Longshan cultural and historical characteristics

What are the characteristics of Longshan Culture?

In the spring of 1928, archaeologist Wu Jinding discovered the world-famous Chengziya ruins in Longshan Town, Zhangqiu City, Shandong Province.

On the west fault of the Chengziya platform, he unearthed a large number of dark-colored, smooth-surfaced pottery fragments that survived with stone tools and bone tools. Archaeologists initially called it the Black Pottery Culture.

Later, archaeologists named this cultural relic, mainly characterized by black pottery, "Longshan Culture". Before Chengziya, most of the ancient pottery unearthed in China were painted pottery and red pottery with extremely high sand content. However, the black pottery unearthed from Chengziya, which was made from river mud, can be said to be a unique creation of the Dongyi people more than 4,000 years ago.

The black pottery art eggshell cup unearthed from Chengziya has a wall of only 0.5 mm thick and weighs only about 50 grams. It is treasured as the best black pottery.

Since the discovery of the Longshan site, archaeologists have discovered cultural relics from this period in Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hubei and other places. However, because their cultural features are different, they are named Henan Longshan Culture, Shaanxi Longshan Culture, Shanxi Taosi Type Longshan Culture, and Hubei Shijiahe Culture, commonly known as the Longshan Era Culture.

The most significant feature of the culture of this period is the discovery of city sites. In Shandong, in addition to the Chengziyalongshan City Site, there are also the Shouguang Bianxianwang City Site.

Other areas include Huaiyang Pingliangtai City Site, Dengfeng Wangchenggang City Site, Yancheng Haojiatai City Site, Huixian Mengzhuang City Site, etc. The Longshan Culture is in the late Neolithic Age in China. During this period, the agriculture and animal husbandry in Shaanxi have developed greatly compared with the Yangshao Culture. The number and types of production tools have greatly increased, greatly improving production efficiency.

Witchcraft activities such as divination are also popular. Therefore, from the perspective of social form, we have entered a patriarchal society at that time, private property has appeared, and we have begun to enter a class society. What are the outstanding characteristics of Longshan Culture?

Longshan Culture in different regions has its own characteristics, but there are also unique characteristics. This is black pottery.

Black pottery is a prominent feature of Longshan Culture and the fundamental feature that distinguishes Longshan Culture from Yangshao Culture. In contrast to the Yangshao Culture, which was called "painted pottery culture" when it first appeared, Longshan Culture was also called "black pottery culture" when it was first discovered, which shows the essential difference between the two.

Longshan Culture black pottery is an excellent pottery technology that emerged after the Yangshao Culture painted pottery. Due to the use of fast wheel making technology, the pottery tire is extremely thin, the ribs are tight, and the entire body is polished. Also, due to the carburizing method of sealed kiln smoke during the firing process, the surface of the pottery exhibits a deep black luster, even It's exquisite.

It is not distinguished by decoration, but by shape. The decoration only has a few string patterns, scratches or holes, but it has the four characteristics of black, thin, light and fine. The concentrated representative of these black pottery arts is Shandong Longshan Culture, which is known as the typical Longshan Culture. The distribution and characteristics of Longshan Culture

Following the Yangshao Culture, the Longshan Culture in the middle reaches of the Yellow River emerged, which included the early Miaodigou Phase II Culture in Shaanxian County, Henan Province, the late Longshan Culture in Henan Province, and the Longshan Culture in Shaanxi Province. culture. The second phase of the Miaodigou culture is distributed at the junction of Henan, Shanxi and Shaanxi, and is often superimposed on the Yangshao culture layer. The pottery is mainly gray pottery, with a small amount of red pottery and black pottery. The basket pattern has become the main decoration. Many pottery shapes inherit the Yangshao culture. The time is from 2900 to 2800 BC.

The Longshan Culture in Henan is the continuation of the second phase of the Miaodigou Culture. It is centered in Henan and also includes parts of southern Shanxi and southern Hebei. Due to different geographical distribution, there are certain differences in cultural appearance, and they are subdivided into different types such as Hougang Phase II, Zaolutai, Wangwan Phase III, Xiawanggang Phase III, and Taosi. The pottery at this time was still mainly gray pottery. Although wheel-making accounted for a certain proportion, it was not as developed as the Longshan culture in Shandong. The age ranges from 2600 BC to 2000 BC. The later Erlitou culture of Yanshi County was developed on its basis.

Shaanxi Longshan Culture (Keshengzhuang Phase II Culture) is superimposed on the Miaodigou Phase II Culture and has a relationship of inheritance. They are mainly distributed in the Guanzhong area, and there are also remains in northern and southern Shaanxi. The age ranges from 2300 BC to 2000 BC. What are the characteristics of the Longshan Culture in Shaanxi?

The Longshan Culture in Shaanxi, which is mainly located in the Wei River Basin and spreads across many areas in northern and southern Shaanxi, is generally divided into two phases: the early and the late.

The houses are mainly semi-crypt style, with inner and outer rooms. In the outer room, facing the exit of the slope, there is often a cooking stove or a niche for storing fire; in the inner room, there is a bag-shaped cellar for storing grain.

