On The Conditions Of Early State Formation In China - Political Anthropology And History Of Combining A New Attempt

The origin of early state in China has been considered tightly connected with Anthropology since the publishing of the study about Chinese Ancient Society in 1929. Anthropology has two negative influences on Chinese historians. One is that they attempt to build a series of social patterns according to time,and lay special emphasis on conerete time of the origion of Chinese early state. The other is that they sway between two exeremes. Some think China is the carbon copy of Ancient Greece or Rome while others contend China is completely different from other ancient states. In my opinion, the formation of state is a long process rather than an abrupt event. It's unnecessarry to clarify the concrete time ofthe origin of state. Attention should be paid to those conditions that influercedits formation. On the other hand, the regional organization appeared very late in China. We can still find many essential factors beyond the blood relationship, so the two extreme viewpoints are both wrong.As far as I' m concerned, one of the most apparent distinctions between state andchiefdom is that the state has stronger solidity and it contains a large population with different races and cultures. And the focus of thesis is through what means the state controls the population and under what conditions it master the means instead of the old methods that pursue army, jail and court.