Xia Dynasty
The Xia Dynasty, often considered the first dynasty in traditional Chinese history, is said to have existed before the Shang Dynasty (1600-1066 BCE). According to legend, it was founded by Yu the Great, who is celebrated as an archetype of public service and is associated with significant early advancements, including agriculture, flood control, and the development of writing and calendars. However, the historical existence of the Xia Dynasty has not been conclusively proven, as there was no physical evidence until archaeological findings in 1957. These findings, linked to the Erlitou culture near Zhengzhou, suggest a civilization with advanced metallurgical skills and centralized governance, possibly aligning with the legendary accounts of the Xia Dynasty. The site features large earthen walls and complex structures that indicate significant social organization and labor investment. Despite ongoing debates among historians and archaeologists regarding the Xia’s status as a historical reality, it remains a pivotal element of China's cultural heritage and narrative of ancient civilization.
Xia Dynasty
Also known as: Hsia Dynasty (Wade-Giles).
Date: c. 2100-1600 b.c.e.
Locale: Erlitou, east of Luoyang in Henan, China
Xia Dynasty
Traditional Chinese histories referred to the existence of a dynasty predating the Shang Dynasty (1600-1066 b.c.e.), although no physical evidence existed until 1957. According to legend, the Xia (SHEE-AH) Dynasty was founded by Xia Yu, who personified the ideal public servant. Yu was the last of five mythical pre-Xia “emperors.” The five were credited with the development of fire, agriculture, animal domestication, writing, calendars, and flood control. The Xia Dynasty might simply be the late Longshan period, when various cultures merged.
The existence of the Xia Dynasty has never been firmly proven. Archaeological evidence uncovered near Zhengzhou in 1957, dubbed the Erlitou culture, dates from between 1900 to 1600 b.c.e. The site, surrounded by earthen walls 20 feet (6 meters) high and 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) square, might be the capital city of Yangcheng in traditional histories. One large complex, interpreted as a palace, was estimated to have taken 100,000 worker-days to build. Outside the walls were two foundries for casting bronze, indicating the existence of relatively advanced metallurgical skills. Regardless of whether this site was part of the Xia Dynasty, it does show the existence of centralized control in China before the Shang Dynasty.
Bibliography
Chang, K. C. The Archeology of Ancient China. 4th ed. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1987.
Gernet, J. A History of Chinese Civilization. Translated by J. R. Foster. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1995
Keightler, D. The Origins of Chinese Civilization. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983.