Thoughts on the relevant research of the beginning of the Xia Dynasty

There is no doubt that the establishment of the Xia Dynasty played an important role in the study of ancient Chinese civilization. But when the Xia Dynasty began to be established, there were different opinions, and there was no consensus. So far, there has not been a unified statement that everyone can accept. The “Xia Shang Zhou dating project” proposed the goal of establishing the basic framework of the chronology of the Xia Dynasty. In order to achieve this goal, four topics were designed, “early Xia culture research”, “Research on the stages of Erlitou culture and the boundary between Xia and Shang culture”, “re research on the solar eclipse of Zhongkang in the book of history” and “Research on the astrology and chronology of Xia Xiaozheng”. In addition, there are also topics related to this, such as the credibility of relevant documents in the field of philology and the study of the accumulated years of the Xia Dynasty and the ages of kings in the literature in the field of history. We hope to combine natural science with humanities and Social Sciences, and use Archaeology and modern scientific and technological means to conduct interdisciplinary research, so as to put forward a scientific and convincing conclusion.

To establish the basic framework of the chronology of the Xia Dynasty and infer the beginning of the Xia Dynasty, the most important thing is to find the Xia culture from archaeology, confirm the boundary between the Xia culture and the Shang culture, and what archaeological remains are the early Xia culture, which is the premise to solve the problem of the Xia Dynasty.

Through the hard work of archaeologists for decades, especially the new excavation and research of Erlitou and other related sites since the launch of the “Xia, Shang and Zhou dating project”, the first, second, third and fourth phases of Erlitou culture are Xia culture, and the initial construction of Zhengzhou mall and Yanshi mall can be used as a landmark between Xia and Shang culture, which has basically become a consensus in the academic community. However, there are still differences about which archaeological remains are early Xia culture. I once put forward the view that Erlitou culture was the Xia culture formed after “Houyi replaced Xia” and “Shaokang was revitalized”, and agreed with the view that the late remains of Longshan Culture in Henan Province were the early Xia culture. I believe that the Longshan Culture in Henan, represented by the late relics of Wangchenggang in Dengfeng, is the early Xia culture, the Erlitou culture is the Xia culture formed after “Houyi replaced Xia” and “Shaokang prospered”, and the founding of Zhengzhou mall and Yanshi mall are the boundary markers of the Xia Shang boundary, which should become the archaeological basis for the presumption of the beginning of the Xia Dynasty.

Of course, everyone knows that archaeology can only solve relative dating, and modern dating technology and other disciplines can propose absolute dating. It is very gratifying that through the determination of carbon containing samples collected from Zhengzhou mall, Yanshi mall, Erlitou site and Dengfeng Wangchenggang site, chronologists have provided a large number of data of great reference significance for the study of the Xia Dynasty. It is entirely possible to combine these data with the results of bibliography and astronomical research and put forward a tendentious opinion on the beginning of the Xia Dynasty.

The Xia Dynasty has 14 generations and 17 kings since Yu, which is clearly recorded in the Bamboo Annals and historical records Xia Benji, and there is no doubt about it. About the total accumulated years of the Xia Dynasty, there are also records in ancient documents, mainly including two theories: first, represented by the ancient bamboo annals, “with or without a king, it takes four hundred and seventy-one years” (or four hundred and seventy-two years); On the other hand, represented by “Yi Wei Ji Lan Tu”, the “431 year of Yu” (or 432 years), the difference between the two theories is exactly 40 years. The reason is that the researchers believe that the ancient bamboo annals may include the so-called “no king” period when Shaokang ran away in the wilderness, resulting in the vacancy of the throne, while the “Yi Wei Ji Lan Tu” does not include this period. The total accumulated years of the Xia Dynasty from the Zen of Yu and Shun to the death of Jie are 471 years, which can be used as an important reference for estimating the beginning of the Xia Dynasty.

From Tang Dynasty to Zhou Dynasty, there were 17 generations and 30 kings in Shang Dynasty, and Dading, the son of Tang, who died before his establishment, was 31 kings. The Shang lineage recorded in historical records, Yin Benji and bamboo annals has been basically confirmed by oracle bone inscriptions. As for the total accumulated years of the Shang Dynasty, there are three theories clearly mentioned in ancient documents: the book of Han, the annals of law and calendar, quotes the book of the world: “from the suppression of Jie to the suppression of Zhou by King Wu, it was 629 years old.” “The son of a bitch”: “Tang Zhizhi ruled the world… Accumulated 576 years of age to Zhou”. The collection of historical records Yin Benji quotes Ji Zhong Ji Nian: “Tang extinguished the summer so that he was accepted by the 29 kings, with a life of 496 years.” Nearly sixhundred years ago, it was said that in the third year of Xuangong in Zuo Zhuan, “Jie had faint virtue, Ding moved to Shang, and enshrined sixhundred.” For more than 500 years, there is a saying in Mencius: devote yourself to it: “from Tang to King Wen, you are more than 500 years old.”

