On the bullet train from the capital to Zhejiang.

The box in the first-class seat was full of archaeological experts from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Chen Han, Zhuang Yunpeng, Lin Ya and other people who were sent to Sanxingdui to help were also among them.

This time, Chen Han really didn't have a chance to rest at all.

When I returned to the capital, I worked from 9 to 5 for a few days, and then continued to follow Kong Jianwen on a business trip.

"Liangzhu's most important contribution to material culture is definitely jade!"

Kong Jianwen, who was sitting in the front row, was discussing with Professor Li intensely.

"The importance of Liangzhu jade needs to be explained from different angles."

"In terms of handicraft technology, it is not an exaggeration to say that Liangzhu jade is the pinnacle of prehistoric stone production technology."

Holding his glasses, Professor Li nodded approvingly: "Indeed, under the premise of no metal tools, the technical and artistic achievements achieved by the jade artifacts unearthed in the anti-mountain and Yaoshan mountains in the ruins are unique in the world. ”

When it comes to the Liangzhu site, or the ancient country of Liangzhu, and the Liangzhu culture, we have to mention their excellent jade production level.

Liangzhu is one of the most important sources of Chinese jade cultural traditions.

Honestly.

Before the Liangzhu ruins were discovered.

It can be said that no one in China would think that the jade culture in China was developed from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Judging from the previous excavation habits.

Whether it is the Qin and Han dynasties, or the Warring States Period, the Spring and Autumn Period, or even the earlier Western Zhou Dynasty, the Shang Dynasty and other eras, most of the jade artifacts were unearthed in large quantities from the Central Plains to the Shandong Peninsula.

Considering the archaeological research of China, it has always been believed that China is a culture that originated in the Yellow River Valley.

This is like that of young people of Chen Han's age, in childhood, as well as in elementary and junior high school, they were still educated like this.

"The birthplace of the Chinese nation is the Yellow River, and the Yellow River is the mother river of the Chinese nation!"

However, after the 21st century, with more and more archaeological discoveries, it has had a great impact on the "Central Plains Centrism"!

It turns out that the birthplace of Chinese civilization is not only the Central Plains of the Yellow River Basin.

Three generations ago, the land of China was actually a state of ten thousand states.

It is important to understand that what has actually been overturned is not the statement of the "origin theory of the Central Plains", nor does it mean that the origin of Chinese civilization has been changed from the Central Plains to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions.

Rather, the whole "unicentric theory of origin" has been overturned.

It turns out that three generations ago, specifically in the late Neolithic period, there was no strong culture in China with a central position.

At that time, the land of China was diverse and coexisting.

There is Longshan culture in the north, Yangshao culture in the middle, Dawenkou culture in the east, and Liangzhu culture in the south.

These cultures that bloomed everywhere were constantly colliding, exchanging, and merging before the later splendid Chinese civilization was born.

"yes!"

Kong Jianwen nodded with emotion: "The development of jade-making technology and the development of jade culture in the late Neolithic period of China are reflected in the archaeological culture of various regions, and how to highlight the special value of Liangzhu jade through horizontal comparison needs to be considered." ”

"From the technical level, the degree of specialization achieved by the handicraft industry is reflected in the unity of Liangzhu ornamentation and the regularity of jade shapes, which are different from the Hongshan culture at the same time, and later regional cultures such as Houshijiahe, Qijia, and northern Shaanxi."

"Especially in the Liangzhu stage, there is almost no diversity in the material, volume, and form of the same type of jade caused by material making, nor can we see the differences in the production processes and technologies behind different handicraft groups."

The "standardization" of this finished jade product reflects the ability to control and distribute jade resources, the accurate transmission of technology and concepts, and the level of social organization and division of labor. ”

Professor Li nodded and said approvingly: "In terms of the function of jade, other cultures have not shown a strong and clear institutionalization of the placement and use of jade in tombs like Liangzhu, especially the Liangzhu site. ”

"The use of the jade system to express social identity, including hierarchical, gender, and even regional differences, is a unique and extreme feature of Liangzhu society."

"This reflects the function of jade in establishing, maintaining, and embodying the complex social order of the early period, a function that has not been fully embodied in other Chinese Neolithic cultures."

The conversation between the two of them attracted the attention of all the archaeologists in the carriage.

What do the words of Professor Li and Kong Jianwen mean?

To put it simply.

Later in the Xia, Shang and Zhou periods, the jade ritual culture.

For example, the most well-known six instruments, namely Yubi, Yucong, Yugui, Yuamber, Yuzhang, and Yuhuang.

The first to use it as a social identity, rank, power, and ritual instrument was the Liangzhu civilization.

And how important are these six instruments in the history of Chinese civilization?

It can be said that the reason why the Chinese people have developed their own etiquette culture is that it comes from the jade ritual vessels determined by the ancient ancestors.

In the world, only the Chinese people use jade, and use these six kinds of jade ritual utensils as items used on ceremonial occasions such as sacrifices, court meetings, and engagements.

"Zhou Li, Chunguan, Dazongbo" contains: "With jade as the six instruments, to the four directions of heaven and earth: to the sky with cangbi, to the earth with Huang Cong, to the east with Qinggui, to the south with the red chapter, to the west with white amber, and to the north with Xuanhuang." It is for the "six instruments".

But when did these six instruments first form a system of use?

Before the discovery of Liangzhu culture, no one can say clearly.

Of course, no one thinks that this is a culture that originated in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In the past, it was generally believed that this kind of jade ritual ware originated in the late Neolithic period in the Central Plains.

After all, before Liangzhu, similar jade ritual vessels were found in regional cultures such as the Hongshan culture, the later Houshijiahe, Qijia, and northern Shaanxi.

At that time, the academic community thought that this was gradually spreading from the Central Plains to the surrounding areas.

It is a great evidence of the outward expansion of Chinese civilization.

However, the Liangzhu site was later discovered.

And in Liangzhu, there are obviously clear institutional jade ritual vessels, which are very mature and high-standard.

Liangzhu's greatest contribution to the ancient Chinese society and culture is the tradition of "Tibetan rituals in vessels" derived from the above-mentioned jade functions!

The influence on the formation of Chinese etiquette is often regarded as an important value of Liangzhu culture!

After the discovery of the jade ritual ware made by Liangzhucheng, it almost overturned the public's impression that "jade" is the representative of the Central Plains culture!

Even pushed the source of jade ritual vessels directly from the Yellow River basin to the Taihu Lake area of the Yangtze River at once!

It turns out that 5,000 years ago, in the previous historical circles, it was a "reckless land", without the slightest light of civilization, and the Yangtze River basin was still in the stage of slash-and-burn cultivation, which was not like this at all!

On the contrary, there is a highly developed agriculture and has developed its own social system, class system, etiquette system, and unique jade culture!