Soleilmavis presented this paper at E-Leader Conference held by CASA (Chinese American Scholars Association) and Kogakuin University, 1-24-2, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo in Jan 2019.
Abstract:
Archaeological findings and Shanhaijing’s records tell that during about 16,000-14,000 years BP, the Shao Hao People spread out from the Pamirs Plateau to the Weihe River Valley, lower reach of the Yellow River, today’s Shandong Peninsula and branched out to some groups, including the Nü He People (one group of the Shao Hao), who lived near the East End of the Earth in the eastern seashore and moved along coastline to the north and south.
Modern archaeological discoveries have revealed the authenticity of Shanhaijing’s records.
The Nü He were founders of earliest coastal and maritime cultures. The Nü He were founders of Baishi coastal (before 7,000 years BP), Beixin (5300-4100BCE), Dawenkou (4100-2600BCE) and Longshan (3200-1900BCE) Dong Yi Cultures in the Shandong Peninsula.
Dong Yi Culture, which was developed by the Nü He People, spread out from the Shandong Peninsula to other places of China, the Arctic Circle, Americas and Oceania, not only took the leading role in making the Yellow River Valley Cultural System the root of ancient Chinese civilization, but also were the root of ancient civilizations in the Arctic Circle, Americas and Oceania. (We will discuss this in another paper, The Ends of the Earth, presented by Soleilmavis at E-Leader Conference held in Jan 2024 in Bangkok.)
The Nü He were origins of sun, moon and phoenix worship of ancient China, founders of earliest Neolithic Chinese astronomy and Calendar, and roots of Chinese “He” Culture, which is the quintessence of Chinese Han Culture.
The Nü He and their tributary groups built earliest nations as early as Longshan Culture in the Shandong Peninsula, earlier than the Xia’s time (2070-1600BCE).
Keywords: Shanhaijing; Neolithic China, Shao Hao, Nü He, Dong Yi Culture, Ancient Chinese Civilization
Introduction
Archaeological findings and Shanhaijing’s records tell that during about 16,000-14,000 years BP, the Shao Hao People spread out from the Pamirs Plateau to the Weihe River Valley, lower reach of the Yellow River, today’s Shandong Peninsula and branched out to some groups, including the Nü He People (one group of the Shao Hao), who lived near the East End of the Earth in the eastern seashore and moved along coastline to the north and south. Modern archaeological discoveries have revealed the authenticity of Shanhaijing’s records.
The Nü He were founders of earliest coastal and maritime cultures. Before 7,000 years BP, the Nü He People, who lived in today’s Jiaodong (eastern Shandong) Peninsula, developed Baishi coastal culture (before 7,000 years BP).
Before 5300BCE, worrying about sea level keeping rising to drown the whole Shandong Peninsula, the Jiaodong Nü He People ordered the Chang Xi People to move to the western Kunlun Mountains and set up twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People; concurrently, ordered the Xi He People to move to the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains, and set up ten groups of the Ri (sun) People near today’s Four Lakes of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan.
The Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri and Yue People remained tradition of matriarchal clan society, knew only mother not father and had female as leader, thus were tributary groups of the Jiaodong Nü He.
The Jiaodong Nü He and Xi He were co-founders of Beixin (5300-4100BCE), Dawenkou (4100-2600BCE) and Longshan (3200-1900BCE) Dong Yi Cultures in the Shandong Peninsula. Dong Yi Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula to other places of China and took the leading role in making the Yellow River Valley Cultural System the root of ancient Chinese civilization.
Along with the Jiaodong Nü He People keeping sending people to their tributary groups, Dong Yi Culture, which was developed by the Nü He People, spread out from the Shandong Peninsula to other places of China, the Arctic Circle, Americas and Oceania, not only took the leading role in making the Yellow River Valley Cultural System the root of ancient Chinese civilization, but also were the root of ancient civilizations in the Arctic Circle, Americas and Oceania. (We will discuss this in another paper, The Ends of the Earth, presented by Soleilmavis at E-Leader Conference held in Jan 2024 in Bangkok.)
The Jiaodong Nü He were origins of sun, moon and phoenix worship of ancient China, founders of earliest Neolithic Chinese astronomy and Calendar, and roots of Chinese “He” Culture, which is the quintessence of Chinese Han Culture.
The Jiaodong Nü He and their tributary groups built earliest nations as early as Longshan Culture in the Shandong Peninsula, earlier than the Xia’s time (2070-1600BCE).
Ancient Chinese Civilizations
Archaeologists and historians commonly believe that Neolithic China had two main ancient cultural systems: the Yellow River Valley Cultural System and the Changjiang River Valley Cultural System. Starting from the lower reaches areas of the Yellow and Changjiang rivers, these cultures spread to surrounding areas. (We have discussed this in another paper: Five-big Ancient Chinese Groups and Their Cultures, presented by Soleilmavis at E-Leader Conference in Vietnam in Jan 2020.)
