A Study On Qujialing Culture

Qujialing Culture in this thesis is represented by the late period remains in the second excavation of Qujialing Site.Qujialing Culture can be divided into two periods and four phases,the early period includes the first two phases,and the late period includes the last two phases.The absolute dating is 3300-2500 BC.The Qujialing Culture can be divided into seven local types in total.They are the Qujialing type located in Handong Plain and the northern region of Hanxi Plain,the Chengtoushan type in the south of Dongtinghu Plain and Hanxi Plain,the Gaokanlong type in the middle-upper reaches of Ruan River,the Yangjiawan type in Xiajiang area,the Qinglongquan type in the northwest of Hubei province and southwest of Henan province,the Jinjiling type in the north and northeast of Hubei province,and the Fangyingtai type in the southeast of Hubei province and upper reaches of Huai River.Qujialing type,located in the central area,is the core in the above seven local types and has the most typical remains.The rest of them surrounding Qujialing type are peripheral local types,showing more or less different characteristics.The background of the development of Qujialing culture is that local cultures of lower Qujialing and Zhujiatai Culture in middle Yangtze River faced with the southward development of Qinwangzhai Culture and the Westward intrusion of Dawenkou Culture were melted internally,especially on the basis of the lower Qujialing and the integration of Zhujiatai Culture,and with the absorption of the cultural elements of Dawenkou Culture as well as some of Qinwangzhai Culture at the same time,and then became Qujialing Culture.After the formation of Qujialing Culture,it greatly expanded outward and impacted other cultures.In the first phase,Qujialing Culture impacted on Qinwangzhai Culture in the upper reaches of Huai River.Meanwhile,it occupied the region of Xiajiang so the Shaopengzui Culture had to retreat to Xiaxi.In the second phase,Qujialing Culture occupied Xinyang in the upper reaches of Huai River,replacing Qinwangzhai Culture.After that,Qujialing Culture came into contact with Dawenkou Culture in northern Anhui province.It also northwest expanded to the upper reaches of Dan River and Weihe basin,impacting Quanhu Culture to some extent.In the phase of three and four,Qujialing Culture had occupied the upper reaches of Huai River and influenced Dawenkou Culture deeply when it permeated into northern Anhui,Shandong and northern Jiangsu province,resulting in the transformation of Dawenkou Culture from the middle to the late period.Qujialing Culture went southward to the areas around Tai Lake and had an impact on Liangzhu Culture.In the north,Qujialing Culture and Dawenkou Culture advanced on the Central Plains,making Qinwangzhai Culture retreat to west and decline gradually.In the northwest,Quanhu Culture was influenced by Qujialing Culture greatly,and in the Weihe basin and its vicinity,the cultural factors of Qujialing Culture increased obviously.Quanhu Culture transformed into Miaodigou II when facing the intervention of Qujialing Culture,the westward intrusion of Dawenkou Culture and retreat of Qinwangzhai Culture.The impact of Qujialing Culture there was proceeding and a large number of Qujialing Cultural factors were found in Miaodigou II Culture.It is same in Xiaxi,where some factors were found in Shaopengzui Culture.The late Qujialing Culture influenced by Liangzhu Culture,Dawenkou Culture(mainly Yuchisi type)was transformed into Shijiahe Culture.The cities of Qujialing Culture can be divided into four categories,which were 1)trans-regional centers 2)regional centers 3)centers on the district of sub-cultural contact 4)centers on the district of cultural contact.The former two categories combined with other ordinary settlements constructed a multi-level settlement pattern.The third category referred to the cities which were built on the junction or cultural contact of the core type and peripheral types within a culture in order to enforce the control on the peripheral types.The forth category referred to the cities built on the junction or cultural contact of Qujialing Culture and other cultures,making those cultures defense invasion of external culture.Qujialing Culture is the first unified prehistoric culture in middle Yangtze River.A number of cities,big-scale ritual activities,well-organized and complex settlements have shown its high-developed social complication and an important position in the process of Chinese civilization.In addition,Qujialing Cultural large-scale external expansion has influenced northern China and changed the cultural patterns of the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River.Therefore,there is no doubt that Qujialing Culture is one of the most important part in Chinese civilization.