it is based on the recipients in various places as the main body and selectively absorbed.
At the same time, the book contains a large number of historical reviews on the academic exploration of Chinese archaeology, such as the "Ancient History Debate" movement in the early 20th century and the birth of Chinese archaeology, the excavation of Yin Ruins in the 1930s, and the discovery of Zhengzhou City in the 1950s. , And the discovery and excavation of Erlitou site in the past half century. From a certain perspective, these archaeological histories and even this book are marks of the Chinese nation's self-exploration.
In short, with his passionate words and wonderful realistic photos, Researcher Xu Hong brought us into the fascinating Erlitou huge city, the exciting earliest "China", and then opened the door. That collective memory that the Chinese nation should not forget.
