A Study On The Origin Of Civilization In The Lower Reaches Of Yangtze River Based On Jade's Religion Function And Evolvement

The Jade Culture at the downstream Yangtze River was so important in the New Stone Age for the whole culture system that the Academia has paid great attentions to it for a long time. The relation between the Jade Culture and the origin of the civilization in this area has been a focus in academic research. In this background, I want to give a convincing explanation to the social custom and the transformation of the social structure in New Stone Age at the downstream Yangtze River. To explain the complex and changeable relationship between the Jade Culture and the origin of the civilization, I analyzed the religion function of the Jade apparatus and its evolvement based on most past research conclusions and through theories in history, archaeology and anthropology etc.The main body of this paper is made up of five parts:The first chapter is the guiding part, hi this part, I tried to outline the most past research conclusions and analyzed the significance of this topic. I figured two insufficiencies out in the past research as well, based on which, my question and approach were given.The second chapter made up a basement for the next argument. In this part, the author tried to comb the distribution of the jade ware in the downstream Yangtze River at the New Stone Age ,then to induce the characters of the jade ware through chart.The third chapter emphasized a research on religion function of the jade apparatus and its evolvement. hi this part, I explored the Belief-Rite system with the core of jade wares in the lay of functional elucidation and outlined the historical clew of the downstream Yangtze River through the angle of individual and integer.The forth chapter expounded their relation in a new way between the variance of the power and the form of the ceremony system through analyzing the Jade Culture's location and function in the origin of the civilization of this area from the two aspects. I consider that the social noble estate in the late of the New Stone Age strengthened their power though appropriating the religion function of the jade wares and the source themselves, hi the same course, they quicken the process of the transition on social power. At the same time, the system of using jade acted as an important part offete ceremony in ancient times in the area of the downstream Yangtze River. And its great influences embodied in the patriarchal clan system of Shang and Chou Dynasty.The fifth chapter is conclusion. In this part ,1 pointed out that the Jade Culture at the New Stone Age in the area of the downstream Yangtze River had evolved for a long time in the lay of religion function. And this condition reflected the historical process from the original religion to the rational religion. The religion function of the jade wares has turned into the important source of information about the development of the society in the downstream Yangtze River for us. In fact, in the two aspects, the transition on social power and the form of the system on fete ceremony, the religion function of jade wares exerted great effect.Inauguration:Though this paper, the author surveyed the origin of the civilization in the area of the downstream Yangtze River again in the whole history. And in it the author used a quantity of archaeological evidences and applied different researching methods including history, archaeology, anthropology etc. Though this elaboration, the importance of the religion system in the core of jade protruded in the process of the civilization's origin and on which the value of this paper lays.