Shanhaijing, the Classic of Mountains and Seas
Shanhaijing, or Classic of Mountains and Seas, is a classic Chinese text compiling early geography and myth, and the first geography and history book in China. The book is about 31,000 words long and is divided into eighteen sections. It is also commonly accepted that Shanhaijing is a compilation of four original books:
1): Wu Zang Shan Jing, or Classic of the Five Hidden Mountains, passed from mouth to mouth during the Great Yu’s Time (before 2200BCE);
2): Hai Wai Si Jing, or Four Classic of Regions Beyond the Seas, passed from mouth to mouth during the period of the Xia’s time (about 2070-1600BCE);
3): Da Huang Si Jing, or Four Classic of the Great Wilderness, written during the Shang Dynasty (about 1600-1046BCE); and
4): Hai Nei Wu Jing, or Five Classic of Regions Within the Seas, written during the Zhou Dynasty (about 1046-256BCE).
The first known editor of Shanhaijing was Liu Xiang (77-6BCE) in the Han Dynasty. [1]
According to Shanhaijing, the Great Wilderness was a large tract of savage land that unfit for human habitation and was in the south of the Mobile Desert, today’s Taklamakan Desert. Clearly, it included today’s Tibetan Plateau, west areas of the Sichuan Basin and western Yungui Plateau.
In Shanhaijing, the He (literally means river and hereinafter written as Yellow River) refers specificly to the Yellow River, which rises in the northern Bayankala Mountains, which are located in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, and the Jiang (hereinafter written as Changjiang River) refers specificly to the Changjiang River, which rises in the southern Bayankala Mountains.
Shanhaijing uses Shui (literally means water) to name other rivers and waters.
Shanhaijing uses Hai (literally means sea) to name sea and saltwater lake and uses Ze, Chi and Yuan to name freshwater pool and lake.
The Mobile Desert in Shanhaijing refers to today’s Taklamakan Desert, the Asia’s biggest and world’s second biggest mobile desert, while the Rub Al Khal Desert in the Arabian Peninsula is the world’s biggest desert.
The Chishui River in Shanhaijing was located in the east of the Mobile Desert, today’s Taklamakan Desert, and the west of the Northwest Sea.
The Northwest Sea is today’s Qinghai Lake. The Qinghai Lake, also called Kokonor Lake, is a saltwater lake and used to be very big, but it had reduced to 1,000 kilometers in perimeter in the North Wei Dynasty (386-557CE) and kept reducing to 400 kilometers in perimeter in the Tang Dynasty (618-907CE) and 360 kilometers in perimeter today.
The areas to the west of today’s Dunhuang have been called the Western Regions of China since the Han Dynasty (202BCE-220CE).
Mount Buzhou was located in the eastern Pamirs Plateau, to the west of the Kunlun Mountains, but the specific location is not confirmed.
Historical Records and Folklores of Nü He, Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon).
The Nü He, Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People, Recorded in Shanhaijing
The Classic of the Great Wilderness: East records, “The Shao Hao People lived in the Gan Mountains, from where the Ganshui River came.”
Also, The Classic of the Great Wilderness: South records, “There were the Xi He People, living around the Gan spring-water, the source of the Ganshui River, beyond the Eastern Sea. The Xi He women, who were wives of the Di Jun men, just gave birth to ten groups of the Ri (sun) People and often bathed the Ri in the Ganyuan Lake.”
The Classic of the Great Wilderness: East records, “The Nü He People were Mothers of the Yue (moon) People. Someone was named Yuan (a kind of phoenix), living in the East End of the Earth and controlling the sun and the moon to make them rise in order.” Guo Pu (276-324CE), the most famous Philology and astronomer in the Jin Dynasty (265-420CE), said, “Yuan” was a kind of phoenix.
The Classic of the Great Wilderness: West records, “There were women who just bathed the Yue (moon). The Chang Xi women, who were wives of the Di Jun men, gave birth to twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People, who lived in the western Kunlun Mountains, where also lived the Zhuan Xu’s offspring, Chong and Li.”
Modern scholars commonly agree that the Gan Mountain was located in today’s southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains. The Ganshui River came from these mountains and went to the Ganyuan Lake, almost certainly today’s four lakes of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan.
The literal meaning of Chinese characters, “Ri” is sun, “Yue” is moon, “Chang” is invariable, “Nü” is female, and “He” is together with, and, harmonization, integration, peace and kindness. “Nü He” means the He People having female as leader, also suggests that the Nü He People were in matriarchal clan society, when people know only mother not father and having female as leader.
Literally, Chinese character “Xi(2)” means sunlight, “Xi(1),” recorded in Shuowen Jiezi, means qi (gas or vapor), which has no definite shape and volume, and spread freely. Many scholars agree that the name of Xi He and Chang Xi can be written both as Xi(1) and Xi(2). Lunheng.Shiying, wittern by Wang Chong (27-97CE) in the Eastern Han Dynasty, says that the accurate name of Xi He was Xi(2) He. Jiang Liang-fu (1902-1995) in his book Chuci Jinyi Jianglu says Xi in Xi He’s name should be Xi(2). Due to ancient people respecting Xi He as the god/godess of the sun and Chang Xi as the god/goddess of the moon, using Xi(2) should be more reasonable than Xi(1). Ancient Chinese people also used “Xi” to name “Fu Xi,” a Chinese legendary King.
Other Historical Records and Folklores of Nü He, Xi He and Chang Xi.
(I) Xi He was Respected as the Sun Goddess, Mother of the Sun.
Chu Ci.Tian Wen, written by Qu Yuan (340-278BCE), says, “Xi He has not yet driven the carriage to take the sun on the journey, why flowers of the You Tree are glowing?”
Wang Yi, a scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220CE), said, “Xi He drives the carriage to take the sun on its journey.” The same record is also in Guangya.Shitian, written by Zhang Yi during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280CE).
