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= The Rise of the Xia Dynasty: A Look Into The Possibility that the Xia Dynasty is More Than Myth =



Early societies were built up of groups or bands of people that joined or grew in number for various reasons to meet a goal, most likely survival. Through time, these people grew in number and power and eventually hierarchies were formed. What these hierarchies represent are the political structures of the world that exist to this day. In China the assemblage of peoples was assumingly the same. Large groups of people could have been arranged in clans which mixed into larger groups, until eventually the structures that existed were large enough and powerful enough to form a larger political structure such as a Dynasty. Dynastic rule in China’s contemporary literal history goes as far back as the Shang Dynasty, were inscribed writings, similar in style to ancient writings of previous dynasties of other ** kingdoms, ** on artifacts were discovered suggesting that the Shang Dynasty was disputably the first dynasty of any structure known in Chinese history (4). However, amongst the writings of the Shang dynasty are mythologies with possible historical attributes chronicling the existence of a dynasty before the Shang known as the Xia Dynasty. This dynasty was supposedly headed by an emperor, Yu the Great, who could have been related to the emperors of the Shang Dynasties and those existing before the exerted Xia Dynasty (4). However, the question resides whether this governing body existed and whether evidence denotes its existence? To answer this question requires looking at anthropological, historical, and cultural evidence that can suffice to suggest that this body existed and came to fruition to spring the fusion that brought a civilization together until eventually it prospered.

Xia Dynasty



Intro: The Xia Government The Xia Government is mentioned in the written historical records composed by the Shang Dynasty. These records are known as the “Oracle Bones,” “The Records of the Grand Historian,” and “Bamboo Annals,” a composition of work intended to preserve Chinese history up to that point in time (1). Interestingly, these records due hint that a Xia Dynasty existed before the Shang, suggesting further that they are separate entities. Although it is important to note that the question still exists whether the Xia dynasty was separate from the Shang dynasty. For example, according to the author of “The Myth of the Xia Dynasty” by Sarah Allen, the concept of the Xia Dynasty being separate from the Shang is questionable because what is known about its history derives from the Shang Dynasty in a semi-mythological format (4). This means that the Xia Dynasty could fully be a myth, however, it still does not suggest that a separate entity that was a large political entity did not exist. If this is the case, it is possible that a government that was referred later as the Xia Dynasty was any state existing before the Shang Dynasty. Further understanding some ideas could suggest that the Xia Dynasty existed, for example, if the Xia Dynasty was a different historical period from the Shang, whether artifacts from the Xia dynasty exist, are the people or history from before the Shang dynasty linked to the Shang Dynasty, is there a difference between the Shang Dynasty and the Xia dynasty, and a difference that would suggest that the Xia Dynasty existed prior to the Shang? Therefore, possible examples of the existence of this Dynasty could derive from cultural attributes between people, and a lineage between individuals such as a link between Emperors.

The knowledge of the Xia dynasty exists today because of archeological findings that are backed by historical and mythological evidence. For example, the ancient capital of Erlitou (the possible capital of the Xia Dynasty) was uncovered (9). Furthermore, within Erlitou's ruins survive many ancient artifacts, architectural achievements, and works, of the ancient civilization which inhabited the area (9). Evidence of the Xia dynasty exists through archeological discovery of artifacts and the remains of what could be ancient settlements according to the research conducted by the Royal Asiatic of Great Britain (4). These items uncovered and study through the years tells of a civilization that formulated and progress through time until this culture progressed to its modern form (7). However, disputes still arise as to whether or not this dynasty actually existed, but evidence does show that a civilization did exist as an early form of government with vast potential to grow, and with a different structure to the Shang dynasty, it asks the question of why or how did this dynasty begin, and what need and purpose did it serve? (4). Perhaps by answering these questions, it will seem more likely that this was the Xia Dynasty.

Historically speaking, to answer these questions should require looking at both the civilizations that were around during the assumed early beginnings of the Xia dynasty and the one preceding it, known as the Shang Dynasty. Furthermore, early eastern and Chinese culture dated as far back as 7000 BCE and possible existed sometime around 9000 BCE, as evident through various artifacts located on sites around China, including animal bones, and the manipulation of areas of land by people (3). According to some records kept by the Shang Dynasty the people before the Xia Dynasty were faced with floods and other natural disasters (1, 2). Eventually this required them to built irrigation systems and other land artifacts that help procure the problems faced by these early civilizations. A mythological story of early China tells of a man who managed to stop the floods and become the ruler of a civilization known as Yu the Great (8). Yu the Great within these records is referred to a descendant of the Yellow Emperor who eventually became the ruler and creator of the Xia Dynasty (1).

Mythology

Early Civilizations

Artifacts



Conclusion

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