What do the important sites of clan settlement in China have in common? Why is it so distributed?

Prehistoric city sites and the formation of China ancient civilization's central position in the Central Plains.

Since 1970s, prehistoric city sites in China have been discovered one after another, and some of them have been excavated. Based on the discovery of more than 20 years, it is known that these prehistoric city sites are distributed in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins. According to incomplete statistics, the total number is about 50.

With the discovery of a large number of early city sites and the introduction of foreign archaeological theories, the discussion on the role and position of early city sites in the development of ancient civilization in China has intensified. This paper also intends to express some opinions on this issue, and focuses on the formation of China as the center of ancient civilization in the Central Plains under the historical background of the emergence of a large number of early city sites in various places, in order to teach people.

one

Only from the geographical distribution, prehistoric city sites found in the Yellow River basin can be divided into three groups.

I. Hetao City Site Group

It is reported that it belongs to prehistoric city site, about 15. Mainly distributed in hilly areas south of Yinshan Mountain in Inner Mongolia. Concentrated in the southern foot of Daqing Mountain in Baotou and the Hetao area of the Yellow River; There are three areas between Zhungeer and Qingshui River, namely, the banks of the South Yellow River and Daihai in Liangcheng. These prehistoric city sites are all stone city settlements, with an area of about 20,000 square meters except the site of Hushan City in Liangcheng, which is 6,543,800+3,000 square meters. For example, the Shicheng site in Xiaoshawan is only 4,000 square meters. Shicheng settlements are all dangerous buildings, and some directly use steep cliffs to make the stone walls not closed. Obviously, they are castle settlements with strong defensive colors built on the mountain. The age of these Shicheng sites is about 5000 to 4300 years ago [1].

B, central plains city ruins group

Distributed in Henan province, there are 7 species reported and known at present. The city site of the Central Plains is basically distributed in the eastern foot of Taihang Mountain, Xiong 'er Mountain and Funiu Mountain, belonging to Qinling Mountain System. Seven urban sites can be divided into two groups. Two city sites at the eastern foot of Taihang Mountain in northern Henan are located between Zhanghe River and Weihe River. Five city sites in central Henan are located in the middle and upper reaches of Shahe River and Yinghe River respectively. As far as the area is concerned, Hougangcheng site is unknown [2], with Mengzhuangcheng site [3] and the newly confirmed Xinmi Gucheng Village site [4] being the largest, both of which are over 6,543,800 square meters. Others are about 30 thousand square meters. Wang Chenggang City Ruins in Dengfeng [5] have two east-west castles with an area of only about 12000 square meters. The age of the Central Plains city site group, Xishan ancient city is about 5300 years ago, while Wang Chenggang city site is about 4000 years ago [6]. Among them, Xishan ancient city is one of the earliest city sites discovered in China. Judging from its almost circular plane and advanced tamping method, it seems that more city sites should be discovered in the Central Plains between 3500 BC and 2000 BC.

C. Haidaicheng site group

It is concentrated in Shandong province in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. At present, about 15 prehistoric city sites have been discovered [7]. Among these city sites, 13 is located at the northern foot of Taishan and Yishan, and it is distributed in the east-west direction along the direction of Gujishui [8]. The ancient city ruins in Haidai area are large in scale, such as the clear Chengziya city site, covering an area of more than 200,000 square meters [9]. Jingyanggang City Site and Jiaochangpu City Site discovered in recent years have an area of about 350,000 and 330,000 square meters respectively [65,438+00]. Dantu City, located at the southern foot of Mount Tai and Yishan, has an area of more than 200,000 square meters. The newly discovered site of Lianyungang, Jiangsu [1 1] should belong to the southernmost known site of this group. With double walls inside and outside, the outer city covers an area of about140,000 square meters. What is the area of Dinggong and Tianwangcheng ruins 10? 9? 115000m2. This is beyond the reach of other cities in the Yellow River Basin in the same period. Haidai city site group, like the Central Plains city site group, belongs to the two periods of Xikangliu and Wangjiazhuang city sites of Dawenkou culture, which can be traced back to 6000 years ago. 9? 15000 years ago [12]; Other city sites belonging to Longshan culture should be similar in age to the Longshan period in the Central Plains.

two

The discovery of a large number of Neolithic city sites in the Yangtze River basin is refreshing both in terms of its vast distribution area and its profound cultural connotation. These urban sites can be divided into two groups for the time being.