Huainanzi.Tianwen, written by Liu An (179-122BCE) in the Western Han Dynasty, says, “When they arrive to the Bei Spring, the lady (Xi He) stops, the horses take a rest, it is called Taking a Break.”
Many later scholars changed the horses to dragons when they referenced Huainanzi’s record, such as,
Xu Shen (58-147CE) (author of Shuowen Jiezi) in the Eastern Han Dynasty was the first who changed the horses to dragons. He said, “Xi He drives the carriage, which is pulled by six Li dragons, and takes the sun on its journey. Xi He returns the Li dragons at dusk at the Yu Spring.”
Chuxueji.Tianxiang Section, written by Xu Jian (660-729CE) in the Tang Dynasty, says, “ (Xi He) stops the six Li dragons and takes a rest, it is called Taking a Break.”
Li Bai (701-762CE) of the Tang Dynasty said in his poem “Shu Dao Nan,” “the highest mountain of Shu is too high and Xi He’s six dragons are not able to climb over and have to return back.”
(II) Xi and He were Officials who Mastered Astronomy and Calendar.
ShangShu.Yaodian (authors unknow), written during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256BCE), says, “King Yao ordered Xi He to focus attention on the cycle of days, survey the regularity of the sun, moon and stars and make a calendar.”
Guo Pu (276-324CE), a scholar from the Jin Dynasty, said, “King Yao set up an official, named Xi He, to manage seasons and solar terms. Xi He’s offspring then set up a country, named Xi He.”
Lu De-ming (550-630CE) in the Tang Dynasty said, “Xi masters the Tianguan (astronomy) and He masters the Diguan (land season).”
(III) Ancient People also used Xi and Xi He to name the sun.
The poem Immortals written by Xu Shen (58-147CE) says, “The red Xi is becoming brightness.”
(IV) Nü He, Xi He and Chang Xi were mothers of the sun and moon.
In Chinese ancient mythology, Xi He was the sun goddess and Chang Xi was the moon goddess. There were also legends saying that Nü He was the mother of the sun and moon; and the (Nü) He and Xi (He) were the earliest inventors of Neolithic Chinese astronomy and calendar. (Historical records of Xi He can be read in Appendix.)
The Xi He and Chang Xi People Came from the Nü He People.
Shanhaijing tells, the Nü He, who lived near the East End of the Earth in today’s Jiaodong Peninsula, were mothers of the Yue (moon); also, the Chang Xi women gave birth to twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People, who lived in the western Kunlun Mountains.
Both of the Nü He and Chang Xi being mothers of the Yue (moon) People suggest that the Chang Xi and Nü He originally belonged to same group.
Both of the Nü He and Chang Xi being mothers of the Yue (moon) People were origins of Chinese ancient mythology - Nü He and Chang Xi being moon-goddesses and mothers of the moon.
Other historical records, such as the bamboo-slips book Gui Zang of the Qin Dynasty (221-207BCE), tell that Chang Xi went to the west, dwelled in the western Kunlun Mountains and became the Yue (moon), suggesting that the Chang Xi People came from the Jiaodong Nü He and moved from the Jiaodong Peninsula to the west to the western Kunlun Mountains and later became (set up/gave birth to) the Yue (moon) People.
Shanhaijing tells, the Xi He People lived in the upper reach of the Ganshui River in today’s southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains. The Xi He gave birth to ten groups of the Ri (sun) People, who lived near the Ganyuan Lake, today’s four lakes of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan. The Xi He were mothers of the Ri (sun) People.
Both of the Nü He and Xi He being mothers of the Ri (sun) People suggests that the Xi He and Nü He originally belonged to same group.
Both of Chang Xi and Xi He had the same word “Xi” in their names and both of Xi He and Nü He had the same word “He” in their names, suggesting that the Nü He, Chang Xi and Xi He shared the same origin. The Chang Xi and Xi He came from the Nü He People.
Chinese ancient mythology tells that Nü He and Xi He were sun-goddesses and mothers of the sun. Shanhaijing tells that the Nü He People lived near the East End of the Earth, in where Phoenix Yuan controlled the Sun and Moon to make them rise in order. These records hint that the Jiaodong Nü He, who had phoenix totem, controlled the Xi He to move to the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountain and give birth to ten groups of the Ri (sun) People near the four lakes; also controlled the Chang Xi to move to the western Kunlun Mountains and give birth to twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People.
The Jiaodong Nü He were mothers of the Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon), and controlled them, who thus were tributary groups of the Jiaodong Nü He.
The bamboo-slips book Gui Zang of the Qin Dynasty records that the Chang Xi and Yue (moon) became like Chanzhu toad, whose top characteristic is that it was homesick, and no matter how far away from home, it missed home and would return home. The Chang Xi and Yue (moon) becoming like Chanzhu toad suggests that they regarded the Jiaodong Nü He as their mothers, accepted the leadership of the Jiaodong Nü He, and often went back home (the Jiaodong Peninsula). This again proves that the Chang Xi and Yue (moon) were tributary groups of the Jiaodong Nü He.
Although the Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People had paternal kinship with the Di Jun People, who had turned from matriarchal to patriarchal clan society in about 8,000 years BP, the Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People remained tradition of matriarchal clan society, knew only mother not father and had female as leader, thus were tributary groups of the Jiaodong Nü He, instead of the Di Jun People.
