Preface
There is a fascinating and confusing chapter in Chinese history, and that is the most mysterious dynasty in China. This dynasty, which has existed for more than 1,600 years, has a rich historical heritage and profound cultural heritage, but it is still not recognized by countries around the world.
However, is this dynasty that existed in ancient China a real history, or a fictional story made up by later generations?
Although there are a large number of ancient texts documenting the details of this dynasty, its existence has been questioned due to the lack of direct archaeological evidence. So, should we completely deny the historical status of this dynasty?
From the Yellow Emperor to Yao Shunyu: The Rise and Fall of the Tang Yu Dynasty
In the 36th century B.C., an era of chiefdom called "Tang Yu" quietly opened the prelude to Chinese history. The founder of this era is the well-known "Yellow Emperor". As the ancestor of the Chinese nation, the Yellow Emperor was not only revered as the "first ancestor of humanity" in later generations, but also regarded as the head of the Five Emperors. Under his leadership, the Tang Yu dynasty began a long process of rule.
According to the Analects, the Yellow Emperor's successor, Zhuan Xu, was known as a "highly respected" monarch. He is not only good at employing people, but also benevolent in governing the country, and is deeply supported by the people. Under his rule, the Tang Yu dynasty entered a period of relative stability.
However, the good times were short-lived. After the Emperor, the Tang Yu Dynasty successively ushered in monarchs such as Emperor Yu, Yao, and Shun. Although these monarchs had their own characteristics, they could not escape the fate of dynastic decline in the end. In particular, Yao and Shun, although they were enshrined as saints by later generations, also faced severe challenges during their reigns.
It is recorded in the "Book of Shang" that during Yao's reign, he suffered from serious floods and had to seek help from Dayu. Shun, on the other hand, was troubled by palace intrigues, but fortunately, he was able to recognize people and do his job, and finally settled the world.
In the Dayu period, the Tang Yu Dynasty finally ushered in a turning point. Dayu not only successfully managed the floods, but also established the Xia Dynasty, becoming the first dynasty in Chinese history with definite archaeological evidence. This marked the end of the Tang Yu Dynasty and heralded the beginning of a new historical period for China.
Since then, the Tang Yu Dynasty has gradually faded out of people's field of vision and has become a mysterious and distant dynasty. But even so, the traces it left in ancient Chinese classics have been influencing later generations of scholars and readers.
Confucius and the Tang Yu Dynasty: The Reverence and Praise of the Sages
The most powerful proof of the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty comes from one of the most famous thinkers of ancient China, Confucius. In the Analects, Confucius mentions this mysterious dynasty several times and gives high praise to its monarch.
In the article "The Analects of Taber", Confucius once commented on Emperor Yu: "Yu, I am inseparable. This sentence fully reflects Confucius's reverence for Emperor Yu's frugal and impeccable life. As for Emperor Shun, Confucius also praised: "Shun has five ministers and the world is governed." It can be seen that Confucius was also full of praise for Emperor Shun's ability to recognize and use talents.
However, in the eyes of Confucius, the most outstanding monarch in the Tang Yu Dynasty is undoubtedly Emperor Yao. In the Analects, Confucius once praised Emperor Yao with the words "Great Yao Zhi is the king! Towering, only the sky is great, and only Yao is the rule" to praise Emperor Yao, which can be described as extremely reverent.
It can be said that Confucius's reverence for the Tang Yu dynasty is not only reflected in his praise of his monarch, but also in his regard for this ancient dynasty as the source of Chinese civilization. In Confucius's view, the monarchs of the Tang Yu Dynasty were not only highly respected, but also the most outstanding sages in Chinese history. This reverence has also influenced countless readers and scholars in later generations.
Han Feizi's ridicule and Sima Qian's admiration: the status of the Tang Yu Dynasty in ancient documents
Although Confucius's reverence for the Tang Yu dynasty added a lot of luster to this mysterious dynasty, not everyone had the same attitude towards it. In the pre-Qin period, Han Feizi once ridiculed the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty.
