Source: People's Daily - People's Daily
Figure (1): A turquoise bone carving cylinder excavated from the Dawenkou cemetery in the lower reaches of the Yellow River in Tai'an City, Shandong Province.
Figure (2): Gold ornaments of the sun god bird excavated from the Jinsha site in Chengdu, Sichuan.
Figure (3): The Bird Zun of the Western Zhou Dynasty and Jin Dynasty excavated from Tianma-QuCun Village, Quwo County, Shanxi.
Figure (4): A wrong gold and copper Boshan furnace excavated from the Mancheng Han Tomb in Baoding City, Hebei Province.
Figure (5): A white-ground black flower tangled peony pattern plum bottle excavated from the cizhou kiln site in Cixian County, Hebei Province.
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General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed to the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Shao culture and the birth of modern Chinese archaeology: "I hope that the vast number of archaeologists will enhance their sense of historical mission and responsibility, carry forward the fine traditions of rigorous truth-seeking, hard work, and dedication, continue to explore the unknown, reveal the origin, and strive to build archaeology with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese style, better display the style of Chinese civilization, carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and make new and greater contributions to the realization of the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!"
The vast number of archaeologists have conscientiously studied and implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, and strived to write a new chapter in archaeology with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style and Chinese style. The learning experiences of 4 scholars are published here for the benefit of readers.
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Enhance the sense of historical mission and responsibility
Liu Guoxiang, Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Looking back at the development process of Chinese archaeology in the past 100 years, we can see that there are endless archaeological discoveries and a wealth of archaeological materials, which have laid a solid foundation for the construction of the discipline system, academic system and discourse system of Chinese archaeology.
The development of Chinese archaeology can be divided into four stages: from 1921 to 1948 as the initial development period. This period mainly revolves around the research of early humans, the late Neolithic Period in China, the history of the Shang Dynasty and the historical sites of the Shang Dynasty and their origins, as well as the civilization of the Two Weeks, and has successively made important achievements in the sites of Yangshao Village in Shichi, Zhoukoudian in Beijing, Andyang Yin Ruins, indicating that archaeology will play a huge role in promoting the development of Chinese historiography.
The period from 1949 to 1978 was a period of comprehensive development. After the founding of New China, the development of Chinese archaeology was on the right track. The Cultural Relics Administration Bureau, formerly established under the Ministry of Culture, conducts unified management of cultural relics and archaeology throughout the country. In 1950, the Chinese Academy of Sciences established the Institute of Archaeology, which is the only national archaeological research institution in China. In addition to the active archaeological excavation projects, archaeological projects that coincided with the large-scale capital construction of the state during this period were vigorously carried out throughout the country. With the continuous enrichment of field archaeological data, the research characteristics of the Paleolithic Age, Neolithic Age, Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Qin and Han Dynasties, Three Kingdoms to Ming and Qing Dynasties have been initially formed.
From 1979 to 2011, it was a period of mature development. This period was a period of rapid development and fruitful research results in the discipline of Chinese archaeology. Founded in 1979, the Chinese Archaeological Society has become an important community organization that unites the team, gathers strength and leads the development of Chinese archaeology. Independent archaeological research institutes have been set up in various provinces, autonomous regions, cities and some prefectures and cities to carry out active archaeological excavations. Professional journals of archaeological relics have emerged, the number and quality of papers published have been greatly improved, hundreds of field archaeological reports and archaeological research monographs have been published, and the theoretical system of Chinese archaeology has gradually improved. Research on the origin of mankind, the origin of agriculture, the origin of civilization and other topics has been deepened, and archaeology in the historical period has also achieved remarkable results.
Since the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, major projects such as the "Chinese Civilization Exploration Project" and "Archaeological China" have been implemented, making full use of modern scientific and technological means, archaeological excavation and research have been comprehensively improved, and archaeological results have better served society. Promote the comparative study of ancient civilizations in different parts of the world, enhance exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and provide archaeological support for the national "Belt and Road" initiative and the concept of building a "community with a shared future for mankind".
