Neolithic Chinese Civilization Research Paper

Neolithic Chinese Civilizations

A civilization is a society and settlement of people that contains: agriculture, villages/towns, job specialization, a central government or leader, religion, stratification, and a military or defense. Since each civilization has agriculture for growing crops, they were able to grow crops and sustain themselves. This meant that they were non-nomadic and could settle in one area. As people who live in civilizations are not hunter-gatherers, people can specialize in certain areas and jobs. Each civilization needs a government or ruler to calm tensions and maintain peace. Religion is extremely important to people because it can define the way in which they should live. It teaches them ethics and morals to be human

Longshan villages were surrounded by moats and large defensive walls of mud. These features were probably used as protection for the village from enemies during war. The Longshan culture, because of being non-nomadic, allowed the people to specialize in certain jobs. For instance, there were many craftsmen and potters. They were the “the first people to use a potter’s wheel” (ART pg 10) and consequently were able to create polished and sophisticated pottery. Craftsmen also carved jade (nephrite), “ a very hard greenish white stone formed from the crystals of rocks that have been crushed over millions of years.” (ART pg 10) Although it was a difficult and strenuous process to carve jade, the end result was an unbreakable and shining product. There is evidence that the Longshan culture was a stratified society, especially in burial practices. The wealthy were buried with objects such as jade or refined black pottery, while the ordinary were buried with common tools and

However, the Longshan was more civilized than the Yangshao. The Longshan were more advanced than the Yangshao, as shown by their tools and pottery. For example, because of the invention of the potters wheel, pottery from the Longshan was more elegant than pottery from the Yangshao. However, the Longshan were not as civilized as the Xia. The Xia Dynasty was the beginning of a real civilization. The Xia had even more complicated tools than the Longshan, creating a primitive plow and bronze objects. They had figured out that by melting copper and tin together, bronze is produced. Furthermore, the Xia were more stratified, burying the wealthy in palace courtyards “with bronzes, jades, turquoise, and lacquer ware” (ART, pg 11) and the ordinary scattered outside of the city. There were advantages to each civilization, but subtle differences made some more civilized than