A Preliminary Study On Neolithic Concept Andfaith In The Middle Reaches Of The Yangtzeriver

This paper presents a preliminary study of Neolithic concepts and beliefs in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River from a multi-dimensional perspective of archaeology,ethnography and religion,relying on underground archaeological finds and related literature.In outlining the relics from relevant sites,the paper provides an overview of the origins and development of Neolithic concepts and beliefs in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.The main Neolithic cultures in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River covered in this paper are the Pengtoushan Culture,Chengbeixi Culture,Gaomiao Culture,Tangjiagang Culture,Daxi Culture,Qujialing Culture,Shijiahe Culture and Post-Shijiahe Culture.This paper divides the development of ideas and beliefs into three chronological stages in Chapters 3 to 5.Concepts and beliefs before about 6,300 years ago.The burial customs of the Pangtoushan culture period are more primitive,with secondary burials reflecting the concept of the afterlife and a certain pattern of burial orientation and house site orientation,reflecting the concept of orientation.The artistic expression of the Pontoushan culture period is primitive and simple,with decorative objects such as pottery sticks and their engraved symbols reflecting aesthetic awareness and ideology.The Pontoushan and Preah Preah Vihear sites have both been found to contain incised symbols,which have been used to remember events and other events.The high-topped buildings are likely to have been ritual structures with special significance,suggesting that primitive rituals were already in place during the Pangtoushan culture.The art at Chengbeixi takes many forms,and the stone carving of the Sun Man at the Dongmengtou site reflects the nature and fertility cult of the period,as well as the understanding of the sun,the stars,the sky and the universe.The seated prayer figures reflect idolatry and religious beliefs.The symbols carved at the Liu Lin Xi site are more graphic,reflecting the concept of heaven and earth.The conceptual beliefs of the High Temple culture have developed and are unique to the region.Exquisite white pottery has been found in the Lower Soap City,Gao Miao and Tangjiagang cultures,and the different motifs on the pottery symbolise the different spiritual beliefs of the people of the time.The sacred bird motif and the sun motif are associated with sun worship,and the eight-pointed star motif reflects the cosmological view of the circle of heaven and earth.The eight-pointed star motif is the source of the eight winds,the source of the worship of the sacred birds during the High Temple culture.The Tangjiagang culture octagonal star motif further embodies the concept of the four directions and eight directions.One of the unique sixteen-pointed star motifs has a heritage connotation and a more tangible meaning.The large ritual sites at the Gao Miao site reflect the worship of the gods and rituals.Concepts and beliefs from the middle reaches of the Yangtze River c.6,300-5,000 years ago.The Daxi culture is characterised by the regional nature of the fish burials,the fish bones as symbols of wealth,and the number of other burial objects reflecting the differences in wealth and class that existed in society at the time.The Daxi inscriptions are also regional in nature,with the number and shape of inscriptions varying from site to site,and similar inscriptions in different areas may have completely different meanings,suggesting that the origins of writing may have been multi-sourced,with writing developed separately in each region of activity.The ancient altar at Chengtoushan reflects the level of knowledge of the world and cosmology of the Chengtoushan people.The pebble sculpture of a dragon at the Jodun site indicates the unique identity of the tomb owner,who may have been an important figure with divine authority,such as a shaman.It also reflects dragon worship,which was a religious cult.The circular earthen platform at Dengjiawan and the ritual relics in it suggest that the site was dedicated to rituals and that the rituals were complex and varied,reflecting the rituals and religious beliefs of the time.The geometric patterns on the pottery found at the Tangjiagang site go beyond the practical pottery and evolve into some sort of symbol of primitive religion,part of religious ritual and witchcraft activities,with some religious conception or witchcraft overtones and as such.The ritual remains are more elaborate and have links with ritual remains from other areas.The use of barrel-shaped vessels and jars at the Qujialing site,which are suspected to be religious objects,and the use of barrel-shaped vessels symbolising the male ancestor ’Zu’ during rituals,reflect patriarchal ancestor worship and genital worship.This is a concept and belief from 5,000 to 3,900 years ago in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.Pottery jars were found in the Shijiahe culture,and the inscribed symbols on the jars from Dengjiawan are pictographic symbols based on ritual content.In the late Shijiahe culture,the distribution of urn burials is concentrated,and the Shijiahe culture,especially the late post-Shijiahe culture and other cultures,had the custom of burial with jade,with a large number of fine jade vessels and their shapes having a unique artistic style,reflecting the worship of gods and goddesses,idol worship and animal worship.The Sunjiagang Cemetery of the Post-Shijiagang Culture has been found to have a unique burial style of ’mat burial’.The jade objects of the Post-Shijiahe period demonstrate the high level of jade cutting technology in China at the time,and are also products of the ancestors’ inner beliefs.Chapter 6 summarises the evolution of Neolithic ideas and beliefs in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River,discussing the commonalities and uniqueness of Neolithic ideas and beliefs in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in relation to other regions,showing the characteristics of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.The influence of Neolithic concepts and beliefs in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River on later generations and on the present day is discussed.