Looking to the future, we must fully understand the arduousness and complexity of carrying out archaeological work. Archaeology obtains physical materials through field archaeological investigations and excavations, and obtains more valuable information with the help of natural scientific and technological means. Only a comprehensive and systematic review of existing archaeological material can lead to limited or effective conclusions, which may be the most significant feature of the discipline of archaeology. With the accumulation of archaeological materials and the application of scientific and technological means, the integration and development of archaeology and related disciplines is an inevitable trend.
What will archaeology look like in the next hundred years? As far as the study of archaeology itself is concerned, it will be more and more difficult to control archaeological materials. On the one hand, new archaeological discoveries constantly update existing knowledge; on the other hand, a comprehensive and systematic review of known archaeological materials cannot be completed by one's own efforts. Field archaeological investigation, excavation and preparation of archaeological reports, as well as comprehensive archaeological research, all need to organize scientific research teams to complete, and the efficient formation of scientific research teams with complementary advantages is an inevitable requirement for the development of disciplines. The construction of various archaeological data database platforms will become a constraint to determine the quality and quantity of future research results. The construction and development of databases, so that archaeologists and university students can use the database to carry out research on a regular basis, is a problem to be solved in the next century of archaeology.
Archaeologists should enhance their sense of historical mission and responsibility, carry forward the fine tradition of rigorous and realistic, hard work, and dedication, and make greater contributions to the new journey.
Truly build the academic system of Chinese archaeology
Sun Qingwei, School of Archaeology, Peking University
Archaeological work is not only an important cultural undertaking, but also a work of great socio-political significance. Only by understanding "why archaeology" can we clearly explain "how to archaeology" in academic terms; only by organically integrating social and political significance with academic significance can we build archaeology with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese style.
Archaeology in the new century should adhere to the original mission of inheriting civilization. In 1922, Peking University established China's first specialized archaeological research institute, the Archaeological Research Office, and issued the cry of the times to "expound the culture of our country and revise the plan of history". Liang Qichao, then tutor of Tsinghua Guoguo College and president of the Chinese Archaeological Society, after listening to the latest progress in the study of ape-man fossils in Zhoukoudian, vowed to "open up a new era of Chinese archaeology" and encouraged his son Liang Siyong to dedicate himself to archaeology and "strive for the world reputation of the Chinese nation in this professional field of learning." Throughout his life, Li Ji painstakingly pursued "the development of the nation and the evolution of culture." The young Su Bingqi witnessed the country's ruin, embraced a pure heart of "education to save the country, rejuvenate history to save the country", chose archaeology as a lifelong career, and founded the first archaeology major in China's universities at Peking University.
After the founding of New China, Chinese archaeologists represented by Xia Nai and Su Bingqi consciously accepted Marxist ideas, more actively "regarded the search for the national soul and spiritual pillar of ancient Chinese civilization as the center of gravity of their thinking," strengthened their disciplinary ambition of "propagating patriotism with archaeological achievements in order to enhance our self-confidence and national self-esteem in building socialism," and more actively explored the development path of the discipline of "building Marxist Chinese archaeology with national style and national style."
Looking back at the history of Chinese archaeology over the past century, Chinese archaeology has never been a study of nostalgia that indulges in food and research and "research for the sake of research"; it is not a study of mud and ancients that simply piles up materials and "sees things and does not see people", but the study of the scriptures that continues the context and inherits civilization, and is the study of a strong country that saves the survival of the dead and rejuvenates the nation. Archaeology, which has entered the new century, should be firm in its original intention, bravely undertake the mission, and contribute to the sustainable inheritance of Chinese civilization.
Archaeology in the new century must bravely shoulder the heavy responsibility of explaining civilization. Xia Nai and Su Bingqi, the leaders of new Chinese archaeology, invariably focused on "Chinese civilization" in the last stage of their lives. Chinese civilization has experienced the rise and fall of chaos and has gone through several ups and downs, but it has always stood tall in the forest of world civilization. The unique spiritual charm of Chinese civilization shines with the brilliance of the new era, wins the recognition and applause of the people of the world, and greatly enhances the ambition, backbone and confidence of the Chinese. Archaeologists in the new century must not only be good at excavating civilization, but also good at interpreting civilization; they must not only be good at excavating history, but also good at writing history. Only by realizing the transformation from material-based to problem-based can we truly build the academic system and discourse system of Chinese archaeology. Only by displaying to the international community with high quality the broad, profound, brilliant and splendid achievements of civilization can we effectively enhance the affinity and appeal of chinese civilization.
