Shang Dynasty Research Articles

Ancient Oriental Spirituality: On the Aesthetic of Spirituality in the Film “Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms”

The Chinese film “Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms”, adapted from the 16th-century fantasy novel *Investiture of the Gods* by Ming dynasty author Xu Zhonglin, presents scenes filled with the mystical essence of Eastern mythology. Director Wu Ershan employs “spirituality” as the core of the film's visual design, adhering to the philosophical theory that "all things possess a soul." This approach infuses the film's scenes and props with vibrant emotional tension and the vitality of ancient Chinese aesthetics. Through elements such as artistic conception, totem symbols, and primitive religious philosophy, the director imbues the film's visual aesthetic with spiritual energy, conveying the ancient oriental resonance through the mysterious and spiritual culture of the Shang dynasty.

Research Progress of Bronze Ware Ornamentation in the Shang Dynasty of China

Bronze ware is an important representative of ancient Chinese culture, and the Shang Dynasty is the peak of China’s bronze casting technology. As an important symbol of ancient culture, the bronze ornaments of Shang Dynasty in China. Deeply reflect the religious belief, social structure and cultural value at that time. Through a systematic literature review of the origin, classification and evolution of the bronze ornament, this paper aims to deepen the understanding of the Shang Dynasty bronzes and their cultural connotation. Among the existing studies, the current research on Shang Dynasty bronze ornament mainly focuses on the categorization of ornament, its relationship with culture and the evolution rules. Specifically, the classification of bronze ornament is diverse and represents the different symbolic meanings. Shang Dynasty bronze ornaments are closely related to religious beliefs and social structures, and evolved over time. In general, these studies have enriched the cultural knowledge of Shang Dynasty bronzes, while some rare ornaments have been understudied and the research methods need to be further innovated. The significance of this study is clear: by examining Shang dynasty bronze ornament, it can increase people’s understanding of ancient Chinese religious culture and feudal social structure, and also contribute to the identification and conservation of modern bronzes. Future research can apply modern scientific and technological tools to further reveal the deeper connotations and historical value of Shang culture.

An open dataset for oracle bone character recognition and decipherment

Oracle bone script, one of the earliest known forms of ancient Chinese writing, presents invaluable research materials for scholars studying the humanities and geography of the Shang Dynasty, dating back 3,000 years. The immense historical and cultural significance of these writings cannot be overstated. However, the passage of time has obscured much of their meaning, presenting a significant challenge in deciphering these ancient texts. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), employing AI to assist in deciphering Oracle Bone Characters (OBCs) has become a feasible option. Yet, progress in this area has been hindered by a lack of high-quality datasets. To address this issue, this paper details the creation of the HUST-OBC dataset. This dataset encompasses 77,064 images of 1,588 individual deciphered characters and 62,989 images of 9,411 undeciphered characters, with a total of 140,053 images, compiled from diverse sources. The hope is that this dataset could inspire and assist future research in deciphering those unknown OBCs. All the codes and datasets are available at https://github.com/Pengjie-W/HUST-OBC.

Shang Dynasty's Foreign War in Oracle Bone Scripts

Shang Dynasty's Foreign War in Oracle Bone Scripts

Gca-pvt-net: group convolutional attention and PVT dual-branch network for oracle bone drill chisel segmentation

Oracle bones (Obs) are a significant carrier of the shang dynasty civilization, primarily consisting of tortoise shells and animal bones, through the study of which we can gain a deeper understanding of the political, economic, religious, and cultural aspects of the shang dynasty. The oracle bone drill chisel (Obdc) is considered an essential non-textual material. The segmentation of Obdc assists archaeologists determine the approximate age of the Obs, which possesses considerable research value. However, the breakage of thousands of years of underground buried Obs, the blurring of the edges of the area burned by the Obdc, the different shapes, and the inconsistent number have brought challenges to the accurate segmentation of the Obdc. In this article, we propose a group convolutional attention and pvt dual-branch network (GCA-PVT-Net) for Obdc segmentation. To our knowledge, this paper is the first to research the automatic segmentation of Obdc. It is a hybrid Convolutional neural network (CNN) and Transformer framework. The work offers the following contributions: (1) The Obdc images are labeled based on the delineation criteria of different drill chisel (DC) shapes to create the Obdc dataset. (2) A convolutional attention module (CAM) is proposed as both an encoder and decoder. The feature extraction process, which effectively integrates global and local information, ensures better modeling of long-term correlations in images while preserving details. (3) A channel feature aggregation module (CFAM) is designed to enhance the effective integration of channel features, enabling feature fusion across various branches and at different levels. (4) The edge deep supervision strategy is applied to smooth the jagged edge of the predicted images at the decoder’s end. Extensive experiments on the Obdc dataset show that GCA-PVT-Net outperforms other state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods. The comparative experimental results show that the edge accuracy and segmentation accuracy of the model reach the top 1.

