Millennium Learning Case -- A Record of the Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project

Author: Yue Nan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-08-01
Features: Chinese history is the glorious part of the entire history of humankind. Only when it is placed in the context of all of humanity does its brilliance become even more vivid. The days when it was confined to an old room, admiring itself alone, have passed. — Li Ji
Among the four ancient civilizations with independent origins, only Chinese civilization has endured thousands of years of vicissitudes without interruption. However, in terms of historical records, the earliest definite chronology of China can only be traced back to 841 BC. Since Sima Qian, countless scholars and thinkers have attempted to determine the exact chronology of the ancient Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, but they have never succeeded, leaving it as a timeless academic puzzle. In 1996, the "Project for the Chronology of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties," hailed as one of the greatest academic events of the 20th century in China and a globally anticipated initiative, was launched. Over 200 experts from fields such as history, archaeology, astronomy, and dating techniques collaborated for five years to finally dispel the fog of history and resolve the age-old academic mystery.
The author of this book followed and interviewed the project for over four years, using a vivid and documentary-style writing to describe the interdisciplinary research process and the spirit of exploration of the scientists. It provides readers with a brand-new, multi-angle perspective for understanding the ancient Chinese civilization, making it a rare and outstanding work.