The Xia dynasty, lasting from the 21st to the 16th century BC, transformed China from a primitive to a class society. It saw 17 emperors and contributed to Chinese culture, economy, art, science, technology, and politics. The dynasty was established by Yu the Great and was succeeded by members of his family. The Xia period saw improvements in agriculture, winemaking, and transportation. Time tracking and the development of pottery and bronze were also important developments. The Erlitou culture existed during this period, characterized by pottery, bronzes, and elaborate tombs and palaces. The last Xia emperor, Jie, was known for his tyrannical reign, leading to the establishment of the Shang dynasty.
The earliest recorded dynasty of China is the Xia dynasty, which lasted from the 21st century to the 16th century BC. This dynasty transformed China from a primitive society to a class society. It lasted more than 500 years and saw 17 emperors rule the nation. Historians have concluded that most of the population of the Xia dynasty lived in western Henan province and southern Shanxi province. The Xia dynasty contributed much to Chinese culture, economy, art, science, technology, and politics.
Yu the Great established the original Xia dynasty under the abdication system, which focused on a ruler’s abilities. He was succeeded by his son Qi and from then on the throne was given to members of his families according to a system of inheritance, thus awarding the title of emperor according to family ties. After his death, Qi was succeeded by 15 of his sons.
At the time of the Xia Kingdom, people were mostly farmers and used tools made of bone or stone. Horse breeding, livestock and crop production have received much attention and these areas have been greatly improved. Legend has it that winemaking was also attempted in this period. While probably primitive in nature, vehicular transport did exist; however, not much is known about the types of carriages or rickshaws used.
Time tracking was an important development during the Xia dynasty, as China first began using a calendar. Months and days were tracked using the sun and moon, stars and time. Other major developments in science and technology include the development of pottery and bronze.
A very important element of the Xia dynasty was the existence of the Erlitou culture, which is believed to have occurred in 1,900 BC, between the Longshan and Shang cultures. The Erlitou culture is characterized by numerous examples of pottery, bronzes and other types of artifacts discovered by archaeologists. It is believed that elaborate tombs and palaces were built during the period, which provides insight into the wealth and way of life of the Xia period.
The last Xia emperor was Jie, known for his tyrannical reign. He lived an elaborate lifestyle and murdered members of his own court. The misery that his reign inflicted on the people caused them to rise up against him and overthrow his court, leading to the establishment of the Shang dynasty.
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