Digital Communication and Preservation of Cultural Heritage in the Context of New Media: A Case Study of Anyang

Anyang is rich in diverse cultural heritage, including the famous Yin Ruins, oracle bone script, Shang Dynasty culture, and divination beliefs. These heritages are core carriers of cultural transmission and important academic research areas. This study analyzes the adaptability of Anyang's cultural heritage amidst modern social changes, focusing on its integration with local economic development strategies. By activating the tourism market and image industry, it promotes economic growth and cultural transmission. The study also explores the digitization of literature and new media tools in modernizing educational content. Through visual media, Anyang's cultural heritage overcomes geographical barriers, connecting with a global audience. Visual narratives present Anyang's history and cultural stories, offering new paths for global recognition. Films, micro-dramas, online media, and other visual art forms transform Anyang's cultural narratives into symbols easily understood worldwide. The study encourages more film and television creators to explore Henan and Anyang, discovering the value of historical and cultural resources and landscapes through high-quality works.

A Survey and Research on the Current Situation of the Introduction of Chinese Ethnic Instrumental Music into Classes ——Taking Jining of Shandong Province as an Example

Chinese traditional ethnic musical instruments have undergone a legacy of five thousand years, from the exquisite bone flutes of the ancient Xia and Shang dynasties to the pinnacle of plucked string music in the Sui and Tang dynasties. Many ethnic instruments and musical pieces with enchanting tones and boundless charm have been passed down, making them a brilliant gem in the world of music. Since the early 1990s, Xu Le has advocated for the inclusion of these excellent traditional instruments in primary and secondary school music classes to enrich the content of music education and strongly promote the implementation and popularization of aesthetic education policies. Chen Jinfeng believes that take introducing ethnic instrumental music as basic education can comprehensively cultivate students’ interests, enrich their aesthetic experiences and tastes, and achieve a high degree of integration between traditional ethnic instrumental music and quality education. This paper investigates the implementation of introducing ethnic instrumental music into classroom in three primary and secondary schools in Jining, Shandong Province. The data is collected and analyzed by field interviews and online questionnaires. And the necessity and urgency of introducing ethnic instrumental music is highlighted after summarizing, comparing and analyzing the study. It is hoped that this research will continuously propel the introduction of ethnic instrumental music in primary and secondary school curricula, contributing to the enhancement of overall quality and the popularization of aesthetic education.

Analysis of the stakes of the Xianyang Ancient Ferry Site, Shaanxi, China

Historical records indicate that Xianyang Ancient Ferry Site, dating back over three millennia to the late Shang Dynasty, has been an important transportation hub in ancient times. The use of combined wooden stakes and stones is a special method for flood control among ancient flood prevention techniques. This research aims to evaluate the current preservation condition of these ancient wooden stakes. The dating of the wooden stakes at the site ranges between 940 ± 30 BP and 320 ± 30 BP. The fiber cross-section and microstructure images of the wooden samples indicate that the wood is attributed to Platycladus orientalis. SEM images indicate decay and deterioration of the wooden samples, with the presence of mold spores within the cavities. XRD, FTIR, and TG/DSC spectra of historical wooden samples collected from the site and fresh Platycladus orientalis wood samples demonstrate a significant decrease of cellulose crystallinity in the historical samples, leading to severe deterioration of the wood at the site. Five dominant mold species were identified, i.e., Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium citrinum, Trichoderma, and Phanerochaete chrysosporium, which accelerate the degradation of cellulose and other polysaccharides. This research provides scientific evidence for the selection of reinforcement materials and guides curators and conservators to formulate conservation strategies in the future.