First, the ruins of western Sichuan

Located on both sides of the upper reaches of Minjiang River on the west side of Chengdu Plain, it is an important new archaeological discovery in the mid-1990s. The four prehistoric city sites confirmed in the western Sichuan plain are all large in scale. Wenjiang yufu city and Pixian ancient town both cover an area of more than 300,000 square meters, and Baodun city ruins cover an area of 250,000 square meters. The smallest wall area inside and outside Tancheng is1.2000 square meters [1.3]. According to preliminary research, the age of these four city sites is about 4900 years ago? 9? Between 65438 and 04000.

B, Jiang Hancheng site group

It is distributed on the east and west sides of the intersection of Hanshui River and Yangtze River in Hunan and Hubei provinces on the north and south sides of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. At present, eight seats have been confirmed. The middle reaches of the Yangtze River is one of the earliest areas in China to realize the Neolithic Revolution, and it is also an important origin of rice farming in China. Among the eight city sites, Chengtoushan in Lixian County, Hunan Province [14] and Yinxiang City in jiangling county City, Hubei Province [15] have done the most. Chengtoushan ancient city covers an area of about 80,000 square meters. According to the latest excavation results, its age has been redefined. The early city wall was built in the late Daxi culture, about 6000 years ago [16]. Others, such as Yinxiang City in Jiangling, Majiayuan in Jingmen [17], Jiming City in Gongan [18] and Menwan in Yingcheng [19], all belong to the ruins of Qujialing Cultural City, and the age is estimated to be 5000-4800 years ago. Shijiahe [20] in Tianmen, Hubei belongs to Shijiahe culture and is the largest city site in this area, with an area of10.2 million square meters and an area of about 800 thousand square meters.

In recent years, it has been reported that a large city site has been discovered in Liangzhu Cultural Center in Hangjiahu area [2 1], which is not discussed at present because the specific situation is not clear.

three

The prehistoric city sites discovered so far in China deserve special attention:

1. These city sites are only distributed in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins. This is the earliest and most developed Neolithic culture in China.

2. The early urban sites in China first appeared about 6,000 years ago, and declined one after another about 4,000 years ago. Its most vigorous development period was about 4800 years ago? 9? 14300. Moreover, the occurrence, development and decline of city sites are generally synchronous.

3. Each urban site group is generally distributed in a relatively independent and identical cultural area, and most of them are located in the heart of culture. City sites can be divided into different grades according to this standard, but there is not enough evidence to show that there is a strict subordinate relationship between big and small city sites. The thousand-year-long merger war in Longshan era, the historical truth of many countries, will inevitably lead to the law of the jungle. Small countries (called countries) rely on big countries to a certain extent, which may form a hegemonic sphere of influence and a regional political center in a certain area, but it is far from being the "capital" as some people say. Hey? The political pyramid structure of "poly" mode [22]. Because the roughly balanced distribution of city sites in relatively independent cultural areas just shows that the conflicts within the same culture have intensified, and the targets of their respective defenses, or the enemies they can directly face, are concentrated inside-the neighboring tribes of the same culture, not outside-to resist foreign invasion. Large and small city sites are evenly distributed in the center of the same culture, which is more manifested in a relationship of mutual vigilance and opposition. It can be seen from the social development process in the Longshan period that the independent cultural areas did not form a political unity at that time, but showed a situation of their own affairs. In this case, not to mention that big cities are the capital and small cities are the hierarchical structure of cities. Mr. Zhang Zhongpei's research on Liangzhu culture also shows that Liangzhu culture "has not yet been ruled by a statue in its cultural distribution, and it is still divided into regional spheres of influence ruled by those who have power and influence." In Liangzhu culture, many entities with national nature under the unified management of different power groups can be called national parties for the time being. " [23] Liangzhu culture is like this. It stands to reason that the distribution of other cultures in the era of the rise of various city sites is generally similar. It is the Xia culture that has risen since then that has completed the unification process for the first time in the Central Plains, established the situation of "one-respect rule" for the first time in a relatively wide area, and showed great vitality, finally established the position of China ancient civilization center in the Central Plains, and opened the homepage of the sustained and brilliant development of three generations of civilizations in this area.

