Page 524 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

Objects in this exhibition from the lower Yangzi region include jades associated with the
Liangzhu culture excavated from the Fanshan and Yaoshan sites (cats. 29-36). These two sites
were ritual and burial locations, and they belong to a group of Liangzhu sites that cover 33.4
square kilometers and comprise approximately fifty cemeteries and ritual areas, most of which
remain unexcavated. (At the moment, the preservation of these sites is a more pressing priority
than their excavation.)
The Luojiajiao and the Majiabang cultures developed in succession; their dates coincide
roughly with those of the Banpo culture and the early phase of the Xiyin culture (that is, 5000
-4000 BCE). The early phase of the Songze culture coincides with the middle phase of the
Xiyin culture, and its late phase coincides with Phase IV of the Banpo culture. The early phase
of the Liangzhu culture coincides with Phase IV of the Banpo culture (i.e., the Huating phase of
the Dawenkou culture), and its late phase coincides with the Xixiahou phase of the Dawenkou
culture, or may date somewhat later. Many other cultures occupied the lower Yangzi region,
including the Hemudu culture, which was contemporaneous with the Luojiajiao culture. The
Beiyinyangyin and the Xuejiagang cultures (as well as a culture represented by the Lingjiatan
site at Hanshan in Anhui province), were contemporaneous with the Songze culture. What be-
came of the cultures when their territories were occupied by the Liangzhu culture remains un-

certain. The Liangzhu in any event were a highly influential culture centered around the area of
Tai Lake and Hangzhou Bay and extending to the islands of Zhoushan on the eastern front, the
northern part of Fujian province to the south, Poyang Lake to the west, and most of the Huai
River region to the north. At its northern frontier, the Liangzhu culture had contacts with the
Dawenkou culture, but its cultural influence extended even further: we have evidence that it
reached as far as the northern part of Guangdong province and the Fen River area of Shanxi
province.
Historic China developed principally from these five Neolithic cultural sequences, which
laid the ground for the formation of civilization.

T H E F O R M A T I O N O F C I V I L I Z A T I O N
Su Bingqi divided China's Late Prehistory (that is, from c. 6000 BCE until the Early Bronze Age)
into three periods: the Neolithic period, the Early Chalcolithic period, and the Late Chalco-
1
lithic period. A copper object dating prior to Phase IV of Banpo culture has been found
(notably at the Jiangzhai site), but it is only during Phase IV of the Banpo culture that copper
objects, as well as the remains of copper casting, begin to appear in significant quantity. There-
fore, it is appropriate to date the beginning of the Chalcolithic period to Phase IV of Banpo
culture, and to associate the late Chalcolithic period with the Longshan culture.
Though China's Bronze Age is identified with the Xia dynasty, it should be noted that
metallurgy did not develop uniformly throughout China. Copper objects have been found

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