Reconstructing and tracing the evolution of the road networks in the Haidai region of China during the Bronze and Early Iron Ages

Reconstructing ancient transportation networks is critical to studying past human mobility patterns. China’s Haidai region was a thriving political and economic hub during the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. We used GIS spatial analysis techniques to build a “Settlement Interaction Model” based on archaeological data from the Haidai region during the Bronze and Early Iron Age (Shang Dynasty, Western Zhou Dynasty, Spring & Autumn Period, and Warring States period). The eight-level road network maps with traffic attributes were distinguished based on topography and settlement size. The total lengths of the road networks were estimated to be 19,112 km in the Shang Dynasty, 35,269 km in the Western Zhou Dynasty, 51,555 km in the Spring & Autumn Period, and 77,456 km in the Warring States Period, with the average road flows of 6.6, 31.7, 42.8, and 75.5, respectively. The Z score and one-sample t-test (p < 0.01) confirmed the reliability of the reconstructed road networks. The Shang Dynasty saw the sporadic appearance of simple road routes. More complex routes emerged during the Western Zhou Dynasty and Spring & Autumn Period. The road networks were finally built during the Warring States Period. The development of road networks was closely related to population growth and urbanization. Exploring methods for reconstructing road networks may help us uncover ancient road networks and better understand ancient cultural exchanges.

A typology of polished stone axes in the middle Yellow River and their impact on early complex societies

Polished stone axes have long been recognized as essential tools directly related to logging and wood processing in sedentary societies, playing a crucial role in prehistoric people's survival and social production. Their evolution as production tools has been a driving force behind the advancement of society's productive capacities. In this article, information and data on stone axes from the middle Yellow River region are systematically compiled, presenting a typology based on 640 stone axes from 153 sites spanning the Middle Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The main conclusions derived from the study are as follows: (1) Typological study reveals that stone axes can be classified into 7 types. By examining the evolution of these types and their combinations, four distinct phases in the development of stone axes are identified, reaching its peak during the middle stage of Phase 4. (2) The flourishing of the stone axe types originated in the Yangshao period in the Guanzhong Plain. With the development of social complexity and the establishment of the Xia and Shang dynasties after the Longshan period, the center of gravity of stone axe types and assemblages gradually shifted to the Central Plains and the Fen River Valley. Finally, the genealogy spread to the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains and declined. (3) The types of stone axes from the late Yangshao period and the middle and late Longshan periods exhibit a clear shift, highlighting their functional differentiation during these periods. (4) The production of stone axes can be categorized into two modes based on the raw stone material used: (a) and (b). The metallization of tools, even during the so-called Bronze Age, experienced significant delays, and it was only during the Yinxu era that bronze axes began to replace some of the stone axes produced in mode (b). (5) The functional differentiation of axes and the transformation of the mode of production have played a role in inducing the emergence of social complexity and expediting its development to some extent.

An unsupervised automatic organization method for Professor Shirakawa’s hand-notated documents of oracle bone inscriptions

As one of the most influential Chinese cultural researchers in the second half of the twentieth-century, Professor Shirakawa is active in the research field of ancient Chinese characters. He has left behind many valuable research documents, especially his hand-notated oracle bone inscriptions (OBIs) documents. OBIs are one of the world’s oldest characters and were used in the Shang Dynasty about 3600 years ago for divination and recording events. The organization of OBIs is not only helpful in better understanding Prof. Shirakawa’s research and further study of OBIs in general and their importance in ancient Chinese history. This paper proposes an unsupervised automatic organization method to organize Prof. Shirakawa’s OBIs and construct a handwritten OBIs data set for neural network learning. First, a suite of noise reduction is proposed to remove strangely shaped noise to reduce the data loss of OBIs. Secondly, a novel segmentation method based on the supervised classification of OBIs regions is proposed to reduce adverse effects between characters for more accurate OBIs segmentation. Thirdly, a unique unsupervised clustering method is proposed to classify the segmented characters. Finally, all the same characters in the hand-notated OBIs documents are organized together. The evaluation results show that noise reduction has been proposed to remove noises with an accuracy of 97.85%, which contains number information and closed-loop-like edges in the dataset. In addition, the accuracy of supervised classification of OBIs regions based on our model achieves 85.50%, which is higher than eight state-of-the-art deep learning models, and a particular preprocessing method we proposed improves the classification accuracy by nearly 11.50%. The accuracy of OBIs clustering based on supervised classification achieves 74.91%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed unsupervised automatic organization of Prof. Shirakawa’s hand-notated OBIs documents. The code and datasets are available at http://www.ihpc.se.ritsumei.ac.jp/obidataset.html.

