中国文化-夏商周历史(英文)

ABriefIntroductiontotheHistoryofChinaTheYanEmperorTheYanEmperor,orYandi,(Chinese:炎帝;pinyin:Yándì;literally:FlameEmperor)allegedlylivedinChinaabout4,000yearsago.Accordingtoafolktale,ShennongwasthefirstChinesetribe.TheYanEmperorwasadescendantofShennong.Or,morelikely,thetermFlameEmperorwasatitle,heldbydynasticsuccession,withShennong,atleastposthumously,beingknownasYandi.YellowEmperorHuangDiortheYellowEmperor,isalegendaryChinesesovereignandculturalheropresentedinChinesemythology.HeissaidtobetheancestorofallHuaxiaChinese.AccordingtomanysourceshewasoneofthelegendaryThreeSovereignsandFiveEmperors.Traditionholdsthathereignedfrom2697–2597BCEor2696–2598BCE.HeisregardedasthefounderofChinesecivilization.XiaDynasty(ca.2100-ca.1600BC)TheXiaDynastyofChina(fromca.2100BCto1600BC)isthefirstdynastytobedescribedinancienthistoricalrecords.ThehistorianSimaQian(145-90BC),whowrotetheShijiorRecordsoftheGrandHistorian,andtheso-calledBambooAnnalsdatethefoundingoftheXiaDynastyto4,200yearsago.Accordingtomythology,thedynastyendedaround1600BCasaconsequenceoftheBattleofMingtiao.YutheGreatYutheGreat(大禹Dà-Yǔ),wasthelegendaryfounderoftheXiaDynastythatbeganin2205BCE.Heisbestrememberedforteachingthepeopletechniquestotameriversandlakesduringanepicflood.TheXiaerawouldalsogodownasthefirstdynastyinwhatwouldlaterbecomeChinawithhissonQifollowingafterhisreign.YuisoneofthefewChineserulerposthumouslyhonoredwiththeappellationtheGreat.ShangDynasty(ca.1700-1046BC)ShangDynastywasdividedintotwosets:1.Thefirstset,fromtheearlierShangperiodcomesfromsourcesatErligang,ZhengzhouandShangcheng.2.Thesecondset,fromthelaterShangorYin(殷)period,consistsofalargebodyoforaclebonewritings.TheShangDynastyfeatured31kings,fromTangofShangtoKingZhouofShang.theChineseworshippedmanydifferentgods-weathergodsandskygods-andalsoasupremegod,namedShangdi,whoruledovertheothergods.Around1500BC,theChinesebegantousewrittenoraclebonestopredictthefuture.ShangDynastymoveditscapitalsixtimes.Thefinal(andmostimportant)movetoYinin1350BCledtothedynasty'sgoldenage.Theskillsofmakingbronzeworkwasdevelopingfast.ZhouDynasty(1066-256BC)TheZhouDynastywasthelongest-lastingdynastyinChinesehistory,from1066BCtoapproximately256BC.TheruleroftheZhou,KingWu,withtheassistanceofhisbrother,theDukeofZhou,asregent,managedtodefeattheShangattheBattleofMuye.ThekingofZhouatthistimeinvokedtheconceptoftheMandateofHeaventolegitimizehisrule.--WesternZhou(1066-771BC)EasternZhou(770-256BC):SpringandAutumnPeriod(722-476BC),WarringStatesPeriod(476-221BC)WesternZhouKingWufoundedthesystemofenfeoffment(oftheWesternZhouDynasty,c.11th.century-771B.C.,investingthenobilitywithhereditarytitles,territoriesandslaves);enfeoffmentsystem;feudalsystemofland-holding.Foundedthefeudalandpatriarchalclansystem.Foundedtheetiquetteandpolitenesssystem.