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The pattern of archaeological cultures in northern China during the Eastern Zhou Period to the Qin Dynasty – also on the interactions among the Rong, Di and Hu ethnic groups and the Central Plains

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Published/Copyright: November 16, 2016
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Chinese Archaeology
From the journal Chinese Archaeology Volume 16 Issue 1

Abstract

Through the systematic trimming and analysis to the remains of the archaeological cultures of the Eastern Zhou Period through the Qin Dynasty in northern China, this paper puts forward that during this period, there were two cultural zones (the north and south cultural “belts”) with clearly different cultural features and connotations and peoples bearing clearly different physical characteristics in northern China, and discussed the regional differences of the remains of the archaeological cultures in each cultural belt and their developments and changes. The cultures in the south cultural belt could not be regarded as a part of the early Iron Age cultures in the Eurasian Steppes, but a kind of culture peculiar to the transitional zone between the cultures in the Eurasian Steppes and that in the Central Plains; the development and evolution of the north cultural belt, which emerged in the mid to the late Spring-and-Autumn Period, can be divided into three clear phases: the first phase was a part of the early Iron Age cultures in the Eurasian Steppes, but since the second phase, the cultural features and connotations of this belt began to stray out of the cultures in the Eurasian Steppes, which would be closely related to the military conquering and political management of the Central Plains polities and the powerful northward advance of the cultures of the Central Plains. Referring to the relevant historic literature, this paper made further observations to the interactions among the polities of the Central Plains and the peoples in these two cultural belts and the changes of the cultural patterns in each of the two cultural belts, and revealed the processes of the Sinicization of the Rong, Di and Hu ethnic groups in northern China. This paper pointed out that the Hu ethnic group lived in northern China since the mid Spring-and-Autumn Period, and the later appearance of the Hu people in the historic literatures was related to the northward advances of the territories of polities of the Central Plains rather than the southward invasion of the nomadic tribes living in the present-day Mongolian Plateau.

Keywords: Civilization–Chinese influences; cultural assimilation–China–to 220 CE; ethnic relations; intercultural communications–history–Eurasian Steppes; nomads–Sinicization

Postscript

The original paper published in Kaogu Xuebao 考古学 报 (Acta Archaeologica Sinica) 2015.3:303–44 with 19 illustrations and one table was authored by Yueying Shan 单月英. This abridged version is prepared by the author and translated into English by Runxian Mo 莫润J先.

References

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Published Online: 2016-11-16
Published in Print: 2016-11-27

© 2016 by Walter de Gruyter, Inc

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https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2016-0017
Keywords for this article
Civilization–Chinese influences; cultural assimilation–China–to 220 CE; ethnic relations; intercultural communications–history–Eurasian Steppes; nomads–Sinicization

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. New archaeological discoveries
  3. The excavation of the Mazongshan jade quarry sites in Subei County, Gansu
  4. New archaeological discoveries
  5. The Dabona Cemetery in Xiangyun County, Yunnan
  6. New archaeological discoveries
  7. Gurugyam and Chuvthag Cemeteries in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet
  8. New archaeological discoveries
  9. A mural tomb of the Northern Dynasties at Jiuyuangang in Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province
  10. New archaeological discoveries
  11. The Gangga Cemetery in Chen Barag Banner, Inner Mongolia
  12. Spotlight
  13. Neolithic Age of western Tibet: a trans-Himalayan perspective
  14. Spotlight
  15. The Himalayan gold masks from the Eurasian perspective
  16. Spotlight
  17. On the early metal objects and early Metal Age in Tibet
  18. Reports
  19. The burial M90 of Songze Culture at Dongshancun Site in Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu
  20. Reports
  21. Survey of the water control system on the periphery of the Liangzhu Ancient City in Hangzhou
  22. Reports
  23. The tombs of burial mound No. 49 of the Han Dynasty at Shangma Hill in Anji County, Zhejiang Province
  24. Reports
  25. The excavation of the mound tombs of the Han Dynasty at Nanping Town, Changde City, Hunan in 2010–2011
  26. Research
  27. On the archaeological culture and related issues
  28. Research
  29. A study on the Neolithic turquoises in China
  30. Research
  31. On the piece mold-casting technology of the bronze gui-tureens in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties
  32. Research
  33. On the “Zunie”
  34. Research
  35. The pattern of archaeological cultures in northern China during the Eastern Zhou Period to the Qin Dynasty – also on the interactions among the Rong, Di and Hu ethnic groups and the Central Plains
  36. Research
  37. On the development of Buddhist sculpture in Ye City and the “Ye City Style” reflected by the Bei Wuzhuang hoard
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