The rise and fall of the city site can be described as "its prosperity is also rich, and its death is also sudden." Taking the Central Plains city site group as an example, the Wang Chenggang city site era in Dengfeng [24] belongs to the second phase of Longshan Culture in Wang Chenggang, and the third phase was abandoned. According to the excavations and unearthed objects in the city, the second and third phases are the prosperous period of Wang Chenggang site. The rammed earth wall of Pingliangtai [25] in Huaiyang belongs to the third phase, and Nanmenweifang belongs to the third phase (there is another layer of building foundation at the bottom, which has not yet been excavated). There are 7, 8 and 9 layers of internal walls on the main wall, which seems to have been abandoned at this time. However, additional rammed earth (1 series? 9? 15) belongs to the fourth phase, indicating that the city wall was repaired and added from the outside. Most of the F 1, F4, tombs and ash pits in the city are the remains of the third and fourth phases, so this period should be the prosperous period of the site. Further analysis shows that F4 in the third stage is broken by H3 1, and H3 1 produces rhombic pot-shaped ding, basket-shaped pot and residue, which belongs to the third stage. H45 inner waste can be strung along the deep abdomen, slender bag foot rope, I-shaped plate and convergent inclined abdomen basin, etc. And the third stage can be divided into at least two stages: the early stage and the late stage. Pingliangtai ancient city was built in the early stage of the third phase, abandoned in the late stage of the third phase, and rebuilt again in the fourth phase. During this period, the city ruins were abandoned, repaired and rebuilt for more than 200 years. Yancheng Haojiatai City Site [26] was stacked on the third floor and was broken by H3 16. The city wall, H3 16 and the third floor all belong to the second phase of Haojiatai, indicating that the city wall didn't last long. The situation of Mengzhuang city site in Huixian County is also repeated through repair and waste [27]. It can be seen that the rise and fall of cities is a concentrated social phenomenon in a short historical period. The construction, abandonment and reconstruction of the city site just showed the historical truth of war, garrison, alliance and fighting again, and vividly explained the great turmoil and drastic changes experienced by the society at that time.

four

It is not an accidental social phenomenon that a large number of cities appeared in China in a specific historical period, but it is inextricably linked with the development of ancient civilization in China.

The historical background of the rise of the Central Plains city site group is that Miaodigou culture has undergone a serious fission in the late Yangshao culture, and various archaeological cultures have appeared in various places. Miaodigou culture, which was in its heyday before, centered on the surrounding areas of Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan, reaching the Hetao Plain in the north, the middle reaches of Hanshui River in the south, Luozheng area in the east and the upper reaches of Weihe River in the west. In this vast area, although there are some subtle differences, the main cultural characteristics are basically the same. As far as pottery is concerned, pots, bowls, double-ring bottles with heavy lips, small mouths and sharp bottoms, urns, rail-type deep-bellied pots, kettles and stoves are very popular. Painted pottery is developed, mainly in black, supplemented by red. White painted pottery is more common. It mainly uses dots, crescent shapes, arc triangles or straight lines to form flower-shaped geometric painted patterns and realistic bird patterns. It shows that this area experienced a long period of peace, prosperity and development from 4500 BC to 3500 BC. By around 3500 BC, this situation began to change obviously. Within the distribution range of Miaodigou culture, the late Banpo type in Guanzhong area, Xiwangcun type in Jinnan area of western Henan province, Dasikong type in northern Henan province and Qinwangzhai type in Luozheng area rose at the same time. Its essence is that all clan groups are constantly developing and showing independence. As a result, the imbalance of regional cultural development is also increasing, and the conflicts and collisions within the same culture are also intensifying. At this time, the expansion of Qin Wangzhai culture is a thought-provoking example. According to Sun Zuchu's research on Qinwangzhai culture [28], in the early stage of this culture, its distribution was generally limited to Luozheng area and the upper reaches of Sha Ying, while in the middle and late stage, the distribution of Qinwangzhai culture can be extended to the eastern Henan plain in the lower reaches of Huaihe River, the areas along the Yellow River, the southern Shaanxi area and the northern foot of Funiu Mountain. The increasingly fierce conflicts and collisions within the same culture have directly led to the emergence of fortified castles to defend public property within clan groups. The emergence of such large-scale defense facilities and the intensification of predatory wars will inevitably lead to changes within clan groups, and make public power concentrate on ordinary members of society and then combine with mysterious religious power, thus giving birth to a group of earliest clan privileged dignitaries and privileged classes, providing the necessary conditions for the birth of early countries and pushing the Central Plains to the threshold of civilized society. At this point, the Central Plains and its surrounding areas seem to follow a similar path.

five

In the critical period of the development of ancient civilization in China around 3500 BC, archaeological cultures in other surrounding areas outside the Central Plains, such as Hongshan Culture in the north and south of Yanshan Mountain and the Great Wall, Dawenkou culture in Haidai area in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, Liangzhu culture in Hangjiahu area in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Qujialing culture in Jianghan Plain, etc., were at the same level of development as the Central Plains, and some were even more developed than Yangshao culture in the Central Plains. What made the Central Plains stand out and eventually developed into the center of ancient civilization in China? To discuss this problem, we should start from the historical process of the late Yangshao culture in the Central Plains in 3500 BC. After a comparative study of archaeological culture in this period and beyond, the following points deserve special attention.