Features of the Formation of Artistic Means and Techniques of Traditional Chinese Silk Embroidery

The history of the embroidery art in China is at least two thousand years old. During this time, the methods of performing compositions, their purpose, motives, and means of artistic expression were changing. The plastic and technical transformations that occurred with silk embroidery led Chinese masters to creating works that were close in their characteristics to the images of traditional Chinese painting. Based on the surviving embroideries and their fragments, which were created during the period from the reign of the Shang dynasty to the end of the Qing reign, the author of the paper examines the fi gurative specifi cs, as well as the artistic techniques and methods of their implementation. The main task is to show how the visual language of Chinese masters and the corresponding technical features have changed.

Study of the manufacture of high‐fired ceramics from Fujian (China) during the Shang and Zhou dynasties

AbstractIn recent years, some kiln sites from Shang and Zhou dynasties have been excavated in Fujian province in southeastern China, and substantial high‐quality ceramic shards were unearthed. The research conducted by archaeologists indicates that these shards are likely the earliest high‐fired ceramic products in this area, characterised by unique appearance features and are therefore valuable for exploring the development and manufacture of early high‐fired ceramics in Fujian. In this study, we gathered some proto‐celadon and stamped stoneware shards from three kiln sites dating back to the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties. We analysed the chemical composition of the ceramic body and glaze, firing temperature, and mineral phase to investigate the selection of raw materials, firing, and glazing technology of these early ceramic products. The results indicate that the bodies of these high‐fired ceramic shards were made of locally weathered porcelain stone, and the glazes are lime glaze. During the Western Zhou dynasty, the potter utilised different raw materials for proto‐celadon and stamped stoneware, which was not the case during the Shang Dynasty. The firing temperatures of the majority of shards exceeded 1,000°C, and the bodies had been completed phase transformation.

Religious and Ethical Conception of Xiao-Filiality in Pre-Imperial China

Xiao-filiality is the most fundamental concept in the Chinese intellectual-cultural tradition. It represents not only family values but also religious, political and ethical ideologies. The conception of xiao, which originally denoted the meanings of presenting offerings to deceased ancestors and inheriting their legacy in the Shang dynasty, went through two stages of evolution from the early Zhou dynasty to the Warring States period. In the first stage, xiao was extended to ethical domain with the humanistic turn from human-spirit relationship to human-human relationship. Xiao was not only expanded to the empirical exercise of serving living parents but also established as a ritual-ethical norm that defined people’s familial, social, and hierarchical role duties and regulated their conducts of dealing with interpersonal relationships. As a result, the religious authority of paranormal ancestral spirits was transferred to the social-political authority who enforced the implement of the ritual-ethical norm of xiao. In the second stage, Confucius and his followers on the one hand recognized the importance of compliance with this prescribed ritual-ethical norm, and on the other internalized it to become the individual agent’s moral emotion and free choice. Consequently, the social-political authority was further transferred to the internal authority of moral autonomy.

A metallurgical technology investigation of the Wangxiangping ancient smelting sites at Daye County, Hubei Province

In the spring of 2022, the Beijing University of Science and Technology conducted an archaeometallurgical survey at the Wangxiangping site in Daye County. This exploratory excavation revealed pottery and metal smelting artifacts dating back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Charcoal samples from the third stratigraphic layer were carbon-dated to as early as the late Shang Dynasty. The SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) method was utilized for analyzing metallurgical artifacts across all stratigraphic layers at the site. The findings suggest that both pure copper smelting and tin bronze smelting activities were simultaneously conducted at this location. The analysis indicates that secondary copper oxide ore underwent reduction smelting, leading to the production of pure copper and high-grade matte. Additionally, tin ore was used in bronze production, with tin serving as an alloying element. However, no remnants from casting activities were identified during this survey. The investigation and subsequent analytical processes performed at this site provide substantial evidence supporting further research into copper smelting practices in Daye area during Shang and Zhou dynasties.

