The Study Of The History And Culture Between Han River And Huaihe River Valley In Zhou Dynasty

The area between Han River and Huaihe River valley refers to the region from Han River valley to the upper mainstream of Huaihe River valley along the boundary from the Qinling Mountains and Huaihe River, which mainly covers the Nanyang Basin and Xinyang County.The history and culture between Han River and Huaihe River valley in Zhou Dynasty(1046B.C-221B.C) show a trend of diversified development. Influenced by Xizhou Dynasty(1046B.C-771B.C), its archaelogical culture(represented by the unearthed burial articles, burial custom and social life) took on the regional feature of Central Plain. In the early and middle stage of Chunqiu period(770B.C-476B.C, the early period of Dongzhou), the culture of Han-Huai River was not only mainly influenced by local states'culture, but also by the culture of Central Plain and Chu area(a state in southern part of China). In the mid-Chunqiu and the entire Warring States period, with the extinction of all states in this area, Chu's culture came as a substitute, which featured itself with regional characteristics. Although the culture of States and Chu achieved some breakthrough in Ritual Vessels making and burial custom, it still comply with comply with the "The Rites of Zhou" throughout the Zhou Dynasty.The change of political and geographic situation is always in correspondence with the feature of archaelogical culture. In 11th Century B.C, Xizhou had established its ruling in Han-Huaihe River valley. Before the decline of the royal family in early-mid Chunqiu and the rise of Chu, the States'Culture in Han-Huaihe River was in its full bloom. In the mid of Chunqiu, Chu wiped out its neighbouring states to expand its northern boundary. Therefore, the States'Culture was blended with Chu Culture, which formed into a New-Chu-Culture with its regional characteristics. After the Warring States period, the regional feature in Han-Huaihe River gradually vanished with the increasingly frequent communication and exchange between the North and the South.The regional culture in Han-Huaihe valley in Zhou Dynasty enjoyed both transitional and regional characteristics, which have an significant association with special transitional geographical environment which serve as a channel for North-South culture exchange. As the Han-Huai River valley is located in a strategic position, the rulers of both Zhou and Chu attached great importance to it in Zhou Dynasty. The culture in Han-Huaihe area was greatly influenced by Zhou and Chu when in their prime time respectively. Therefore, in Zhou Dynasty, mainstream culture continually influenced Han-Huaihe River area, whose regional feature gradually faded away with the flourish of the Zhou Dynasty and State Chu. However, in the early-mid period of Chunqiu(a time of vacancy when both Zhou and Chu culture had not widely influenced local culture), the regional States' culture was in its prosperity.