Historical facts passed from mouth to mouth by ancient Chinese people before written Chinese characters appeared, and finally became myths, which tell that Lady Nü He was the sun goddess, moon-goddess and the mother of the Sun and Moon; Lady Xi He was the sun-goddess and the mother of the Sun; and Lady Chang Xi was the moon-goddess and the mother of the Moon.
The Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People worshipped the Jiaodong Nü He Queen to be their ancestor-goddess and sun-moon goddess. They also worshipped Nüwa, the highest goddess, and phoenix, the totem of the Jiaodong Nü He.
Historians commonly agree that before and during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046BCE), ancient Chinese people were ideologically god-centered. Ancient Chinese People believed that the leader or king/queen were the Mandate of Heaven. The female leader of the Jiaodong Nü He was regarded as the chosen one of god/goddess, combination of goddess and human body and incarnation of god/goddess. The Mandate of Heaven enabled the Jiaodong Nü He Queens to control the Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri and Yue people easily and firmly, even though they lived far away from each other.
 
The Nü He, Xi He and Chang Xi People were Sources of Fu Xi.
“Fu Xi,” a Chinese legendary king, could not be proved by archaeology, but was described as the first king of ancient China in many historical chronicles. Fu Xi’s original name was Da Hao, or Tai Hao. Later, in some books, Da Hao’s name changed to Pao Xi and Fu Xi.
The Shang Dynasty (1600-1046BCE) had records of Nü He, Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon), but no records of Da Hao (Fu Xi), suggesting that the name of Da Hao only appeared since the Zhou Dynasty.
Historians commonly agree that in order to ruling all peoples, the Zhou falsely fabricated Chinese ancient history. In Chapter 3, I would tell in details why and how the Zhou had falsely fabricated Chinese ancient history.
In matters of inheritance, the Zhou recognized only patrilineal primogeniture as legal. The Zhou falsely fabricated history, patriarchal clans of ancient chinese people, many imaginary characters of ancient kings, including Huang Di, Yan Di, Zhuan Xu, Di Jun, Shao Hao and Da Hao. Huang Di was the common male ancestor of all ancient Chinese People; Yan Di, Zhuan Xu, Di Jun, Shao Hao and Da Hao were all descendants of Huang Di.
Meanwhile, the Zhou painstakingly eliminated those groups, which had female as leader or remained tradition of matriarchal clan society, knowing only mother not father, such as the Nü He, Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People. However, the Zhou falsely fabricated an imaginary characters Fu Xi to be their common male ancestor.
The Xi He People, who lived in the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains, and the Ri (sun) People, who lived near the four lakes of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan, spread out to surrounding areas. The Chang Xi and Yue (moon) People first lived in the western Kunlun Mountains and Pamirs Plateau, later spread out to surrounding areas.
(1) The earliest written story of Da Hao was from the fourth original book of Shanhaijing: Classic of Regions Within the Seas, written by the Western Zhou Dynasty (about 1046-771BCE). “Da Hao begat Xian Niao, who begat Cheng Li. Cheng Li begat Hou Zhao, who begat the Ba People, who were ancestors of the Ba State.” The State of Ba (?-316BCE) was existed near Chongqing of Sichuan during the early Zhou Dynasty. Clearly, the Zhou’s book claimed that Da Hao was the male ancestor of the Ba People.
Also the Classic of Regions Within the Seas says,“There were the Basui Mountains, in where the Shengshui River had its source. There were black pythons (called Ba Python), which had cyan head and ate elephone.” The Ba Python eating elephone was also recorded in the Classic of Regions Within the Seas:south. Xu Shen (58-147CE) said in his book Shuowen Jiezi, “Ba is snake (python), also called elephone-eater python.” Many Ba pythons lived in the Ba(sui) Mountain, thus the mountain was called Ba(shui).
Scholars commonly agree that the name of the Ba People came from the Ba Python of the Basui Mountains, which are located in today’s Bayankala Mountains in the southeastern Kunlun Mountains. From the Basui Mountains, the Ba People later moved to Sicuan Basin, lived near Chongqing and during the early Zhou Dynasty set up the State of Ba (?-316BCE).
The Chang Xi and Yue (moon) People spread out from the western Kunlun Mountains to surrounding areas; some of them could easily reach the eastern Kunlun and Bayankala Mountains. Therefore, the Ba People, who claimed to be offspring of Da Hao and lived in the Bayankala Mountains, were surely offspring of the Chang Xi and Yue (moon) People.
(2) Zuozhuan (author Zuo Qiu-ming), which records the history during 722-454BCE, says,“The State of Ren (today’s Rencheng of Jining), Su (today’s Dongping of Shandong and later moved to Suzhou of Anhui), Xuju (today’s Liangshan of Shandong) and Zhuanyu (today’s Pingyi of Linyi), whose surname was Feng (literally means: wind), were descendants of Da Hao and were in charge of holding ceremonies that sacrificed Da Hao and You Ji, the god of Jishui River.”
The territories of Ren, Su, Xuju and Zhuanyu had been inhabitation areas of the Xi He and Ri (sun) People, suggesting they were offspring of the Xi He and Ri (sun), who belonged to the Nü He’s big family. The Zhou’s books said that the Ren, Su, Xuju and Zhuanyu were descendants of Da Hao, suggesting the Zhou claimed that Da Hao was the common male ancestor of the Nü He’s big family.
