The history of our country is like a long river, with a deep source and a thousand years of flow. Its origins can be traced back to distant prehistoric times. This period, like a mysterious world, is hidden in the long river of time, waiting for us to explore.
The prehistoric period, an ancient and mysterious era, is meticulously divided into two phases: the Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The Paleolithic period was an era when human beings had initial contact with nature, gradually adapted to and began to transform nature.
From 3 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago, humans learned to use fire through continuous exploration, and this great discovery completely changed the way of life of human beings. They used fire to roast food, drive away wild beasts, and light and keep warm. Fire has become the closest companion of human beings.
During this period, humans also began to make tools, hunt and gather food. They hunted wild beasts with stone tools in their hands and dug up the rhizomes of plants with wooden sticks. These seemingly simple actions are milestones in the transition of human beings from barbarism to civilization.
In this period, the emergence of Youchao has written a strong stroke for the history of human civilization. There is Chao, known as one of the ancestors of human civilization. He taught people to build houses so that they would have shelter from the wind and rain and no longer have to fear the storm, rain, and wild beasts. His wisdom and talent have greatly improved the quality of human life.
In addition, there is a legendary character - the Suiren clan. He taught humans to use fire, a great invention that not only changed the way humans lived, but also elevated their status in the natural world.
The Neolithic period, a distant and mysterious period, began around 10,000 years ago and slowly continued to 5,000 to 4,000 years ago. During this period, human civilization began to emerge on the earth like a newborn seedling. During this period, the material civilization of mankind was highly developed, and human beings no longer relied only on nature, but began to try to dialogue with it and coexist in harmony with it.
During this period, humans began to use polished stone tools, which were carefully polished to become sharper and more durable. Agriculture and animal husbandry also began to emerge, and humans began to grow crops, raise livestock, and began to settle down. Pottery manufacturing also made great progress during this period, and pottery of various shapes and patterns began to appear, which were both practical household items and works of art.
At the same time, the spiritual civilization of mankind is also quietly growing. The legendary "Three Emperors and Five Emperors" appeared during this period, and they were regarded as the ancestors of the Chinese nation. There are different versions of the "Three Emperors", but they generally refer to Fuxi, Shennong, and Nuwa, who represent three important stages of humanity: hunting, farming, and weaving. The "Five Emperors" usually refer to the Yellow Emperor, Zhuan Xu, Emperor Yu, Tang Yao, and Yu Shun, who were the founders of social order and ethics in ancient China.
During this period, human beings began to have religious beliefs, reverence for heaven and earth, and respect for life. Myths, legends, and religious ceremonies have become an important part of people's lives, helping them understand natural phenomena, explain the world, and express emotions.
After the Neolithic period, China entered the "Xia, Shang and Zhou" period in history. The advent of this period marked the beginning of a new era in the history of our country. The Xia Dynasty, as the beginning of this period, is recognized as the first era with written texts, and its appearance, like a bright star, illuminates the night sky of history.
The historical transition period of the Xia Dynasty lasted for more than 400 years, between 2070 BC and 1600 BC. In this period of history, we have seen the alternation of the "Yu period" and the "Qi period", which are like two towering peaks, standing in the long history of the Xia Dynasty. Yu's wisdom and courage, Qi's determination and courage, were fully demonstrated during this period.
During the Yu period, the story of Dayu's water control was well-known. With his indomitable spirit and boundless wisdom, he succeeded in taming the raging flood and bringing peace and hope to the people. His merit lies not only in controlling the water, but also in laying a solid foundation for the establishment of the Xia Dynasty.
During the Qi period, Qi's reign marked the beginning of a new phase in the Xia Dynasty. He inherited Yu's legacy and led the Xia Dynasty to prosperity. Under his rule, the Xia Dynasty developed greatly in economy and culture, and became one of the most advanced civilizations in the world at that time.
In this more than 400-year history, the Xia Dynasty has passed on the throne for 14 generations and gave birth to 17 emperors. These emperors had their own characteristics, some of them were wise and martial, some were benevolent and generous, and although their ruling styles were different, they all made important contributions to the development of the Xia Dynasty. It is precisely because of their joint efforts that the Xia Dynasty was able to leave a strong mark in history.
In the long river of history, the Neolithic period is like a dawn, heralding the budding of civilization. Then, China officially entered the "Xia, Shang Zhou" period in history.
In the vast history, there have always been two different statements about Dayu's birth year. One theory puts him born in 2257 B.C., while another puts his birth year at 2314 B.C.E.
This formed a "blank period" of nearly 1,500 years, from the late Neolithic period to the establishment of the Xia Dynasty by Dayu, there are almost no historical records. This "blank period" seems to have interrupted the flow of the long river of history, leaving countless questions and mysteries for later historians.
Some scholars believe that there may not have been any major events during these 1,500 years, but this view is clearly untenable. After all, in every era, in the course of every year's history, there have been events to a greater or lesser extent. Not to mention a time span of 1,500 years?
So, what kind of historical truth is hidden in this 1,500-year "blank period"? What is the reason for the almost zero historical record of this period?
To find out the answer, let's start with Oracle.
So far, the earliest Chinese characters found in China's archaeological and historical circles are those Shang Dynasty oracle bone inscriptions unearthed in Yin Shang, Henan. These characters are not scattered symbols, but have formed a complete system, with the basic structure and function of modern writing. These oracle bone inscriptions, as an important source of Chinese writing, reveal the development process of ancient human civilization for us.
These oracle bone inscriptions are inscribed on tortoise shells and animal bones and date back to the Shang Dynasty between the 16th and 11th centuries BC. In those distant times, it was believed that it was possible to communicate with the gods through divination, and oracle bones were a product of this belief. These characters were not only used to record the results of divination, but also carried information about the history, religion, and culture of the society at that time.
