Exploration of Early 7000 Years of Chinese Civilization

Author: Jiang Nanhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: China, Egypt, India, and Babylon are the four great ancient civilizations of the world. Egypt entered the civilized era six thousand years ago, while the civilizations of India and Babylon also span over four thousand years. Is the history of Chinese civilization only five thousand years old? This book uses materials from three aspects—astronomy and calendar, historical records, and unearthed artifacts—to conduct a comprehensive and systematic examination and discussion from the perspective of the cradle of human civilization, the origins of humanity, the lives of Yan Huang, Shaohao, Zhuan Xu, Di Ku, Yao, Shun, and Yu, as well as the invention and use of fire, pottery making, painting and sculpture, music and dance, writing, city and house construction, traditional medicine, and astronomical and calendrical knowledge. Some aspects are further supported by astronomical and calendrical calculations, scientifically analyzing certain astronomical records in ancient texts and inscribed chronicles (such as the life spans of the five emperors of Yan and Huang and the Shang-Zhou chronological issue, etc.), and combining them with the examination of unearthed artifacts (such as the astronomical patterns in Tomb No. 45 at Xishuipo in Puyang, Henan, and the identity of the tomb occupant) to present an irrefutable conclusion that the history of Chinese civilization is at least seven thousand years old or even older. This conclusion has been progressively confirmed by further archaeological discoveries.