Da Hao (Fu Xi) appeared only since the Western Zhou. Thus, Da Hao was an imaginary character fabricated by the Zhou, who said that Da Hao (male) was an offspring of Huang Di, an ancient king later than Huang Di and the common male ancestor of the Shao Hao and the Nü He’s big family, including the Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun), Yue (moon) and Ba People.
Both Shao Hao and Da Hao (another name: Tai Hao) had the same word “Hao” in their names, telling that they shared the same origin. Literally, “Da” means big or first; “Tai” means identity of the highest or seniority in the higher; “Hao” means the expansive and limitless sky; “Shao” means subordinated. In China, we use “Tai” grandfather to name grandfather’s father. The name of “Tai Hao,” which means the highest in the sky (or heaven), is the extravagant praise of Da Hao’s position, suggesting the Zhou rose Da Hao to be the ancestor of Shao Hao.
Dong Yi Culture, which was founded by the Nü He (and Xi He) People, contributed more to Chinese civilization than the Shao Hao’s other offspring, thus, the Zhou rose Da Hao to be the ancestor of Shao Hao.
Before and during the Shang Dynasty, wind and phoenix used the same Chinese character Feng. Ancient Chinese people believed that Feng (wind) came from Feng (phoenix) flapped its wings. In Ancient Chinese Phonology system, Chinese characters of Feng (wind) and Feng (phoenix) were interchangeable. The Ren, Su, Xuju and Zhuanyu were descendants of Da Hao and their surname was Feng (wind), suggesting they originally worshipped Feng (phoenix), coinciding with offspring of the Nü He’s big family worshipping phoenix. Da Hao originally had phoenix totem.
During the middle and later stages of the Zhou, the Zhou turned from strong to weak, the power of royal family was sidelined and the control of publication was no longer very strict. The Zhou’s aristocrats agreed that Dong Yi Culture, which was developed by the Nü He (and Xi He) People, was the root of the Xia, Shang and Zhou, therefore, they agreed Da Hao contributed more to Chinese civilization than Huang Di and Yan Di, then rose Da Hao to be an ancient king earlier than Huang Di, later also changed Da Hao’s name to Fu Xi for commemorating the great contribution of the Nü He, Xi He and Chang Xi People. The Xi He, Chang Xi and Fu Xi had the same word “Xi” in their names.
The Zhou had never controlled the Jiaodong Peninsula and Sichuan Basin, therefore, the Nü He’s, Xi He’s, Chang Xi’s, Ri (sun)’s and Yue (moon)’s offspring in the Jiaodong Peninsula and Sichuan Basin (such as the Ba People) surely had their own records of history; however, those records had lost during such a long history about 3,000 years.
The Source of the Myth Story “Chang E Ben Yue” Came from the Chang Xi People.
“Chang E Ben Yue (moon)” literally means “Chang E runs quickly and goes straight to the destination of Yue (moon).”
The earliest records of this story were written in the bamboo-slips book Gui Zang of the Qin Dynasty (221-207BCE), discovered in the No.15 Qin’s tomb in Wangjiatai of Jianglin, Hubei.
Gui Zang: Gui Mei records, “In the past, Heng E (another name of Chang E) stole the secret prescription, which could keep her alive forever, from the Western Queen Mother. She followed the prescription and went to the moon. She went to Diviner You Huang for divination before departure. You Huang said, ‘A lucky divinatory symbol. It is a cushy Gui Mei divination, which indicates you are going to get married in a subordinate position. You will go to the west alone. If there will be darkness, don’t be afraid and the future will be prosperous.’ Heng E then went to the west, dwelled and became the Yue (moon), it was like chanzhu (also called Xiamo).”
Literally, “E” means lady; Chanzhu, another name Chanchu or Hama or Xiamo, was a kind of toad.
Gui Mei is a divination that forebodes matrimony, normally means marrying with a man in the status of concubine or subordinate position. Here, when Diviner You Huang was divining, the divination of Gui Mei appeared, indicating Chang E was going to get married in a subordinate position.
The story of Gui Mei bears uncanny resemblance to Shanhaijing’s record of the Chang Xi women moving to the west, finding the Di Jun men to procreate and giving birth to twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People, who lived in the western Kunlun Mountains.
We must pay attention to five important facts of the divination: Gui Mei.
(1) “Chang E Ben Yue (moon)”
The literal meanings of Chinese character “Ben” are “running/walking quickly” and “going straight.” Both of Chinese characters of Zou (means run/walk) and Ben (run/walk quickly) mean a human runs/walks on the ground. They were unrelated to flying.
The story uses the word “Ben,” suggesting Chang E ran/walked quickly and went straight toward the destination, urgently and goal-oriented. Chang E did not linger and rest during the journey.
(2) “Chang E went to the WEST.”
We know that the moon rises from the east. If Chang E flied to the moon in the sky, why did not she fly to the east, instead of west? Clearly, the moon in this story refers to the Moon (Yue) People instead of the moon in the sky. Chang E refers to the Chang Xi People, who moved from the Jiaodong Peninsula to the west to the Kunlun Mountains.
(3) “The Western Queen Mother and the secret prescription.”
Gui Mei says, “Chang E stole the secret prescription, which could keep her alive forever, from the Western Queen Mother.” What was the secret prescription?
