SCIO press conference on strengthening heritage conservation to carry forward Chinese civilization
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E-mail China.org.cn, August 11, 2023
Xing Huina:
Due to time constraints, the last question, please.
CNR News:
Having just discussed the advancements of the Archaeology China program, I would also like to inquire about the progress of the project on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization, which has now entered its fifth stage. Could you kindly provide an overview of the project's primary aims and relevant progress at this fifth stage? Thank you.
Li Qun:
Certainly, I will answer your question. The full title of the project on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization you just mentioned is the Comprehensive Study of the Origin and Early Development of Chinese Civilization. It was initiated in 2001 and has now entered its fifth stage. Centered on Chinese history, with particular emphasis on the origin of Chinese civilization, this project is a nationally supported undertaking that involves interdisciplinary collaboration. The project entered the fifth stage of research and commenced in December 2020. At this stage, the project continues to employ a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach. The current research team comprises over 500 researchers from 29 scientific research institutions nationwide. The project focuses on eight subjects and will be advanced as a whole. Over the past two years, progress has been made in the following five aspects.
First, new progress has been made in field archaeology concerning core sites. The earliest prehistoric urban site in the lower reach of the Yellow River region has been uncovered in the Jiaojia ruins in Shandong province. It dates back over 5,000 years. A large-scale building complex consisting of nine stylobates has been found at the No.1 site of the Niuheliang ruins. The "goddess temple" discovered earlier at the Niuheliang ruins also sits on a group of stylobates, marking an important archaeological discovery. Stone carved decorations on the corners of large buildings and tombs arranged in rows have been uncovered at the Shimao ruins in Shaanxi province. A method of land utilization that combines ponds and terraces has been discovered at the Shijiahe and Chenghe ruins in Hubei province. The Baodun ruins in Sichuan province demonstrate a settlement pattern where dwelling areas are surrounded by farmlands, dating back 4,500 years. The multi-grid layout of a capital city has been discovered at the Erlitou ruins in Henan province. Six sacrificial pits have been newly unearthed in the moats of the sacrificial area at the Sanxingdui ruins in Sichuan province, with over 12,000 artifacts uncovered. These discoveries collectively represent the new progress that has been made in the field of field archaeology.
Second, breakthroughs have been made in dating methods. The research team utilized the carbon-14 dating to determine the age of the white lime at the F6 site of the Shimao ruins in Shaanxi province, filling a gap in dating techniques for white lime remines in China. Major breakthroughs have also been made in dating techniques, and lime testing has proved that ancient people could also use lime. At the same time, researchers adopted Bayesian statistics and Kernel Density Estimation to comprehensively analyze dating results, providing fresh insights by exploring the critical time of major ruins. This has led to each historical period becoming more accurate and precise. In particular, a breakthrough has been made in dating the sacrificial pits of the Sanxingdui ruins. Most of the dating data range from 1131 B.C. to 1012 B.C. The ages for pits No.3, No.4, No.7, and No.9 are the same, generally placing them within the late Shang dynasty.
Third, the reconstruction of the ancient environment has been conducted in a refined way. Research on the ancient environment has further revealed the basic features of the prehistoric environment and the influence of major environmental events on the progress of civilization. A comprehensive study and analysis have been carried out concerning the impact of major environmental incidents on the development of regional culture. This includes the seismic activity dating back 5,300 years at the Shuanghuaishu ruins in Henan province, the large-scale floods in the lower reach of the Yangtze River dating from 4,600 to 4,300 years ago, the cold and dry climate around 4,200 years ago that led to the spread of rice-cultivating agriculture at a faster speed to the western region, and the increases in precipitation in the western region dating back 5,200, 3,800, and 2,800 years ago. This research has primarily revealed the role of the natural environment in influencing the origin and early development of Chinese civilization.
Fourth, research on the subsistence economy in ancient times has advanced. The research findings have shown that the specialized and large-scale development of the handicraft economy is a common feature in the formation of complex societies across all regions. First, the cross-regional integration of resources and technologies was important in forming complex societies across a wider region, from the Longshan culture to Erlitou culture. The Taosi ruins in Shanxi province, dating back 4,300 years, had primarily been able to access social resources across regions. People living at the Erlitou ruins, dating back to the Xia dynasty, had strengthened the control and management of jade, metals, and special pottery in different regions. Second, the Central Plains region demonstrated a distinct mixed agricultural production system, with foxtail millet as the major crop and broomcorn millet, soybeans, and rice as supplements. Third, the development of rice-cultivating agriculture was the major reason behind the formation of a complex society and regional differences in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Different models of rice-cultivating agriculture also coexisted with early complex social structures.
Fifth, the research on archaeological theories has continued to advance. The research team of the project on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization – through archaeological excavation and in combination with the records of ancient histories – has developed theories on civilization and presented a comprehensive description of the formation process of Chinese civilization. The research group has analyzed the exchanges and interactions between Chinese and foreign civilizations from a global perspective and furthered research on important theories. These include the "regional systems and cultural types" model, the "Multi-Petaled Flower" model (which views the Central Plains as the center of the flower and cultural traditions in surrounding areas as layers of petals), and the "Chinese interaction sphere" model. This work has expanded the understanding of the development process of Chinese civilization's pluralistic and integrated pattern.
Next, we will further the research in the project on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization and utilize more archaeological findings to provide additional concrete evidence. This will support the five prominent attributes of Chinese civilization put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping, namely, continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peace. Thank you.
Xing Huina:
Today's briefing is hereby concluded. Thanks to all the speakers and friends from the media. Goodbye, everyone.
Translated and edited by Zhang Rui, Zhang Junmian, Cui Can, Liu Sitong, Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Wei, Zhang Jiaqi, Li Xiao, Yan Bin, Liu Qiang, Liu Caiyi, Huang Shan, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, David Ball, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
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