Zhōu Yuán Culture and the Western Zhou Civilization

Author: Yin Shengping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: This book combines archaeological findings with historical documents to elaborate on the fundamental historical facts of the early Ji surname Zhou clan and the Western Zhou Dynasty's cultural and historical development in eight chapters. From the Lantian Ape Man to the Luliang Man, Shaanxi Province has undergone a long journey of over a million years, transitioning from the Stone Age to the Neolithic Age. Through the lower cultural layer of Baimaoling in Baoji during the Yangshao Culture period, the Banpo Culture in Xi'an, and the Miaodigou Culture, it reached the peak of the barbarian era. During the Longshan Culture stage in Shaanxi, it entered the era of civilization, giving rise to the earliest ancient ethnic groups. Among these, the early Zhou clan, originating from the Quishui River basin in western Guanzhong, was one of the ancient tribes. The founding ancestor of the early Zhou clan during the Xia Dynasty, Qi, began serving as the agricultural minister of the Xia Dynasty and was known as Houji. His descendants passed down this legacy for generations, with approximately ten to twelve generations of Houji. The last Houji, Buzhu, fled the wars between Shang and Xia, escaping to the Rongdi region through a window. During the Shang Dynasty, Buzhu's grandson, Gongliu, established himself in Bin and revitalized the agricultural legacy of Houji, giving rise to the Zhou clan and forming the early Zhou culture. In the late Shang Dynasty, King Wu of Zhou conquered Shang, marking the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty and the formation of Western Zhou civilization. The author narrates in chapters the economic, social, and cultural characteristics and changes of each historical stage during the early Zhou and Western Zhou periods. He explores the origins of the Zhou clan, discusses the early Zhou and Western Zhou history, and examines the institutional systems of the Western Zhou, such as the patriarchal system, the system of ancestral rites, and palace architecture, as well as the development levels of agriculture, handicrafts, and construction. Additionally, he discusses the cultural and technological achievements of the Western Zhou, such as writing, music, and the calendar, thereby preliminarily revealing the formation and development trajectory of Western Zhou civilization.