The historical fact of the Chang Xi People moving from the Jiaodong Peninsula to the western Kunlun Mountains happened before 5300BCE.
The Western Queen Mother, recorded in Shanhaijing, had female as leader and lived in Mount Yu in the western Pamirs Plateau.
Living a good life in the Pamirs Plateau, the highest place of China, and keeping tradition of having female as leader, while most groups of people had entered patriarchal clan society after 8,000 years BP, were the secret prescriptions. This secret would let the Chang Xi (Chang E) and Yue (moon) People live forever in the Kunlun Mountains and Pamirs Plateau and keep their tradition of matriarchal clan society.
(4) “going to get married in a subordinate position.”
It was an arduous, hard and long journey from the Jiaodong Peninsula, along the lower reach of the Yellow River, Weihe River Valley, to the west of the Qinghai Lake, then to the western Kunlun Mountains and Pamirs Plateau. On their way, there were many groups who were offspring of the Di Jun and Shao Hao. In order to get help from the Di Jun’s offspring, the Chang Xi women had to found the Di Jun men to procreate.
During the time they traveling to the west, the Chang Xi People lost the absolute superiority of being a dominating group in the Jiaodong Peninsula. After they had settled down in the western Kunlun Mountains, they gave birth to twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People, who had paternal kinship with some of the Di Jun People. This was called “Chang E then dwelled and became the Yue (moon).”
The Chang Xi and Yue (moon), who were new immigrants in the western Kunlun Mountains and Pamirs Plateau, were in the subordinate position living among the host community, such as the Di Jun and Zhuan Xu peoples.
(5) Gui Mei says, “it was like chanzhu (toad).”
According to Wang Jing-gong Zishuo, or Wang Jing-gong Word Interpretation, author Wang An-shi (1021-1086), a Prime Minister of the North Song Dynasty (960-1127), “As the saying goes, Xiamo (Chanzhu toad) is homesick, once it is taken far away, it will return home within one night. Even it is taken to a foreign land, it often miss home and will return home. People therefore call it Xiamo.”
The Chang Xi People, who dwelled in the western Kunlun Mountains and set up twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People, deeply missed their hometown in the Jiaodong Peninsula, becoming like Chanzhu toad. This hints that the Chang Xi and Yue (moon) People regarded themselves as invariable (Chang) tributary groups to the Jiaodong Nü He and often went back to the Jiaodong Peninsula to visit the Jiaodong Nü He.
The historic truth of the story “Chang E Ben Yue” is that the Chang Xi People went to the western Kunlun Mountains to set up twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People.
During about 8,000-6,000 years BP, sea level rose to two to five meters higher than today’s present sea level, the Jiaolai River became the Jiaolai Strait; the Jiaodong Peninsula became the Jiaodong Island. Archaeological discoveries reveal that the Nü He People, who lived along coastline in the Jiaodong Peninsula, suffered a lot due to sea level rising, moved to elevated grounds, such as Baishi site of Yantai, whose altitude is 23 meters today. However, the Jiaodong Nü He still worried about sea level keeping rising, that the whole Jiaodong Peninsula would be drowned by sea water.
The Jiaodong Nü He Queen ordered Xi He (a female leader) to lead some people, re-named them “Xi He People,” to move to the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains and set up ten groups of the Ri (moon) People near the Four Lakes of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan; Concurrently, ordered Chang Xi (a female leader) to lead some people, re-named them “Chang Xi People,” to move to the “west” to the western Kunlun Mountains and set up twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People. Through this way, the Jiaodong Nü He People would build inhabitation base areas in highest places of China for the future.
The Yue (moon) People (another name Yue Zhi) were also recorded in The Four Classic of Regions Beyond the Seas: South, “Beyond the mobile desert, there were the Da Xia, Shu Sha Ju Yao and Yue Zhi (Yue People). Cangwu was located in the west of a desert, southwest of Mount Bai Yu, which was located in the east of Da Xia, southeast of the Kun Lun Xu.”
Historians agree that the Kushan Empire (55-425CE) was established by Da (big) Yue (moon) Zhi (familyname), a Chinese ancient minority, who used to live in the northwestern China and during about 177BCE to 129BCE migrated westward to Central Asia. The Da Yue Zhi People were offspring of the Yue (moon) People. (Another pronunciation of Da Yue Zhi or DaYue Shi is Da Rou Zhi.)
The Source of the Myth Story “Hou Yi(2) Shooting the Suns” Came from the Xi He and Ri (sun) People.
In Chinese myths, there were ten suns in the sky, Hou Yi(2) shot and killed nine and only left one.
The earliest record of the story “Hou Yi(2) Shooting the Suns” was written in the bamboo-slips book Gui Zang of the Qin Dynasty (221-207BCE), discovered in the No. 15 Qin’s tomb in Wangjiatai of Jianglin, Hubei.
Literally, “Hou” means the sovereign of a group of people. During matriarchal clan society, the sovereigns were females. When patriarchal clan society began in about 8,000 years BP, the Nü He, Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People still remained tradition of matriarchal society and had female as leader. Therefore, Hou indicates the female sovereign. Later, “Hou” was specially used to name male sovereign’s wife.
Literally, Yi(2) means arrow likes a bird spreading wings and spiraling up with wind; also, Yi(2) means the two hands hold a feather arrow. Therefore, the name of Yi(2) came from arrows.
