A Study On Rong Di In Shanxi During The Late Shang And Western Zhou Dynasties

The term “Rongdi” was the one used by the Chinese in the pre-Qin period for the minority tribes that were “not of our kind”.At the turn of the Shang and Zhou dynasties,the term Rongdi was gradually refined and exchanged with the Central Plains dynasty more frequently.Because of its unique natural geographical environment,Shanxi became one of the frontiers of intermingling between the Chinese and minority tribes.This paper attempts to explore more systematically and comprehensively the ethnic origin,distribution and migration of the Rongdi during the Late Shang and Western Zhou periods.The oracle bone inscriptions show that the Rongdi in Shanxi during the Late Shang period existed mostly in the form of square states,mostly in the southwest of Shanxi and the archaeology of the Late Shang period found in Shanxi has also confirmed the distribution of Rongdi in Shanxi step by step.In the Western Zhou period,the name of Rongdi was more refined.It has been proved that during the Western Zhou period,in addition to the distribution of vassal states sealed by the Zhou royal family,there were also a number of minority tribes such as the Quanrong,Yanjingrong,Tiaorong,Benrong,Jiangrong,Xianyun,Beirong,Yuwurong,as well as Huzhirong,Yituzhiong and other minorities.Quanrong and Xianyun are both in the western of China while Quanrong is located in the north of Jin and Xianyun is located in the area of Hongdong;Beirong and Yanjingrong are located in the area of Taiyuan in central Jin;Jiangrong is a Qiang tribe and is distributed near Jiexiu;Jiaorong and Benrong are located in the area of Zhongtiao Mountain;Shihuzhirong and Yituzhiong are distributed near Taihang Mountain.It can be seen that most of them were distributed in the vicinity of Luliang Mountains,Taihang Mountains,Zhongtiao Mountains,etc.,which roughly coincides with the distribution range of Fangguo in late Shang Dynasty.During the Western Zhou Dynasty,the Di already appeared.The Di tribes located in the territory of Shanxi mainly include the Huai-surname nine clans,the State of Kuai and Ba,belonging to the “Kui” surname and the descendants of the ghost tribe.The Peng and Ba are Western Zhou’s foreign surname states with close relations of Zhou royal family.They receive great attention from Zhou royal family,so there are more and Western Zhou big family intermarriage.The migratory activities of the Rong and Di in Shanxi during the Western Zhou period,there are traces of Guifang,the Quanrong,Xianyun and the Jiangrong.During the Western Zhou period,the main forces of Quanrong were located in Gansu and northern Shaanxi,but there were also traces of the Quanrong in northern Jin,so this branch should have migrated from Gansu and northern Shaanxi.In the late Western Zhou Dynasty,Xianyun tribe migrated southward from northwest Jin to the area of Hongdong in Shanxi and had a war with the Zhou Dynasty,and Jiang Rong also migrated,moving eastward from the area of Baoji to the area of Huozhou in south Jin of Shanxi.Rongdi’s own development level was not low and politically,it formed its own regime structure and mastered bronze smelting technology;economically,it had both agricultural and nomadic economy;culturally,it was not the low level in the traditional concept.The interaction between the Rongdi and the Chinese was a dynamic process of exchange,mainly war and conflict,but in this process,it also promoted cultural exchange and learning.To a certain extent,the “Rongdi”contributed to the formation of the Chinese consciousness.