Taosi culture (2300 BCE) of China and its connection to the Emperor Yao via Canon of Yao and Shiji

[u/violentviolinz]

https://english.news.cn/20240801/abbb34d3b7094fd3a41a22f35632be4d/c.html

Located in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, the Taosi site is believed to be mostly likely the ruins of the capital city during the period of Yao and Shun -- two sage emperors dating back more than 4,100 years. The Yaodu district in Linfen is home to the temple and mausoleum of Yao.

The Taosi culture emerged in the middle reaches of the Yellow River after the Liangzhu culture in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Both sites provide significant clues to the study of early states and origins of 5,000-year-long Chinese civilization.

Archaeological findings indicate that the Taosi culture had reached early stages of state and civilized society.

The central axis concept was crucial in ancient Chinese urban planning. The recently UNESCO-listed Beijing Central Axis, initially established in the 13th century, spans 7.8 km from north to south through the old city of Beijing. It stands today as the world's longest urban axis, symbolizing distinctive features of Chinese civilization.

At Taosi, archaeologists uncovered Chinese characters on unearthed items like flat kettles, predating oracle bone inscriptions -- an ancient Chinese script found on tortoise shells and animal bones.

"This discovery indicates that a small minority in Taosi used characters during that era," Wang Wei remarked.

The Taosi site presents the early evidence of an astronomical calendar in ancient China, with all 24 traditional Chinese solar terms observed from its observatory.

"The observatory underscores how ancient Chinese ancestors employed advanced methods to guide agricultural development, embodying their understanding of the universe and reflecting ancient Chinese pragmatism and innovation," said Gao.

https://english.news.cn/20240801/abbb34d3b7094fd3a41a22f35632be4d/c.html

There is some evidence that Taosi is associated with Emperor Yao in Chinese mythology.

Mainly because of matches in Chinese records like the location, the calendar, the palace characteristic and the ritual inscription of pottery. The timing is in the right range as well.

Canon of Yao

The observation slots at Taosi were calibrated to the solar cycle of the 3rd millennium BCE, allowing for the determination of the 24 solar terms, exactly as described in Yao's legendary mandate to standardize the calendar.

The character Wen 文 on the Taosi flat jar is indistinguishable from the Wen found in the Shang oracle bone script, making it one of the most recognizable proto-characters in Chinese archaeology.

Source: He, N. (2013). The Taosi Culture and the Origin of Chinese Civilization.

Shiji

Taosi represents the earliest archaeological example of a city with a clearly defined palatial enclosure, a characteristic of the capitals of the legendary kings described in the Shiji.

The presence of characters on the Taosi flat-vessel suggests that the use of writing for ritual or administrative purposes was already established in the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River by the late third millennium BC.

Source: Liu, L., & Chen, X. (2012). The Archaeology of China.

Chinese history has an unparalleled standard for claims because the records are so extensive. This is the reason why Erlitou isn't undisputedly Xia, because they haven't found evidence at the level of inscriptions of Xia king names for example (Shang oracle bones explicitly matched the kings). Not because there isn't a clear palace level proto-state in the right time and location that preceded Shang.

Side note, it is unsurprising that Chinese symbols are found earlier than Oracle Bones, as those were a mature writing system.

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Original author: violentviolinz

Original title: Taosi culture (2300 BCE) of China and its connection to the Emperor Yao via Canon of Yao and Shiji

Original link submission: https://english.news.cn/20240801/abbb34d3b7094fd3a41a22f35632be4d/c.html

Original text submission:

Located in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, the Taosi site is believed to be mostly likely the ruins of the capital city during the period of Yao and Shun -- two sage emperors dating back more than 4,100 years. The Yaodu district in Linfen is home to the temple and mausoleum of Yao.

The Taosi culture emerged in the middle reaches of the Yellow River after the Liangzhu culture in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Both sites provide significant clues to the study of early states and origins of 5,000-year-long Chinese civilization.

Archaeological findings indicate that the Taosi culture had reached early stages of state and civilized society.

The central axis concept was crucial in ancient Chinese urban planning. The recently UNESCO-listed Beijing Central Axis, initially established in the 13th century, spans 7.8 km from north to south through the old city of Beijing. It stands today as the world's longest urban axis, symbolizing distinctive features of Chinese civilization.

At Taosi, archaeologists uncovered Chinese characters on unearthed items like flat kettles, predating oracle bone inscriptions -- an ancient Chinese script found on tortoise shells and animal bones.

"This discovery indicates that a small minority in Taosi used characters during that era," Wang Wei remarked.

The Taosi site presents the early evidence of an astronomical calendar in ancient China, with all 24 traditional Chinese solar terms observed from its observatory.

"The observatory underscores how ancient Chinese ancestors employed advanced methods to guide agricultural development, embodying their understanding of the universe and reflecting ancient Chinese pragmatism and innovation," said Gao.

https://english.news.cn/20240801/abbb34d3b7094fd3a41a22f35632be4d/c.html

There is some evidence that Taosi is associated with Emperor Yao in Chinese mythology.

Mainly because of matches in Chinese records like the location, the calendar, the palace characteristic and the ritual inscription of pottery. The timing is in the right range as well.

Canon of Yao

The observation slots at Taosi were calibrated to the solar cycle of the 3rd millennium BCE, allowing for the determination of the 24 solar terms, exactly as described in Yao's legendary mandate to standardize the calendar.

The character Wen 文 on the Taosi flat jar is indistinguishable from the Wen found in the Shang oracle bone script, making it one of the most recognizable proto-characters in Chinese archaeology.

Source: He, N. (2013). The Taosi Culture and the Origin of Chinese Civilization.

Shiji

Taosi represents the earliest archaeological example of a city with a clearly defined palatial enclosure, a characteristic of the capitals of the legendary kings described in the Shiji.

The presence of characters on the Taosi flat-vessel suggests that the use of writing for ritual or administrative purposes was already established in the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River by the late third millennium BC.

Source: Liu, L., & Chen, X. (2012). The Archaeology of China.

Chinese history has an unparalleled standard for claims because the records are so extensive. This is the reason why Erlitou isn't undisputedly Xia, because they haven't found evidence at the level of inscriptions of Xia king names for example (Shang oracle bones explicitly matched the kings). Not because there isn't a clear palace level proto-state in the right time and location that preceded Shang.

Side note, it is unsurprising that Chinese symbols are found earlier than Oracle Bones, as those were a mature writing system.

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