First of all, in the development of ancient civilization, the power of the Central Plains, which appeared before the state and was superior to the general members of society, was mainly obtained by seizing the right to distribute public property and the right to speak in public affairs, rather than by accumulating a large amount of private wealth and then establishing authority within the clan group. From the plane layout analysis of several settlement sites excavated in this period, it can be seen that the storage areas in the settlements are relatively concentrated, and it can be seen from the excavation of Zhengzhou Xishan [29], Jin Meng Sister-in-law [30], Mianchi Bancun [3 1] and Xin 'an Cave [32] that the stored property is still a clan member. The concept of private property was not strongly manifested in the Central Plains during this period. The situation reflected by the tombs in this period is generally consistent with this conclusion. The tombs belonging to this period are mainly found in Dahe Village in Zhengzhou [33], Houzhuangwang in Luoyang [34], Xishan, Wang Wan [35] and Miaodigou in Shaanxi [36], all of which are single burials. Although the specifications of tombs are different, there are few funerary objects. The owner of M50 in Jin Meng Sister-in-law Site, judging from its burial site and burial specifications, is obviously a clan dignitary, but there is nothing but the coffin he wears and the ivory hoop that shows his authority. These conditions are in sharp contrast with the colorful funerary objects in other areas at the same time. More interestingly, in the only two tombs belonging to this period in Miaodigou site, there is an eggshell painted pottery cup buried with it, and the two cups obviously have the style of Qujialing culture. There is only one double pot tomb at Dahe Village site in Zhengzhou. The owner of the tomb is an elderly woman, but these two pots are cultural relics of Dawenkou. In contrast, the Dawenkou cultural tombs in Haidai area were found the most in the same period. Among them, the tombs found in Dawenkou, Tai 'an [37] and Lingyang River, Juxian [38] all have two-story platforms and coffins, and the jade and stone tools, bones and teeth, pig heads and jawbones buried in the tombs are regarded as symbols of wealth. There are 100 pieces of pottery buried in Dawenkou cultural tombs in Xiahou [39] in Qufu and Fan Zhuang [40] in Linyi. In many Dawenkou cultural cemeteries, the polarization between the rich and the poor is very obvious, which shows that the social wealth in Haidai area has been transferred and concentrated to a few people more and more in the late Dawenkou culture. Relatively speaking, the wealth of clan dignitaries in Yangshao culture in the Central Plains is within an acceptable low level gap with ordinary clan members, and the distribution of wealth in the whole society is more reasonable, in other words, this is a roughly average society. Such a society is obviously conducive to easing social contradictions, strengthening internal unity of clan groups, improving the prestige and appeal of clan dignitaries, and enhancing the motivation for external expansion. The clan dignitaries who have the right to distribute public property and the right to speak in public affairs have also gained the power to other clans, and the initial absolute authority has been established. The remains of cruel human sacrifices found in the ruins of Xishan and Mianchiban village in Zhengzhou can be regarded as an example of clan members being executed for violating family rules and laws. Instead of amassing a large amount of personal wealth, we distribute social wealth roughly equally, and establish personal absolute authority by seizing the right to distribute public property and the right to speak in public affairs. This historical tradition with the characteristics of the Central Plains has been continued and carried forward in the Longshan period of the Central Plains and its subsequent historical development.

