The Retreat Of Central Plain's Culture From The South In Shang Dynasty

With the Middle Valley of Yangzi River as the center,west to the Second Terrance,east to the Jiang-Huai Valley,the geographical scope can be described as the Southern Region for the Central Plains' Culture in Pre-Han Dynasty.In the early and middle period of Shang Dynasty,the Central Plains' Culture had formed extensive and deep influence on the area,while in the late period of Shang Dynasty,the influence of the Central Plains'Culture had basically retreat from the south.Based on the perspective of the Central Plains' Culture,my dissertation discusses the process of cultural change and social development within the retreatment of Central Plains' Culture.My dissertation is based on the traditional archaeological culture research,and more explore the process of cultural change,and even dig out what social mechanism behind.According to the regional cultural features,The South Region can be divided into three districts:as the center of the site of Panlongcheng,there is the Jianghan Eastern District;as the center of the site of Liaowadianzi-Jingnansi,there is the Jianghan Western District;and as the center of Guduiqiao and Dachengdun,there is the Jianghuai District.With the typical site as a representative,my dissertation,through the typology of pottery,overall analyzes the cultural evolution when the Central Plains' Culture retreat from the Southern Region.This whole relative remains can be divided into four phases and five groups,which separately is equivalent to the Erligang Lower II to Erligang Upper ?,the Early Phase of Huanbei Huayuanzhuang,the Late Phase of Huanbei Huayuanzhuang,and the Phase of Yinxu I,followed by the acquisition of sporadic type of bronzes analysis that are incorporated into the overall above the staging system.The first phases,which is equal as Erligang Period,is the peak time that the Central Plains' Culture gave an impact on the South.The remains in the South in this period show a strong influence of the Central Plains' Culture,but in different region,there are different characters which indicates different social patterns and the mode of central control,with reference of the cultural remains.In the Jianghan Eastern District,The influence of the Central Plain's Culture had formed regional control which expanded toward to the east and west through the Middle Yangtze River,as the center of the city of Panlongcheng.In the Jianghan Western District,there is a situation where the Central Plains' Cultural factors and local cultural factors mixed together,which implies the influence of the Central Plains' Culture may be via trade spots.In the Jiang-Huai District,through the mainstream of Huai River,the influence of the Central Plains'Culture formed the regional control,however different from the Jianghan Eastern District,the settlement and social level of this area were not become more complicated.The second to forth phase,which is equal as Huanbei Huayuanzhuang to Yinxu I,is that period which the Central Plains' Culture retreat from the Southern Region.During this time,the development of the culture can be summarized as the withdrawal of the Central Plains' Culture and the rise of local culture.In the Jianghan Eastern District,the city of Panlongcheng had declined in the second phase,and been abandoned in the third phase.Meanwhile the control center of the Central Plains'Culture moved north to the upstream of Yunshui River.In the Jianghan Western District,the sites of the upstream of Han River decreased rapidly in the second and third phases.Meanwhile along the Yangtze River and Li River,the factors of local culture gradually occupy the dominant position.In the Jiang-Huai District,as an example of sites along the Huai River Basin,the culture still shows a prosperous situation,but associated with bronzes for the local character,there was a tendency of independence of the upper nobility,and to the fourth phase,the Central Plains' Culture remains rapid demise.After the third phase,the Central Plains' culture retreat from the Jianghan Eastern District and the Jianghan Western District.And after the fourth phase,the Central Plains' culture also withdraw from the Jiang-Huai District.In the late Shang Dynasty,the southern boundaries of the Central Plains' culture has not been over Tongbai Mountain and Huai River.From the diachronic view,the dissertation discusses urban settlement,palace foundation and bronzes which reflect the high level of human activities,and pottery which reflect the lower level of human activities,the evolutional process of those in the retreatment of the Central Plains' Culture from the South.The material cultures that reflect the upper level show the decline of central government control power in the south.What reflects the lower level show,as an example of pottery unearthed from Panlongcheng,show gradual changes from the Central Plains' cultural factors towards the local cultural factors.Through the discussion of those two aspects,the social mechanism behind the retreatment of Central Plains' Culture from the south,as we see:on the one hand,the control mode in the early time that establish a local city as the representative of the Central Plains' Dynasty cannot continue to maintain control of the south;on the other hand,during the Huaibei period,the dynasty control of the external area could transfer from the direct control strategy into the indirect effects,even more control of local agent,to manage the flow of resources.In the late Shang period,the Dynasty was still able to get a large number of resources from surrounding areas,and thus formed the resource circulation network as the center of Yinxu.Meanwhile,the South still maintained connection with the Central Plains,as an example of Wucheng,whose urban settlement and bronze ritual vessel imitated the Central Plains' Culture,further promote the cultural and political "centralized" process in South China.