At the Kangjia site in Lintong, more than 100 house foundations were found arranged in rows. Their layout provided information for investigating the social structure at that time. The pottery is mainly gray pottery, with some red pottery. The shape and decoration of the pottery are mostly similar to the Longshan Culture of Henan to the east and the Qijia Culture to the west, reflecting the mutual exchanges between these cultures.

The Qijia culture dates back about 4,000 years and is named after the Qijiaping site in Guanghe County, Gansu Province. It is widely distributed in Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia and other places. Most of the houses in Qijia culture are underground-type buildings, with the living rooms covered with a layer of white ash, which is not only strong and beautiful, but also moisture-proof, making it very distinctive.

The pottery industry of the Qijia Culture was relatively developed, and complex kiln-firing technology was mastered at that time. This is closely related to the emergence of the distinctive copper smelting industry of the Qijia Culture. Briefly describe the artistic characteristics of the black pottery of the Longshan Culture in the Neolithic Age

The black pottery of the Longshan Culture in Shandong is an excellent variety after the colored pottery of the Yangshao Culture. It is a culture in the late Neolithic Age in my country more than 4,000 years ago. It is known as Black pottery is characterized by it, so it is called "black pottery culture". Black pottery is a black pottery with a thin pottery body, tight ribs, and dark and shiny. It is the most exquisitely made among the pottery of the Longshan Culture. The black pottery process mainly uses the pottery wheel. method. It is not distinguished by decoration, but by its shape. In addition to pointed-bottomed bottles, jars, basins, etc., the shape varieties of black pottery also include Li, beans, cups, tripods, etc. Black pottery is fired The charcoaling method of sealing kiln smoke was used during the production, and the surface of the vessel shows a deep black luster. Its surface is polished and unpretentious, with only a few string patterns, scratches or holes in the decoration. It is black, thin, smooth, and buttoned. There are four major characteristics of black pottery. Among them, there is a kind of thin-body black pottery, which is as black and shiny as an eggshell. It is called eggshell pottery, which represents the outstanding achievements of this type of pottery. Black pottery originated from people's daily utensils, and then due to its easy texture Broken, gradually out of daily life. After thousands of years of ups and downs, Zhangqiu pottery artists have now developed hundreds of black pottery products, which can meet the needs of different classes of people. Black pottery has become an elegant art. Products for people to enjoy... What are the characteristics of the architectural layout of the Yangshao Culture Period and the Longshan Culture Period?

The "hierarchical community" structure centered on large city sites in the Longshan Period is completely different from the early city form in the middle and late Yangshao Period. In terms of form and structure It is said that this is a reflection in the settlement form of the formation of the Fangguo organization at the end of primitive society and the imminent disintegration of the organizational structure of the clan and tribal society.

Generally speaking, the popularization of urban defense facilities is not only an improvement in settlement construction technology, but also an objective result of the urgency of external defense and the intensification of internal conflicts. Judging from the external form of the city site, the square city has become the main form. This is a reflection of the maturity of the city's form in the Longshan era and its escape from the traces of early trench settlements. From an internal structure point of view, the Longshan City Site is a reflection of the settlement pattern of major tribal groups in the late primitive society to protect themselves and establish Fang State. Among them, the large city has begun to assume the status of a city, the political center of Fang State. Longshan city sites are relatively concentrated in the six major ancient cultural zones in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins, which correspond to the activity areas of the Huaxia, Dongyi, Bashu, Jingchu, Wuyue and other ethnic groups and their ancestors from the legendary era to the early history of my country. , and the "hierarchical community" structures centered on large settlements that have appeared one after another in different areas are the archaeological remains of a new type of political entity. Human and animal sacrifices are commonly found in important buildings in large city sites and hierarchical settlement centers. the foundational remains. In funerals, the remains of human and animal sacrifices in noble cemeteries or noble tombs in public cemeteries are also quite common.

Central settlements often also built large and complex special ritual places. It can be seen that the Longshan era was a stage in which religious sacrifice and ritual culture became more and more mature, and became an important symbol of the imminent completion of the national civilization building. What is Longshan Culture

Longshan Culture generally refers to a type of cultural relics dating back to the late Neolithic Age in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China. The culture of the era when copper and stone were used together was named after its discovery in Longshan Town, Zhangqiu, Shandong, about 4350-3950 years ago. Distributed in Shandong, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi and other provinces in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. The fast-wheel pottery technology that emerged in the Dawenkou Culture was widely used during this period. Polished black pottery was more abundant and of better quality, producing artifacts as thin as eggshells with surfaces as bright as paint. This was the first step in the history of Chinese pottery making. ’s peak period. In the spring of 1928, archaeologist Wu Jinding discovered the world-famous Chengziya ruins in Longshan Town, Zhangqiu County, Shandong Province. On the west fault of the Chengziya platform, he unearthed thin and black-sheen pottery fragments that existed alongside stone tools and bone tools. This aroused the great attention of experts from the archaeological group of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica at that time. After that, archaeologists conducted many excavations at the Chengziya site and obtained a number of cultural relics characterized by exquisite polished black pottery. Based on these discoveries, archaeologists named this cultural relic, mainly characterized by black pottery, "Longshan Culture." Similarities and Differences between Yangshao Culture and Longshan Culture

1. Similarities: "Yangshao Culture" and "Longshan Culture" are two important cultures of the late "Neolithic Age" created by our ancestors living in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. culture.