Archaeologists agree that bow and arrow was invented in the Shandong Peninsula. Zuozhuan has similar records as Shuowen Jiezi: Shibu, saying, “In ancient times, Yi Mu started making bow and arrow.” Liji: Sheyi says, “Hui made bow and Yi Mu made arrow.”
Gui Zang:Lü Yue records, “In the past, Yi(2) shot in the islets of the water. Yi(2) was a good shooter; Yi(2) shot the ten suns. (Yi(2) shot and killed nine, only left one.)”
“Yi(2) was a good shooter,” suggesting the Yi(2) People were either inventors of arrows or the earliest people who used arrows.
Also “Yi(2) shot in the islets of the water” in Lü Yue, suggests they lived near big waters, matching to the Ri (sun) People living near the biggest water of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan lakes in the southwestern Shandong Peninsula.
During the Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties, these lakes were about 3-4 times larger than today (today total is about 1266 square kilometers); while before the Shang Dynasty (1600-1406BCE), these lakes were much larger than the Zhou, Qin and Han.
We can grasp some historical truths from Shanhaijing’s records of “the Xi He giving birth to ten groups of the Ri (sun) People,” and Gui Zang:Lü Yue, “Yi(2) shot the ten suns.” The ten suns were the ten groups of the Ri (sun) People, not the suns in the sky.
By the way, in many places of China, including Shandong, the pronunciation of Ri (sun) is Yi, not only in history, but also in today. Therefore, originally, ancient Chinese pronounced Ri (sun) People to Yi (sun) People.
The Yi(2) People, one group of the ten Ri (sun) People, changed their name from Ri (sun) to Yi(2) after arrow had been invented. Soon, they abolished all other nine Ri (sun) tribes (“shot nine suns”), united them and became one group, named Yi(2).
These early historical facts passed from mouth to mouth by ancient Chinese people and finally became myths before written Chinese characters appeared. Much later, mankind continued enriching stories of Hou Yi(2) and Chang E by adding in more fancies, Hou Yi(2) shooting down nine suns and leaving only one in the sky and Chang E flying to the moon in the sky. Also, Hou Yi(2) became Chang E’s husband in later’s fancies.
In the Shang and Zhou’s written records, we did not find the initial state of Yi(2). Due to the Yi(2) People being offspring of the Xi He and Ri (sun) People, they were surely merged into the Shang, who moved from the Shandong Peninsula to Shangqiu.
Dong Yi Culture
Historical Records of the Dong Yi
The literal meaning of Chinese character Dong is east. The Shuowen Jiezi character dictionary (121BCE) defined Chinese character Yi, which consisted of “big” and “bow,” as “level, peaceful,” and “people of the eastern regions.”
The earliest instances of Yi were inscribed on oracle bones, which means bow and arrow, dating from the late Shang Dynasty (about 1600-1046BCE).
Dong Yi or Yi officially appeared in the Western Zhou Dynasty (about 1046-771BCE), stating that the Dong Yi People were enemies of the Zhou Dynasty.
The Bamboo Annals records that there were two groups of people, named Huai-Yi and Lan-Yi, who belonged to the larger ethnic group of Dong Yi People, during the Xia’s time (about 2070-1600BCE).
The Book of Documents, or Shangshu: Yugong records that there were Niao-Yi in Jizhou; Yu-Yi and Lai-Yi in Qingzhou, east of the Taishan Mountain; Huai-Yi between Qingzhou and the Huai River; and Niao-Yi (or Dao-Yi) in Yangzhou.
The Book of the Later Han, or Hou Hanshu: Dong Yi records: “There were nine ethnic groups of Yi in China. (“There were nine” was the equivalent of an English speaker saying “There were a bazillion.”) They were called: Quan-Yi, Yu-Yi, Fang-Yi, Huang-Yi, Bai-Yi, Chi-Yi, Xuan-Yi, Feng-Yi and Yang-Yi.”
Literature, describing a pre-Xia Dynasty period did not use the character Yi. But during the Xia’s time, some groups of people were referred to as the Yi. For example, The Book of Documents: Yu Gong called people in Qingzhou and Xuzhou the Lai-Yi, Yu-Yi and Huai-Yi. (Historical Chinese records of the Yi and Dong Yi can be read in Appendix.)
Dong Yi Neolithic Culture contained five evolutionary phases:
Houli Culture (about 6400-5700BCE)
Beixin Culture (about 5300-4100BCE) and Baishi Coastal Culture (before 7,000 years BP)
Dawenkou Culture (about 4100-2600BCE)
Yueshi Culture (about 2000-1600BCE)
Longshan Culture (about 3200-1900BCE)
Dong Yi Culture was the Most Advanced Culture in Neolithic China.
1) The writing system of Dong Yi Culture is one of the oldest in Neolithic China. It was an important source of the Shang oracle bone scripts. Some of the characters continued to be used in modern Chinese writing, such as: [2]
The Changle Bone Inscriptions, found in Changle, Qingzhou, Shouguang, Huantai, Linzi and Zouping in Shandong Province, belonged to Longshan Culture and are regarded as recording characters used 1,000 years earlier than Shang oracle bone script. [3]
2) The Shao Hao (including Nü He) People were inventors of arrows in China. Zuozhuan has similar records as Shuowen Jiezi: Shibu, saying, “In ancient times, Yi Mu started making bow and arrow.” Liji: Sheyi says, “Hui made bow and Yi Mu made arrow.”