Although many carved symbols have been found in many Neolithic sites, these symbols do not belong to a systematic script. Compared with oracle bone inscriptions, the function and meaning of these symbols are relatively simple, and they do not form a complete writing system. Therefore, in the field of history and archaeology, these symbols are usually regarded as primitive ways of remembering or symbolic expressions, rather than words in the true sense.
Through the oracle bone inscriptions, we can get a glimpse of the mysterious rituals of the monarch's sacrifice during the Shang Dynasty, as well as the monarch inheritance system at that time. These precious information, which could not be found in the history books of later generations, aroused my deep thinking. This not only indicates that the oracle bone inscriptions are central and important historical events, but also suggests that the rest of the events may have relied mostly on word of mouth.
Word of mouth, although this method has been common in the long course of history, its disadvantages are also obvious. In countless times of telling and listening, information can easily mutate or even be lost. Especially in times of dynastic change and historical turmoil, these historical events passed down by word of mouth are more likely to disappear into the long river of history. This is also why in the oracle bone inscriptions of Yin Shang, it is difficult for us to find a single word about the Xia Dynasty.
However, when we crossed the borders of the Shang Dynasty and stepped into the realm of the Zhou Dynasty, we found that the writing system had reached a more developed stage. In the documents of the Zhou Dynasty, we find that a large number of historical contents about the Xia Dynasty are recorded. The detail and depth of these texts suggest that the history of the Xia Dynasty was not entirely blank.
This begs the question: why haven't we found too many written records in the historical period before the Shang Dynasty? The answer may not be complicated. At that time, there may not have been an invention of a medium that could persist in writing, such as paper or metal. In addition, the writing of that time may not have developed to a mature stage to clearly record important historical events.
Therefore, it is likely that the historical records of that period were only passed down by word of mouth. Therefore, we can conclude that the historical gap before the Shang Dynasty was not due to the fact that there were no written words or major events in that period, but because there was no suitable vehicle to record and preserve these histories. The documents of the Zhou Dynasty just fill this historical gap and provide valuable information for us to understand the history of the Xia Dynasty and even earlier.
Before the Shang unified the world, the land of China was not ruled by a powerful ** regime, as later generations saw. On the contrary, it is in an era of extreme turmoil, an era of no ** rule, no state. At that time, the social form was mainly tribal.
Tribes were the grassroots social organizations in China during that period, and although they had surpassed the unorganized state of primitive society, to a certain extent, they were still living on their own. Each tribe has its own leaders, its own customs, and even its own dialect and writing. These dialects and scripts are varied, making it difficult to exchange information, let alone form a unified historical record.
The existence of these tribes, although it represents a kind of progress, has also caused social fragmentation to a certain extent. In the context of the unification of language and writing, it has become difficult to pass on and record history. It can be said that in that era, there was hardly any so-called orthodox history. Some are just the stories of the various tribes passed down by word of mouth, and the life experiences and wisdom that have been passed down from generation to generation.
In the oracle bone inscriptions of Yin Ruins, we can hardly find any record of the Xia Dynasty. This discovery has led many scholars to re-examine the historical position of the Xia Dynasty. According to their analysis, the social form of the Xia Dynasty may have been in the tribal period and had not yet formed a state form. Therefore, the Xia Dynasty cannot be considered a true dynasty.
The so-called "Yu Era" and "Qi Era", although they are called the history of the Xia Dynasty in the same line, but in fact, Yu's tribe or the state faction he led was only strong during that period. At the same time, there were many tribes of their time, which were independent and did not form a unified whole.
Strictly speaking, Yu did not achieve the unification of the world, nor did he form an independent language and writing system. Therefore, it is natural that the historical record of that era is impossible to talk about. This also explains why there is almost no record of the Xia dynasty in the oracle bone inscriptions of Yin Ruins.
We all know that before the Xia Dynasty, the living conditions of humans in that era were extremely difficult, and survival was a challenge they had to face every day. At that time, human beings lived in a barren land, facing the threat of various natural disasters such as severe cold and heat, diseases and beasts. Dressed in rudimentary clothes, they live in dilapidated huts, and they struggle every day for a full meal.
Although a small number of tribes had begun experimenting with crop cultivation and livestock breeding, this was a skill possessed by a very small number of better-developed and more developed tribes. The agriculture and livestock farming of these tribes is still very small, and their production is very limited, and they can only meet the needs of a very small number of people. For the vast majority of people, hunting, gathering and fishing remain their main means of survival.
In an era when the productive forces have not yet been liberated, the burden of life is often overwhelming. Most people toiled day and night to meet their basic survival needs. In their lives, they don't have the extra time and energy to think about big things, let alone "record history". The torrent of history is flowing around them, but they have no time to pay attention.
However, over time, social productivity has gradually increased, and people's living standards have also improved. By the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the social productive forces had been unprecedentedly liberated. Agriculture flourished, livestock flourished, and people's lives became richer. During this period, people began to have the consciousness of recording history.
During the Zhou Dynasty, the world was unified and the social order was in order. Against such a peaceful and stable historical background, people have begun to realize the importance of historical inheritance and recording. Thus, the profession of historian came into being. They are responsible for recording historical events and passing on history and culture, so that future generations can understand the wisdom and experience of their predecessors.
The emergence of historians marks that mankind's understanding of history has reached a new height. They not only record history, but also record and pass on historical events, so that future generations can draw wisdom and experience from them to better face future challenges. Since then, the recording and inheritance of history has become an important part of the development of human civilization, leaving a valuable spiritual wealth for future generations.