Archaeology in the new century should be integrated into the great cause of rejuvenation, vigorously advocate the academic ideals and academic practices of "archaeology to the present" and "integration of ancient and modern", and actively participate in the tide of national cultural undertaking construction. Pay attention to condensing cultural and spiritual connotations from archaeological materials, deeply explore the chinese civilization's endless continuation, unremitting self-improvement, the resilience of the civilization of the past and the civilization characteristics of openness and inclusiveness, simplicity and elegance, harmonious nature, and reverence for courtesy and virtue, profoundly reveal the civilization foundation of Marxism rooted in the land of China, profoundly explain the endogenous driving force of the continuous innovation and development of the sinification of Marxism, and profoundly demonstrate the historical trend of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The development of a discipline is always closely related to the fate of the country and the nation. One hundred years ago, Chinese archaeology was born at a time of national crisis; a hundred years later, Chinese archaeology ushered in a new historical opportunity for the development of the discipline. Archaeologists in the new century should focus on the great cause of rejuvenation, have the "great power of the country", dare to take responsibility, continue to struggle, and strive to create new glory in the discipline.
Attach importance to exploring and understanding Chinese civilization
Han Jianye, School of History, Chinese University
Chinese civilization is the only civilization in the world that has continued since ancient times and has never been interrupted. To explore Chinese civilization is to better understand the timeless Chinese characteristics, Chinese wisdom, and Chinese road, better develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Archaeology has played an important role in the understanding of Chinese civilization. Centuries-old archaeology has proved that Chinese civilization is a pluralistic and integrated civilization that is native and continuously developed. China's relatively independent and vast geographical environment has prepared the conditions for the uniqueness and continuity of Chinese civilization. China's complex and diverse geographical pattern with the Yellow River and Yangtze River Basin as the main body has laid the foundation for the formation of a pattern of Chinese civilization with a subject, a center, and a pluralistic integration. There have been ancestor activities in the land of China more than 1 million years ago, and China is also one of the important birthplaces of "modern people". More than 10,000 years ago, all parts of China successively entered the Neolithic Age, invented the world's earliest pottery, took the lead in the cultivation of rice, millet and other crops, appeared villages and clan societies, and continued to develop to the birth of early countries and entered civilized society. This process can be outlined by thousands of sites and objects.
Centuries of archaeology have proved that Chinese civilization was formed more than 5,000 years ago. In the Pei Ligang era, far-reaching ideological concepts and knowledge systems such as worshiping heaven and ancestors, visualizing and teaching time, counting and gossiping, and literal symbols had emerged. During the Miaodigou era, the strong external expansion of the core area of the middle reaches of the Yellow River prompted the cultural integration of most parts of China into a relative community, and the cultural "early China" began to form. Tens of millions of square meters of central settlements, hundreds of square meters of palace-like buildings, large tombs, and exquisite handicraft products appeared widely in the Yellow River, Yangtze River and Xiliao River Basin, indicating that the society of the Miaodigou era generally tended to be complicated. More than 5,000 years ago, millions of square meters of super-large central settlements, miyagi and large palaces, large water conservancy facilities, large-scale sacrifice sites, etc., a number of regional "ancient countries" or early national societies were born, and Chinese civilization was initially formed. Around 4,000 years ago, the Xia Dynasty, a broad monarchy centered on the Central Plains, was born, entering the stage of mature civilized society.
Centuries of archaeology have proved that Chinese civilization has bred unique cultural genes in the period of origin and formation. More than 8,000 years ago, China initially formed two major agricultural systems of complementary "southern rice and northern millet", and produced the basic concept of "agriculture-oriented" very early on, on the basis of which Chinese civilization has experienced a process of origin, formation and continuous development, and has tempered the overall thinking, the unity of heaven and man, ancestor worship, people-oriented, pursuit of order, stability and persistence, tolerance is great, harmonious coexistence, diligence and perseverance, self-improvement and other civilization characteristics, becoming "the cultural genes of the Chinese nation that live endlessly and flourish forever".
