The Southward Advancing Of The Early Shang’s Culture Under The Archaeological Perspective

This research is undertaken to analyze the remains of the early Shang spreaded wide in the south (including most part of Hubei, the north part of Hunan, the north of Jiangxi and some part of the Anhui Province), and clarify the stages and regional characteristics of this process, as well as how the indigenous in this area reacted during the course of the southward advancing.This thesis is mainly comprised of five chapters,which are:1. First the implication of Shang Culture, as well as the stages and the region of the southward adavancing, will be clearly clarified. Then a review of the finding and researches about it will help understand the aim of this thesis.2. Through the phases dividing and analyse of cultural elements based on the typical remains of early Shang in the southward region, we will find that certain relics were closely linked to this progress. These kinds of relics, to some extant, enriched and epitomized the indigenous culture.3. The southward advancing of early Shang Culture had gone through three phases, namely the initial, the peak and the recession. Every stages evolved under its complex social background. Observation of the spatial distribution of remains linked to the early Shang southward advancing, shows out a fact that the Shang regime had given greater prominence to effective control of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. By setting strongholds, the Shang regime had well managed this region and areas around it.4. The combined analysis of typical potteries and bronze wares linked to Shang Culture in this region, shed light on a fact that even though the material influence imposed by Shang was superficial, the impacts of its ritual and the bronze casting technology stayed long, and finally contributed to the splendid ancient southern culture.5. This part is mainly a summary of the four chapters above.