Secondly, the rulers of clans and tribal groups in the Central Plains carried out a line that met the requirements of social development at that time and was widely supported by the society, representing the development of advanced production relations at that time. This can be summarized as promoting the perfection of the state machine in the process of civilization development. Including improving the bureaucracy; Historical records? When the Chronicle of the Five Emperors recorded the Yellow Emperor, he said, "Official names are all based on the fate of the cloud, and they are cloud teachers. Surround the big prison and monitor all the countries? 6? 8? 6? 8 After the wind rose, Li Mu, Chang Xian and Da Hong ruled the people. " Formulate criminal law; According to the Chronicle of the Five Emperors, when Shun Emperor was in power, he said, "The elephant was punished by the code, the five punishments by exile, the whip as the official punishment, the flapping as the teaching punishment, and the gold as the redemption punishment. Forgive, forgive; The thief will be punished. "Develop a strong army. By the time of the Yellow Emperor, he had "taught bears to be brave tigers in this area", Zhang Shoujie said in Justice. Teach soldiers to fight and threaten the enemy in the name of wild animals. "This seems to be an army named after the beast. Secondly, according to the archaeological discoveries in the late Yangshao period and Longshan period in the Central Plains in the past 80 years, members of tribes in the Central Plains generally practice thin burial, and no large ceremonial buildings are seen, which shows that the tradition of this tribe advocates frugality and does not care about luxury. On the other hand, the rulers of the once brilliant Liangzhu culture are abusing the people's power to build large-scale aristocratic tombs and altars. They are arrogant and extravagant, driving thousands of people to make exquisite jade articles with complicated techniques for them to enjoy before they die and be buried after they die. The huge waste of social property eventually led to the disintegration of society and the decline of culture. In this sense, it explains for the first time a simple truth that has been repeatedly proved by the historical development of later generations-looking at sages and countries, it is from frugality to extravagance.

Thirdly, the establishment of China as the center of ancient civilization in the Central Plains is not a smooth transition, but a long-term war of blood and fire. The completion of the first unified war in China's history, in terms of the development level of productive forces, is not a simple process of the advanced defeating the backward, but the result of the party representing the advanced relations of production and ultimately determining the development direction of productive forces defeating the backward and outdated party, as mentioned above. The historical development process after China, such as the Xia of Shang Dynasty, the destruction of Zhou Dynasty by Shang Dynasty, the decline of Chu and the unification of Qin and Cheng in Warring States, has repeatedly proved this law.

The first unification war in the history of China led by Xia tribe was based on Songshan Mountain and its surrounding areas, centered on the Ilo Plain, and gradually advanced in all directions. In this historical process, the biggest obstacle encountered comes from the powerful Dongyi tribal group. The prelude of the summer anti-foreign struggle can be traced back to Dawenkou culture period. In the late period of Dawenkou culture, the residents of Dawenkou culture once invaded the west from the south, penetrated into parts of western and southern Henan, and even penetrated into the hinterland of Yangshao culture in the Central Plains-the upstream and downstream of Shui Ying and Luo Yi River Plain [4 1]. Historical documents such as historical records? The battle of Yan Huang Han Quan and the battle of Zhuolu between Huangdi and Chiyou recorded in the Records of Five Emperors should also tell the story of the anti-summer struggle in this period. From a number of large city sites such as Chengziya in Shandong Province, the discovery in the tombs of Longshan culture in Linqu [42] and the highly developed pottery and handicraft industry represented by exquisite eggshell black pottery, we can see the strength of Dongyi Group in Longshan period. The end of the struggle against foreign countries in Longshan period was the rise of Xia Dynasty in the Central Plains and the decline of Longshan culture in Shandong. The reasons are very complicated, and we can get some enlightenment by analyzing the intermittent disputes between Xia and Yi after the establishment of Xia Dynasty. At the beginning of summer, Taikang was helpless, and Xia Zhengling was late and lost her country. Dongyi people have a poor leader, Yi, "because Xia people replaced Xia government." In essence, the Dongyi tribe subverted the Xia regime in the Central Plains. However, the Houyi generation in the summer, Xia Hou fled to the same surname, Guan Yi, to take refuge. Han Zhuo replaced Yi, put out the second fall and killed the emperor. At that time, after the princess became pregnant, she fled to Youshang and gave birth to Shao Kang. What's more, she was still grazing. Han Zhuo even asked his son to kill Shao Kang, who fled to Youyu's house. You Yujia is "the wife of Er Yao, the city is connected, Tian Shiyi travels", and even Xia's legacy officials fled to Britain and spared no effort, which is known as "Shao Kang Zhongxing" in history. From this period of history, we can see that Xia tribe in the Central Plains once formed a political alliance with some tribes of Dongyi Group through marriage. The whole Dongyi Group, like the Liangzhu Cultural Tribe in the former south, has never formed a unified political situation of one-respect rule, and has been in a state of separatist strife, which enables Xia people to marry and form alliances calmly, adopt the strategy of disintegration and divide and rule, and finally establish and completely consolidate their position of "respecting the world". After the establishment of Xia dynasty, it promoted the great development of productivity represented by bronze smelting and casting industry and construction industry. However, after the decline of Longshan culture in Shandong, Yue culture seems to have regressed a lot. It is clear at a glance which is better or worse. Although the powerful power of Dongyi Group is the main threat to the whole Yin Shang generation in the future, it is obviously a "helpless move", which cannot fundamentally reverse the decline and is only a spent force.