The 629 year theory in the Shijing was deduced by Liu Xin according to the three unified calendars. It was not found in the pre-Qin literature, and there was no reliable basis, so it was hard to believe.

In 496, it was said that due to the ancient bamboo annals, the credibility should be greater, but its statement of 29 kings was contradictory to the fact that there were 30 kings of Shang Dynasty (including Tangzi Dading as 31 kings) confirmed by the unearthed oracle bones. Moreover, according to the ancient bamboo annals, there is only 223 years (496 minus 273 years) between the eight dynasties of the late Shang Dynasty and the nine dynasties of the early Shang Dynasty, and its authenticity is naturally questionable.

Although chuanzi is classified as a novelist in the annals of Han Dynasty, its 576 year record is likely to be closer to the truth. This is not only because of the support of “more than 500 years old” in Mencius dedication, but also because the average number of years per life obtained by dividing 576 by 17 generations is close to the average number of years obtained by dividing 471 years of Xiaji by 14 generations and 273 years of late Shang Dynasty by 8 generations.

Scholars who study Shang years tend to think that it is reasonable to have a Shang accumulated year of about 550 years. Mr. Chen Mengjia, in his article “the chronology of Shang, yin and Xia and Zhou Dynasties”, suspected that “Tang destroyed Xia so that he was accepted by the 29 kings, with the age of 496 years”. The “Tang destroyed Xia so that he was accepted” in “Tang destroyed Xia so that he was accepted” was probably the explanation added by the person quoting the chronicle. He believed that the original text of the chronicle could be quoted as “the 29th King 496 years” as the note in “Tongjian waiji”, and “from Tang Shu to wending is the 29th king, without emperor B and Emperor Xin.” According to the “Xia Shang Zhou dating project” of the three kings of the late Shang Dynasty, Emperor B lasted about 26 years and Emperor Xin lasted about 30 years. If so, the total accumulated years of the Shang Dynasty is about 496 years plus 552 years from 56 years, which is only 24 years different from 576 years in the “cuzi”.

If we take 471 years of Xia Ji, 576 years or 552 years of Jia Shang Ji, we can get the total number of Xia Shang years is about 1047 years or 1023 years.

At present, the “Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasty dating project” has determined that 1046 BC is the best plan for the king of Wu to attack Zhou. Therefore, the beginning year of the Xia Dynasty is 2093 before 1046 (year) plus 1047 (year) or 2069 before 1046 (year) plus 1023 (year).

The above two results are mainly derived from the research of relevant literature records. Whether they are reasonable and which is closer to the real age of history can be tested by integrating with the relevant carbon 14 determination data.

Peking University accelerator dating has the following data for Dengfeng Wangchenggang site:

Wangchenggang phase II notice West t157 foundation pit 6: 2124-2088bc; Wangchenggang phase II notice West T179 foundation pit 8: 2123-2087bc; The West t31h92 of the notice of Wangchenggang phase III is: 2092-2044bc; Wangchenggang phase III notice West t179h470: 2086-2044bc;

Compared with the results of carbon 14 determination, the first 2093 falls within the chronological range of Wangchenggang phase II, and the first 2069 falls within the chronological range of Wangchenggang phase III. The second phase of Wangchenggang ancient city began to be built, and the third phase was its main use period. After the third phase, the ancient city was abandoned. I agree with Mr. an Jinhuai’s opinion that the ancient city of Wangchenggang may be the site of Yangcheng of “Yudu Yangcheng” in the literature. If the initial construction of the ancient city of Wangchenggang is taken as the boundary mark for the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, then the year of Shang Ji 576, the year of Xia Ji 471, and the year of 2093 BC deduced from the year when King Wu attacked Zhou (1046 BC) can be taken as the beginning year of the Xia Dynasty. If the late remains of the ancient city of Wangchenggang are regarded as the earliest Xia culture as I have speculated, then taking the 552 years of Shang Ji, 471 years of Xia Ji, and 2069 years derived from the King Wu’s cutting of Zhou can be regarded as the beginning of the Xia Dynasty.

It can be seen from the integration of the results of literature research and the relevant data of C 14 determination that the two are relatively close, indicating that the relevant records of literature and archaeological assumptions are not groundless. It should be credible that the Xia Dynasty began in the 21st century BC. The question now is whether it is possible to make further choices between the results of 2093 and 2069.

The beginning year of the Xia Dynasty is closely related to the demarcation year of the Xia and Shang Dynasties. We might as well test the previous presumption from this perspective.

According to the research results of philology, taking the year of King Wu’s attack on Zhou in 1046 BC as the base point, taking the accumulated year of Shang as 576, the boundary between Xia and Shang is 1622 BC; Taking 552 years of Shang Ji, the boundary between Xia and Shang was in 1598 BC.