Centuries of archaeology have proved that Chinese civilization has grown and grown in the process of cultural exchanges with foreign countries. Chinese civilization has never been isolated and closed. More than 5,000 years ago, sheep, goats, cattle, horses, wheat and bronze technology from the West have entered China, and China's millet, millet, silk fabrics, etc. have also spread to the West, and more than 2,000 years ago, it has formed a "Silk Road" that runs through China and the West. Cultural exchanges have continuously delivered fresh blood to Chinese and Western societies and promoted the common growth of Chinese and Western civilizations.
In the face of the long and splendid Chinese civilization, the century-old Chinese archaeology is so young, what we depict through the hand shovel is only a time and space framework. In the future, archaeologists will give this framework more organized and fuller details, and a history of civilization written through archaeological objects will be very exciting.
Extensive and effective use of modern scientific and technological means
Yuan Jing, Institute of Science and Technology Archaeology, Fudan University
Scientific and technological archaeology has enriched and expanded the research ideas, methods and contents of archaeology, and the more systematic, extensive and effective use of science and technology has become the only way for the development of Chinese archaeology today and in the future.
Carbon dating constructs the spatiotemporal coordinates of Chinese archaeology. Carbon fourteen dating methods have been hailed as the first scientific revolution in archaeology. In 1965, under the impetus of Xia Nai, Qiu Shihua and Cai Lianzhen built China's first carbon 14th century laboratory and applied it to domestic archaeological practice. Since the new century, the accelerator mass spectrometry carbon fourteen dating method coupled with the use of a series of sample fitting methods has greatly improved the accuracy and reliability of dating, and provided an ageing scale for the establishment of The spatial-temporal framework of Chinese archaeology.
Environmental archaeology reveals how the ancient environment profoundly influenced the development of humanity and society. The Holocene Warm Period provided a good natural environment for the development of ancient Chinese ancestors, and the prehistoric ancestors made full use of the different natural environmental conditions in various regions to develop production technologies and settlement models adapted to different natural environmental conditions, and the natural environment and its evolution in different regions directly affected the development process of Chinese civilization.
The archaeology of human skeletons has outlined the historical picture of the formation, development and integration of the Chinese nation. Skeletal morphology, paleopathology, population and gender studies vividly show the ethnic groups, physiques, compositions and customs of ancient ancestors.
Plant and animal archaeologists have recreated the origin and development of China's agriculture and animal husbandry through seeds and bones. The world's earliest millet has been excavated from the Donghulin site in Beijing, the world's earliest millet has been found at the Ao Han Xinglonggou site in Inner Mongolia, the rice remains dating back 10,000 years have been found at the Pujiang Shangshan in Zhejiang And the Yutou Rock Site in Daoxian County, Hunan Province, the ruins of Nanzhuangtou in Xushui, Hebei Province, show that the domestication of dogs can be as early as 10,000 years ago, and the Ruins of Jia Lake in Wuyang, Henan Province, have unearthed domestic pig remains dating back 9,000 years. 8,000 years ago, the pattern of southern rice and northern millet has begun to appear, and the continuous development of agriculture has laid a solid economic foundation for the origin of Chinese civilization.
Metallurgical archaeology reveals important technological inventions in ancient China. Metallurgical archaeology shows that China's early metallurgical technology, on the basis of continuous absorption and digestion of foreign technologies, gradually formed a distinctive bronze smelting and casting technology, which promoted the development process of early Chinese civilization; the ancient Chinese pig iron smelting and the use of pig iron steel technology is a major creation in the history of world metallurgy, providing a material foundation for the establishment of the Qin and Han Dynasties. Ceramic archaeology reveals the invention and development of ancient ceramic making techniques. Jade tool archaeology has made many achievements in the technological process and technical characteristics of the ancient people to make jade tools. Silk proteins have been found in yangshao villages, Lingbao city tobacco, Gongyi double locust trees, Zhengzhou Qingtai and other sites in the middle and late Yangshao culture in Henan, proving that the history of Chinese ancestors raising silkworms and spinning silk can be as early as 5500 years ago.
Standing at the time node of archaeology for a hundred years, we deeply feel that Chinese archaeology has entered an unprecedented good era. Scientific and technological archaeology has played and will continue to play an indispensable and important role in the process of archaeology extending the historical axis, enhancing historical credibility, enriching historical connotations, and activating historical scenes.
Layout design: Zhao Kairu
People's Daily (2021-11-01 20th edition)