Chinese civilization dates back six thousand years!

Chinese authorities have announced a number of new achievements of a major research project into the origins of China's history. The study, called "Comprehensive Research on the Origins of Chinese Civilization and Its Early Development," aims to understand how Chinese civilization was formed and how the various civilizations in the country integrated with each other.

The study includes excavations at more than 40 ancient sites. Since 2001, four different phases of the project have been completed. Excavations have revealed what is believed to be the world's earliest dam system, the first imperial palace in China and the prototype for today's Chinese hieroglyphs.

Guan Qiang of the State Cultural Relics Office notes that Chinese civilization is believed to date back nearly 6,000 years: “The earliest signs of civilizations appeared about 5,800 years ago in the lower and middle reaches of the Yellow and the Yance River, as well as along the larger tributaries of the Liao River in the southern part of Northeast China. About 5,300 years ago we believe that all regions throughout present-day China entered a period of civilization."

Chinese scholars have also discovered that around 3,800 years ago, a more consolidated form of civilization emerged in Central China and began to radiate its influence, making this area a major force in the expansion of Chinese civilization. They have also confirmed that the origin and early development of Chinese civilization is the result of a process of integration of different civilizations. Such a thing is thought to have led not only to the founding of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, but also to the creation of the multi-ethnic country that is China today.

While researchers have also noted the influence of Chinese civilization from abroad, including the introduction of techniques for cultivating wheat, breeding cows and sheep, and smelting bronze. /THEA/