In archaeology, most scholars have determined that Zhengzhou mall and Yanshi mall are basically the same, and the initial construction of the two can be used as a boundary mark between Xia and Shang Dynasties. Peking University accelerator dating the samples collected from the two shopping malls have the following measurement data:

The c1h9:25 (BU Gu) of the lower layer of Erligang in Zhengzhou is 1616-1546bc; The 98t232 rammed earth VII (charcoal) of the lower layer of Erligang in Zhengzhou phase I is 1618-1537bc; 98ysj1d2t1009g3 (charcoal) of the second section of Yanshi mall phase I is 1621-1524bc;

It should be said that these three data are basically consistent. If this is compared with the two results of the Xia Shang boundary based on literature records, namely, 1622 BC and 1598 BC, it obviously supports the year 1598 before the Xia Shang boundary derived from 1046 BC and 552 BC when King Wu attacked Zhou. The year 1598 plus the accumulated years of Xia Dynasty 471 is 2069.

Taking the beginning of summer as 2069 B.C. does not contradict the research conclusion of the topic “Zhongkang solar eclipse research” in the “Xia Shang Zhou dating project”. “Zuo Zhuan” in the 17th year of Zhaogong quoted relevant contents of “Xia Shu” and “emperor Zhongkang, Xi he indulged in prostitution, and abandoned time and disordered the sun” in “historical records Xia Benji”. Most scholars believe that it was a solar eclipse in the autumn of the first year of Zhongkang in the Xia Dynasty, which has attracted the attention of astronomy historians at home and abroad. Scholars of the topic “Zhongkang solar eclipse research” believe that the scope of “season and Autumn” will be slightly expanded, and the visible solar eclipses in Luoyang during a total of 423 years from 2273 BC to 1850 will be census calculated, and it is concluded that there are 11 solar eclipses in line with the “season and Autumn”. The ancient bamboo book chronicle records the 45th year of Yu and the 39th year of Qi (or 29th year), the current bamboo book chronicle records the 4th year of Taikang, and the three kings total 88 years. Subtract 88 years from 2069 to 1981, and the next year, 1980 BC, is the first year of Zhongkang. This is 39 years’ difference from the first 11 eclipses in Luoyang, which are in line with the “autumn season”, and only 10 years’ difference from the previous one on November 5, 1970. The latter seems to be more likely. Although it is impossible for us to check whether the records of the reigning years of Yu, Qi and Taikang in the literature are true, it is not meaningless to take a solar eclipse on November 5, 1970 as a reference to deduce the beginning year of the Xia Dynasty. At least there is no unexplainable contradiction between the two.

In addition, when Mozi feigongxia talked about Shun ordering Yu to recruit the three seedlings, there was the saying “the former three seedlings were in chaos, and the fate of heaven was urgent. The sun demon came out at night”. Some scholars believed that the so-called “the sun demon came out at night” might also be a solar eclipse phenomenon of “the sky is again faint” or “the sky is again dark”. The special topic of “Yu cutting three seedlings” in the “Xia Shang Zhou dating project” uses modern astronomical methods to calculate the ancient solar eclipse, and comes to the conclusion that the great eclipse occurred four times in the 21st century BC, namely, “Tian Zaidan” on August 31, 2097 BC, “Tian Zaidan” on June 30, 2075 BC, “Tian Zaidan” on April 20, 2072 BC, and “Tian Zaidan” on July 1, 2029 BC. Among these four times, except for the late one on July 1, 2029, the other three times are possible. They all occurred on the eve of Yu Shoushun Zen. This result can also be used as a reference for estimating the beginning of summer.

Related to the presumption of the beginning of the Xia Dynasty, there are also records of the so-called “five stars linked with beads” in Weishu. The seventh quotation of the book of Taiping Yulan, the code of filial piety hook life, has words such as “the five stars in Yu Dynasty are as numerous as beads, and the Bing Bing is like a continuous wall”, the “Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasty dating project” and the “five-star convergence and the study of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties” topics believe that this “five-star convergence” is not strictly defined in astronomy, and if it is understood as “five-star convergence”, it is very similar to the one that occurred from mid February to early March 1953 BC. When the five planets are closest, the angular distance is less than 4 °. The other occurred at the end of April and the beginning of May 1973 BC, but the angular distance between the five stars was large. When it was the closest, the angular distance was 21 ° and lasted only a few days. Choose one of the two, and the former is the most likely. This result obviously contradicts the previous calculation results of “Zhongkang solar eclipse”. However, some researchers have pointed out that this record comes from Weishu, which often refers to the whole Xia Dynasty with “Xia Yu time”. Then, it may be more reasonable to understand Qi as a “five-star gathering” that took place sometime in the Xia Dynasty, rather than sticking to the celestial phenomena that must have been in the Yu Dynasty.

To sum up the above research results, I believe that if yu zhishou Chan is the beginning of the Xia Dynasty, the beginning of the Xia Dynasty should be in the early 21st century BC, roughly around 2069 BC, not as early as the 22nd century BC, nor as late as the 20th century BC.