SLAVERY AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN EARLY CHINA: AN EXAMPLE OF THE SHANG DYNASTY

Antik dönem Çin tarihinin üç büyük hükümranlığı, milattan önce yaklaşık olarak on dokuz asrı kapsayan Xia (MÖ 2070-1600), Shang (MÖ 1600-1046) ve Zhou (MÖ 1046-256) hanedanlarına aittir. İlkellikten uygarlığa geçiş sürecini yazının icadıyla temsil eden Shanglar; kültürel gelişmelere ev sahipliği yapmalarına rağmen batıl itikatlara dalan, fal ve büyüden medet uman hanedan mensuplarının bireysel çıkarları doğrultusunda sosyal bir gerçeklik olan toplumsal tabakalaşmaya maruz kalır. Bu tabakalaşma neticesinde, soylu kesime iltimas geçerek tebaayı basamaklara ayıran sınıfsal bölünme ve hiyerarşik örgütlenmenin ilk örnekleri vuku bulur. Shang dönemi, bir yandan ilk resmi hanedanlığı kuran Xialarca başlatılan atalar kültü geleneğini sürdüren; fakat diğer yandan, tahta geçen hükümdarların kendilerini ilahi bir kudretle eş tutmalarına bağlı olarak halkı statüsel açıdan aşağılayan bir süreci işaret etmektedir. Xia döneminde saygı mefhumu adı altında gerçekleşen ritüellerin Shang hükümdarları tarafından yalnızca kendilerine mal edilmesi, ata ruhun göğe aidiyeti inanışını bambaşka bir boyuta taşır. Böylece asil kana mensup olmayanların hanedanlığın önünde itaate zorlanarak köleleştirildiği, ihmal edilmemesi gereken bir hususu da gözler önüne sermektedir. Soylu kesimin dışında kalan tebaayı görevine, konumuna, mesleğine ve rütbesine göre ayıran Shang hükümdarları, hanedanlığı hizmetindeki köleleri de belirledikleri ceza, kural ve yaptırımlar üzerinden sınıflandırmaktadır. Bu hakikate rağmen Çinli araştırmacılar arasında cereyan eden görüş ayrılıklarının temelinde, Çin’de köleliğin var olup olmadığı ikilemi yatmaktadır. Ancak, antik çağa tarihlenen klasik metinler üzerinden detaylı bir inceleme yapıldığında Shang döneminde kölelik müessesinin yaygınlaştığı ve hükümdarların acımasız yönetim politikası yüzünden hanedanlığın yıkıldığı çözümlenebilmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Çin bürokrasine yön veren sınıfsal bölünme ve hiyerarşik örgütlenme ele alınarak özel mülkiyet düşüncesinden hareketle eski Çin toplumunda köleliğin deneyimlendiği savlanacaktır.

How to Obtain Hexagrams with Yijing Divination – An Application of Ancient Chinese Wisdom Analysis

This article provides an analysis of a fundamental issue in Yijing studies （易学), that is, how to obtain a gua (卦, or hexagram) from Yijing divination. It modifies existing interpretations of the Dayan Divination method (大衍筮法) and proposes a new algorithm, thereby discovers the probability distribution of all gua in Yijing (易卦).The sixty-four hexagrams (重卦, 或六爻卦) of Yijing have appeared during the Shang Dynasty (ca BCE 1600-1046) and became prevalent during the Zhou Dynasty (ca BCE 1045-256), forming the foundation of Yijing. The images of gua (卦象, 64 hexagrams with six lines (爻) each and 8 trigrams (单卦) with three lines) constitute a systematic whole. Any interpretation of Yijing needs to be based on the full set of gua images. Yijing is well known as the foremost origin of all the Chinese classics, and the “divine intent” revealed by the Yijing gua is the source from which various concepts as well as their interpretations of Chinese civilization are drawn. As Yijing being a divination book, the “divine revelation” embodied in the gua serves as the authentic source in Chinese tradition to seek guidance for all kinds of risk decision-making. Regardless of applications of wide variety, the wisdom of Fuxi (伏羲, ca BCE 4600-?), the archaic sage of Chinese civilization and the root source of Yijing, has been congealed and conveyed through Yijing gua.How to acquire a gua related to “my issue,” viz., how to get know the divine intent from Heaven guiding the matters of my concern is the key question to all Yijing users. The answer involves three stages: requesting in earnest; throwing divination to obtain the gua; interpreting the underlying meaning of gua. Of them, the legitimacy of the request depends on sincerity of the prayer; the interpretation of mystic revelation of the acquired gua benefits from collective experience and intelligence. The divination throw, the stage in the middle, however, relies on the Dayan Divination method, which is the only authentic way to obtain a gua in Yijing.The Dayan Divination method is essentially a random number generator. The four numbers entailed from the divination process represent the four primary symbols (四象): 6 (六) represents the Great Yin (⚏, 老阴), 7 (七) represents the Lesser Yang (⚎, 少阳), 8 (八) represents the Lesser Yin (⚍, 少阴), and 9 (九) represents the Great Yang (⚌, 老阳). The probabilities to obtain the random number 6, 7, 8, 9 are 1/16, 5/16, 7/16, and 3/16, respectively. (This probability distribution is way different from the simplified method used in the public commoners known as the “coin flipping method.”)With the Dayan Divination, the probability distribution of the entire system of gua in Yijing can be inferred, which is of significant importance for examining and calculating the connections and evolutions among gua. (See Appendix II)In Appendix I, the author provides a thorough analysis of Shao Yong’s “doubling method” and its close association with Leibniz’s binary algorithm. With the new perspective created by the binary coding, he is therefore convinced that the Shao Yong-Leibniz sequence is indeed a substantial advancement in the overall ordering of gua in Yijing, and subsequently proposes an innovative approach enabling, extending and deepening Yijing studies.

