Study On The Animal Sacrifices Of Xia Dynasty To Warring States In Northern Region Of China

The history of northern part of China in period from Xia dynasty to Warring States is notonly an important section of Chinese history, but also an essential part of the world history. Thereemerged several archaeological cultures with specific characteristics during this period in northernregion of China. This article picks animal sacrifices as a unique angle to explain burial customs,cultural traditions, religion beliefs and economic patterns behind those archaeological cultures.The first chapter is introduction, in which I state the space-time range of this research, theobject of study and explain the reasons for choosing this subject, and illustrate the methods I use,my purpose and my deficiency.The second chapter is animal sacrifices in northwest district during Xia dynasty to WarringStates period, in which I study and analyze the characteristics of animal sacrifices from differentarchaeological culture, namely Qijia, Siba, Nuomuhong, Xindian, Siwa, Kayue, Shajing and theGansu-Ningxia district in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty period respectively, and presume that in thechosen of animal parts to bury together with the dead, jawbones of boar was popular in earlyperiod, and slowly give place to limb bones and then to skulls and coffin bones, and this reflect thedevelop from settled agriculture to settled pasture and at last to specialized nomad.The third chapter is animal sacrifices in centre and south part of Inner Mongolia districtduring Xia dynasty to Warring States period. It contains study and research about animal sacrificesfound in Site Zhukaigou, Zhukaigou jia type remains, Zhukaigou culture, Xicha culture, Ximaqingcemetery and many other cemeteries in the period of Eastern Zhou Dynasty. had jawbones of boarand Xicha culture had no sign of animal sacrifices, but both sites presented features of agriculturalcivilization, only in different dimensions. The relationship between Zhukaigou culture andXimaqing cemetery seems closer, the former had a few sheep and canine, while the latter hadmany limb bones of sheep. I divided the cemeteries of this area in the Eastern Zhou Dynastyperiod into three districts (Ordos and the district nearby, Baotou and Hohhot, Liangcheng and thedistrict nearby), and researched them respectively, and also divided each district into groupsaccording to the characteristics of animal sacrifices. At the same time, on the bases ofscientifically identifying the animal materials, and in combine with some international matureresearch results, I discuss how those people manage their livestock, how they make use of animalproducts (especially from sheep).The forth chapter is animal sacrifices in centre and north part of Shanxi province, and northpart of Shanxi provience during Xia dynasty to Warring States period. It conclude studies andanalyze of animal sacrifices in archaeological cultures namely, Baiyan, Fushanqiao northern cemetery, Youao type, Lijiaya, and bronze ware groups on both sides of the south heading sectionof the Yellow river, and River Zhaitou cemetery. The deed to bury with animal sacrifices was notpopular in this district before the early stage of the period from Xia dynasty to Warring States, andcan be found in seldom tombs. Characteristics of animal sacrifices in Rong cemetery in RiverZhaitou district are similar with those of Majiayuan and Wangwa cemetery. It’s because thisdistrict is nearby the Central Plain, and has intimate culture relationships with it.The fifth chapter is animal sacrifices in north and south sides of Mount Yan during Xiadynasty to Warring States period. It contains my study and analyze about animal sacrifices in northand south sides of Mount Yan district. In southern district, animal sacrifices rarely existed duringXia Dynasty to the late period of Western Zhou Dynasty. In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty period,cemeteries represented by Yuhuangmiao and other cultures had great amount of animal sacrifices.This was related to some immigration to this district. In the northern district, except Dadianzicemetery had animal sacrifices of boar been found，other cultures, including Down layers ofXiajiadian, Weiyingzi, and Up layers of Xiajiadian had little such findings during Xia Dynasty tothe late period of Western Zhou Dynasty. And in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty period, Shuiquanculture, Linghe culture and Jinggouzi type had many examples of having skulls and coffin bonesas animal sacrifices in cemeteries. This change was basically because the alternation of people andthe economic patterns they chose.The sixth chapter is conclusion. Firstly I divided the period between Xia Dynasty andWarring States in north region of China into three stages of development by the characteristics ofanimal sacrifices as follows, Xia to early period of Shang, late period of Shang to late period ofthe Western Zhou, and the Eastern Zhou period. Those three stages present distinctive features inthe breed of animals used in sacrifice deed, and the body part chosen of those animals, also theamount of animal sacrifices. At the same time, on the bases of dividing stages, I comparesituations of several regions, and highlight the differences between them. Also, I briefly introducethe source and trend of this particular custom of animal sacrifices. At last, I explain properly aboutsome other problems about animal sacrifices.