Fourthly, the heroes represented by Yao, Shun and Yu have played an indelible role in promoting the historical development. Yao Shunyu's age is similar to that of Longshan in archaeology, and it is also similar to the unified war led by Xia tribes before the establishment of Xia Dynasty. Many outstanding tribal leaders produced in this era have played a vital role in promoting the process of historical development. The leaders of these tribal groups were born in the harsh realistic struggle and were elected by tribal members. The "abdication system", which was popular in the later period of this process and praised by later literature, was essentially supported and elected by the leaders of tribal groups after a long-term practical struggle. This process, as recorded in the chronicle of ancient bamboo books, including the generation of Yao and Shun [43], is not necessarily a "surrender" of peace, but a violent seizure. Even according to historical records? According to Records of Five Emperors, if Yao and Shun are famous for their filial piety, Dayu established his absolute authority purely by diligence, wisdom and outstanding achievements. The leaders of tribal groups were all born in the actual struggle and were deeply supported, so they were endowed with many privileges, which became the basis for Xia Hou's hereditary world ruling group to establish an autocratic system. Finally, this system died out and became a hereditary autocratic system. As a result, China society began a long development cycle along the model initiated by Xia Dynasty.

Fifthly, as the center of the world, the superior geographical position of the Central Plains, its broad mind and its ability to absorb outstanding achievements created by various civilizations have determined that it has become a melting pot that plays the most important role in the formation of the Chinese nation and laid the foundation for it to become the center of ancient civilization in China.

The Central Plains society in the late Yangshao period and the whole Longshan period is a completely open society and a huge melting pot that combines the essence of four cultures. As early as the late Yangshao era, the Central Plains culture was widely blended with Dawenkou culture in the east and Qujialing culture in the south. In the Longshan era, it absorbed more factors of Longshan culture in Shandong. For example, the pottery industry produces a certain amount of black pottery, clay cakes, clay strips and round holes in the surface decoration of utensils, and pots, gauges, jars, beans and cups in utensils. Ritual objects such as jade cong, jade bi and jade yue in Liangzhu culture in southeast China, as well as animal face patterns on jade cong representing the combination of monarchical power and divine power, are reflected in Erlitouxia culture and late Shang culture, and have developed into the most distinctive cultural connotations. Behind the appearance of these pottery, jade and animal face decoration, it is more important to accept their inherent ruling ideas and make the Central Plains culture more profound. An open society, a society that widely absorbs the achievements of civilization created by various places, will inevitably continue to develop and progress. Some scholars often attribute the decline of Longshan culture in Shandong, Liangzhu culture before it and Hongshan Culture in the northern region to accidental natural factors, and the "flood theory" is the inevitable destination of this study. However, the raging flood from about 3000 BC to 2000 BC is not only an important part of ancient legends in China, but also a widely recorded human catastrophe in the world. The Central Plains culture is also facing the threat of ruthless flood. It did not die, but rose in the flood. In fact, a closed social environment, frequent civil strife, autocratic ruling groups, and social rule that is devoid of conscience and popular support cannot last long, even if a high level of material civilization is created in a short time. This is also the fundamental reason for the decline of several brilliant ancient cultures in the surrounding areas of the Central Plains.

Finally, if the establishment of the central position of the Central Plains civilization is marked by the completion of the unification of Xia tribes and the final establishment of Xia Dynasty, it is only its early stage. The consolidation of its position as the center of civilization was the invention and wide spread of later characters. According to the current archaeological data, Oracle Bone Inscriptions [44], which belongs to Peiligang culture, was found in Jiahu site in Wuyang, a large number of inscriptions were found in Yangshao and Longshan cultural sites all over the country, and inscriptions [45] were found in Dinggong site in Zouping, Shandong. It can be seen that the invention of characters has gone through a long process and the origin of characters may be diverse. It is conceivable that after the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, it made great contributions to the unification, use and dissemination of characters. Limited by the current data, this process can only be considered as completed in the Shang Dynasty, and its symbol is the widespread use and dissemination of Oracle Bone Inscriptions.