The sacrificial record in burial pits of the late Shang Dynasty: evidences from the chroma and magnetic properties of the Sanxingdui site, Sichuan, China

The Sanxingdui site (4.4–2.9 ka B.P.) in southwestern China is considered one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century, which contains numerous codes for interpreting the origin and development of the Yangtze River civilization. Remains found in Sanxingdui burial pits are keys to deciphering some of these codes. From the characters of the charcoal fragments, ashes and jades in the Sanxingdui buried pits, at the same time, comprehensively analyzing archaeological evidence and previous research results, we speculate that the temperature of ancient Shu people burning sacrifices could be 600–800 ℃. However, the values of magnetic properties and chroma of soils near the ash layers in the pits, and Guanghan Clay near the pits, do not show obvious changes caused by such high-temperature annealing. Combined with the geographical location of the pits and the accumulation characteristics of ash layers and artifacts in the pits, we consider that the Sanxingdui burial pits were not trash pits but sacrificial pits, and they were used for burying sacrifice after burning sacrifice. Although the ritual of burying sacrifice after burning sacrifice dates back to the Longshan period (4.3–4.0 ka B.P.) in China’s Central Plain, the Sanxingdui sacrificial pits, which began to occur in the late Shang Dynasty (~ 3.0 ka B.P.) with such a large scale, and the sacrifices unearthed from the pits, are unique. So, we believe that although influenced by the Central Plain culture, the ancient Shu people in the late Shang Dynasty have unique characteristics of culture and religion.

Piedad filial: un estudio del pensamiento Confuciano de piedad filial

Abstract: Filial piety is a fundamental moral value in Chinese culture and has played a significant role in Chinese history. Its origins can be traced back to the pre-Qin period, where it developed during the Xia and Shang dynasties, and flourished in the Western Zhou Dynasty. Confucius, the renowned philosopher and educator, first introduced the concept of filial piety in Confucianism. He combined it with the idea of “Ren” and specified the essential elements of filial piety. Mencius, one of Confucius’ most prominent disciples, continued to develop the concept of filial piety by integrating it with other theories such as “the theory of good nature” and “the kingly way politics.” He also introduced the criterion of “unfiliality”, which further enriched the understanding of filial piety. This paper analyzes the evolution and influence of filial piety by examining the thoughts of pre-Qin Confucian scholars. It also discusses the role and significance of filial piety in contemporary society. Given the lack of archaeological evidence, it is important to avoid mentioning the disputed existence of the Xia dynasty in the abstract.

A VIEW FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE: RADIOCARBON CHRONOLOGY FOR ZAOLINHETAN OF THE PRE-ZHOU CULTURE IN EARLY DYNASTIC CHINA

ABSTRACTThe conquest of the Shang Dynasty at Anyang around 1046 BCE by the Zhou is one of the major events for not only Chinese Bronze Age but also early interaction between the pastoralist groups from the Eurasian Steppes and agriculture ones in the Central Plains of China. It is well-known from historical texts that the pre-Zhou people lived in the ancient Bin region (豳), the exact location of which is unclear, but most likely in the Jing River valley. At some point the leader Gugong Danfu (古公亶父) moved from Bin to the capital Qi (Zhouyuan), which preceded the Zhou invasion of Anyang. We have produced a new high resolution radiocarbon chronology for Zaolinhetan, a small settlement in the pre-Zhou heartland. This shows not only an exceptionally long chronological span for the site, but also a different phasing compared to the traditional pottery typology, which raises new questions regarding the regional variation of pottery typologies. Intriguingly, the analysis also reveals a rapid abandonment of Zaolinhetan around 1100 BCE, at the same time many larger sites, such as Zhouyuan, which later became the capital of the Western Zhou dynasty, were significantly expanding. We argue that the drastic decline of Zaolinhetan as revealed by the substantial number of radiocarbon dates and probably also the movement of pre-Zhou political center from Bin to Qin, was part of bigger picture that involved a range of social and environmental factors.