2. Differences: 1. Different distribution locations. "Yangshao Culture" is named after it was first discovered in Yangshao Village, Humianchi County, Henan Province, four to five thousand years ago. It is distributed over a wide area, with no less than a thousand ancient sites discovered in western and northern Henan, as well as Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Guhai and other places.

The "Longshan Culture" is a culture in the late "Neolithic Age" that is later and more advanced than the "Yangshao Culture", about three or four thousand years ago. It was named because its ruins were first discovered in Longshan Town near Jinan, Shandong Province.

Its distribution area is also very wide, generally in Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Liaodong Peninsula and near Hangzhou in Zhejiang. 2. Different pottery cultures. The artifacts found in the relocation site include right pottery, bone pottery, pottery, etc.

Because the surface of these pottery is mostly red and has colorful patterns. This kind of painted pottery has very obvious characteristics, so "Yangshao Culture" is also called "Painted Pottery Culture".

The pottery of the "Longshan Culture" has a dark and shiny surface, and the pottery wall is thin and hard. Archaeologists call this culture the "black pottery culture". 3. Different social styles. Based on the research on the "Yangshao Culture" sites and a large number of relics, we know that the economy at that time was based on primitive "hoeing agriculture". The main crop was millet; agricultural equipment included stone axes, stone shovels, and stone knives. And stone grinding discs, grinding rods, etc. for grain processing.

Although animal husbandry, fishing and hunting at this time had gradually become a sideline industry, they still occupied a certain position in the entire economic life. In terms of livestock, pigs and dogs have been raised.

In terms of handicraft industry, stone making, bone making, pottery making, weaving and sewing are very common. People were already living a relatively stable settled life at this time.

Because many small square or round houses connected to form a "village" were found in the ruins (there is often a big house in such a "village", which is probably where the members of this clan moved. public places). It was found in the "Longshan Culture" site that the economy of this period was based on developed "hoeing agriculture", and hunting and fishing were only side businesses.

Handicraft industry began to play an important role. In addition to stone axes and stone knives, production tools also include half-moon-shaped stone knives, stone locks, mussels and other agricultural tools.

During this period, in addition to pigs and dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, and chickens were also raised as livestock. Handicraft products are also more exquisite and beautiful.

4. The social status of men and women is different Yangshao culture.

From the study of tombs and daily necessities at that time, it can be seen that women's status in agricultural production and daily life was much higher than that of men. Therefore, many scholars believe that the "Yangshao Culture" was in the matriarchal commune. period of prosperity.

Longshan Culture. Men have played a major role in production, and the difference between the rich and the poor in the clan has become more and more obvious.

Archaeologists and historians believe that the "Longshan Culture" was the culture of the patriarchal clan commune period centered on men.

Extended information: The historical value of Longshan Culture The establishment of Longshan Culture is the most important discovery after Yangshao Culture.

It not only fills the gap between Yangshao culture and Yin Shang culture in practice, but also takes a key step for China to pursue the origin of Chinese culture. The city site is a significant feature of Longshan culture.

A city with defensive engineering is the product of social development to a certain stage. In the "Book of Rites·Liyun", "the city walls, ditches and ponds are considered solid" as an important symbol of the emergence of the country. At present, only in the Haidai Longshan Cultural Zone, in addition to Chengziya, the Longshan Cultural City sites discovered through field work include Shouguang Bianxianwang, Zouping Dinggong, Yanggu Jingyanggang, Wulian Dantu, Rizhao Liangcheng Town, Feixian Fangfang There are more than ten well-known Longshan cultural city sites, including Lianyungang Tenghualuo City, Tengzhou Zhuangli West, and Rizhao Yaowang City.

In addition to the city site, large-scale burial objects were also unearthed at the Longshan Cultural Site, such as the Xi Zhu Feng in Linqu. Take the highest-standard tomb M202 in Xi Zhufeng as an example. The tomb has a coffin and a coffin, both of which are painted. There are nearly 50 burial objects, including jade crowns, jade hairpins, jade axes, jade knives, turquoise strings, and eggs. Shell black pottery goblets and crocodile scale plates to name a few.

The small tombs in the same cemetery have no burial tools and only a small amount of pottery. This also shows that the society at that time was highly differentiated. Not only that, many civilized elements of Dawenkou and Longshan cultures, such as the tradition of rich burials, the tradition of burial jade articles, the coffin and coffin system, etc., were obviously inherited and developed by the later Shang and Zhou civilizations.

In ancient Chinese history, Longshan Culture was in the formation period of civilized society. Because of this, a comprehensive and in-depth study of this culture is crucial to solving the problem of the origin of private ownership, class, and state in ancient Chinese society. Important topics have self-evident significance. At the same time, it is also a major way for us to understand the Dongyi people’s social structure, production activities, living customs, spiritual beliefs, and the relationship between Yi and Xia.