In Han Feizi's writings, he once wrote: "Yu and Xia are more than two thousand years old." Although this sentence seems to affirm the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty, in fact, Han Feizi is mocking the Confucianism and Mohists at that time, who were always arguing about some inconsequential things. Han Feizi borrowed the phrase "Yu and Xia are more than 2,000 years old" to satirize their behavior.
However, even if some people doubted the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty, there were many people who cheered for it. Sima Qian, a famous historian of the Western Han Dynasty, is one of them. In the Records of the Historians, Sima Qian spent 13 years recording and researching the history of the Tang Yu Dynasty.
In "Historical Records: The Biography of Ji Zheng Lie" and "Historical Records: Taishi Gong's Self-Introduction", Sima Mai spoke highly of the monarchs of the Tang Yu Dynasty such as Zhuan Xu. He even used a "fanatical fan" tone to praise these ancient monarchs. It can be seen that Sima Qian's admiration for the Tang Yu Dynasty is no less than that of Confucius.
It can be said that in ancient Chinese literature, the status of the Tang Yu Dynasty is pivotal. Whether it is the reverence of Confucius, the ridicule of Han Feizi, or the admiration of Sima Qian, they all fully prove the important position of this mysterious dynasty in Chinese history. It not only influenced later generations of scholars and readers, but also became an indispensable part of the history of the development of Chinese civilization.
Doubts and controversies by Western scholars: The authenticity of the Tang Yu dynasty is challenged
Although the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty has been widely recognized in ancient Chinese texts, this mysterious dynasty has been questioned in Western academic circles.
There are several reasons why Western scholars are skeptical about the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty:
First of all, compared with the Xia Dynasty, which has a large number of unearthed cultural relics to corroborate, the Tang Yu Dynasty only relied on written records to prove its existence, which seems unconvincing in the eyes of Western scholars. They believe that a real ancient dynasty should leave at least some physical evidence such as city ruins or metallurgical ruins.
Second, as the earliest era of chiefdom, the Tang Yu Dynasty did not leave large city ruins that would satisfy the West. This is because the population density was low during the chiefdom period, and it was difficult to have large-scale population settlements. The lack of metallurgical sites has also made Western scholars doubt the authenticity of the Tang Yu Dynasty.
Finally, even in ancient Chinese texts, the Tang Yu dynasty is mostly written by later generations, rather than by the Tang Yu dynasty itself. This has led Western scholars to believe that these accounts are likely to have been fabricated by some people later, rather than real historical facts.
Therefore, in the eyes of Western scholars, the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty is more like a fictional myth than a real historical event. They argue that Chinese scholars' dedication to this is nothing more than an expression of cultural self-identity.
However, even in the face of skepticism from Western scholars, Chinese scholars have not given up defending the authenticity of the Tang Yu dynasty. They believe that even if there is a lack of direct archaeological evidence, the metallurgical sites of the early Xia Dynasty are already quite mature in terms of technology, which will inevitably require a long process of development. And this development process is the foundation laid by the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty.
Therefore, although the authenticity of the Tang Yu dynasty has been disputed, Chinese scholars still insist on its existence and consider this mysterious dynasty to be an indispensable part of the history of the development of Chinese civilization.
epilogue
Is the Tang Yu Dynasty, this mysterious and distant ancient dynasty, real or a fiction made up by some people?
However, whether it is true or not, the traces left by the Tang Yu Dynasty in ancient Chinese classics cannot be erased. Even in Western academic circles, the existence of the Tang Yu Dynasty has been controversial. But Chinese scholars still insist on its authenticity, arguing that this dynasty is an indispensable part of the history of the development of Chinese civilization.
Perhaps, the truth of the Tang Yu Dynasty will always be a mystery. However, the deep imprint it has left on Chinese history is indelible. Let's explore the truth of this mysterious dynasty and trace the source of Chinese civilization.