Research Articles

 

Historical Studies (Chinese Edition)

No.1, 2018

 

Xia Dynasty Archaeological Culture from the Perspective of “Mid-Period Qualitative Change” (Abstract)

 

Bi Jingwei

 

Changes in archaeological culture are gradual while dynastic change tends to be abrupt, giving rise to a marked temporal dislocation between the two. The archaeological culture of the early period of a new dynasty is generally basically the same as that of the late period of a previous dynasty; it does not develop its own characteristics until midway through the dynasty. This phenomenon can also be found in prehistoric and protohistoric dynastic or clan succession. The archaeological culture of the early Xia belongs to late Henan Longshan culture; its middle period belongs to Xinzhai culture; and its late period is from Phases I and II of Erlitou culture. The dividing line between Xia and Shang culture comes at the transition to Phases III and IV of Erlitou culture. The main factors influencing the speed of the change from the old to the new culture are the demographic, economic, technological and mental differences between the survivors of the former dynasty and the new regime and its clans, with its new ruling strategy. Archaeological culture did not generally change immediately upon the change of dynasties, but cultural change could be swift. The dividing line between the old dynasty and the new does not generally coincide with the change from the old to the new archaeological culture, but is likely to occur at the juncture of two periods or phases of the old archaeological culture. The organic samples previously used for dating prehistoric clan changes are in fact the remains of changeovers that were completed at least a hundred years later.