3) The Shao Hao and Nü He People had great skill in making pottery. The earliest pottery of ancient China was discovered in the archaeological site of Zhaojiaxuyao Village in Linzi, Zibo of Shandong (about 13,200 years BP). Longshan Culture’s eggshell black pottery is regarded as one of the best ancient Chinese potteries.
4) The Shao Hao (including Nü He) People were the earliest users of copper and iron in Neolithic China.
5) The earliest human brain operation in Neolithic China was believed to be conducted about 5,000 years ago in Guangrao of Shandong. In an archaeological site of Dawenkou Culture in Fujia, Guangrao of Shandong, an adult male skull was discovered. A hole on the skull with very neat edges was believed by scientists to have been created by a craniotomy. The man recovered from the surgery and had lived for a long time after it, before he died.
6) The Shao Hao (including Nü He) People firstly developed etiquette in Neolithic China. A code of etiquette in Longshan Culture, implied by artifacts, such as Ceremonial architecture, sacrificial vessels (Eggshell black pottery and Ritual Jade) and animal bones used to practice divination, shows social stratification and formation of the initial state. Clearly, the earliest nation of Neolithic China was built in the Shandong Peninsula by the Shao Hao (including Nü He) People.
Dong Yi Culture, the Nü He People and their Large-scale Migrations During the Neolithic Age (16000-2000BCE).
At the later stage of the Pleistocene, about 18,000 years BP, sea level was about 130 meters lower than today, today’s Bohai Sea did not exist, the eastern Asia continent connected with the Japanese archipelago and southeastern China connected with today’s Taiwan. Since 18,000 years BP, temperature rose quickly and snow and ice started melting. The sea level rose to 40 meters lower than at present in about 11,500 years BP, when most parts of Bohai Sea were land, to present level in about 10,000 years BP, to two to five meters higher in about 6,000 years BP, when the Jiaolai River became the Jiaolai Strait and the Jiaodong Peninsula became the Jiaodong Island, and dropped to two to five meters lower in about 5,500 years BP, then rose again to present level in about 5,000 years BP. [4][5]
Archaeological findings reveal that ancient Chinese people had reached today’s Shandong Peninsula and eastern seashore as early as about 16,000-14,000 years BP. This matches Shanhaijing’s records that the Huang Di, Yan Di, Zhuan Xu, Di Jun and Shao Hao People, who all worshipped highest Goddess Nüwa, spread out from the Pamirs Plateau to the west of the Qinghai Lake, then to other places of China. While the Shao Hao People spread out from Mount Changliu of the western Pamirs Plateau, (in where remained Changliu People worshipped Shao Hao to be their White Ancestor-god); to the Weihe River Valley, (in where the Shao Hao’s offspring lived near Mount Hua and worshipped Shao Hao to be the white-god of Mount Hua); then to the lower reach of the Yellow River and today’s Shandong Peninsula, (in where the Shao Hao lived in the Gan Mountain in today’s Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains); soon they branched out to some groups, including the Nü He People, who lived near eastern seashore in the east of today’s Shandong Peninsula and from where spread out along coastline to the north and south.
I. During about 16,000-14,000 years BP.
The Nü He People, who worshipped Highest Goddess Nüwa and later had phoenix totem, spread out along coastline from eastern seashore in the east of today’s Shandong Peninsula to the north and south, left their offspring in the Liaohe Plain, Liaodong Peninsula, Korea Peninsula, Japanese archipelago, Kamchatka Peninsula, Arctic Circle, Aleutian Islands and Americas; also in the lower reach of the Changjiang River, southeastern China (including Taiwan), southeastern and southern Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Oceania and Australia.
The Nü He’s offspring, who lived along coastline in those areas, regarded the Jiaodong Nü He as their mother-group and worshipped Nü He (female) as their ancestor-goddess, also worshipped Highest Goddess Nüwa and had phoenix totem.
The Nü He’s offspring were founders of earliest coastal and maritime cultures, but rising sea level continued to transgress their inhabitation areas and destroyed their early remains.
II. During about 14,000-8,000 years BP.
The earliest cultivated rice, discovered in Dao County of Hunan Province (about 12,000BCE), Wannian County of Jiangxi Province (about 10,000 years BP) and Yingde of Guangdong Province (about 11000-8000BCE), suggests Neolithic Chinese people went from gathering to cultivating as early as 14,000 years BP.
The Shao Hao (including Nü He) People, who were leading founders of Di Qiang and Dong Yi cultures, were the earliest people who went from gathering to cultivating. While Shanhaijing also tells that the Hou Ji and Shu Jun experimented with farming in the west of the Qinghai Lake since about 16,000-14,000 years BP, thus the Di Jun’s offspring were also the earliest people who went from gathering to cultivating. Wannian and Dao were inhabitation areas of the Di Jun’s offspring, but Yingde (near sea) was certainly an inhabitation area of the Nü He’s offspring, who lived along coastline.
Rising sea level (40 meters lower in 11,500 years BP, 20-30 meters lower in 11,000 years BP and present level in 10,000 years BP) had drowned most of the Nü He’s early inhabitation areas near sea, destroyed their early remains, also forced them to keep moving to inland regions.
(1) In the Shandong Peninsula Around Bohai Sea
a) The earliest archaeological human remainsof modern humans (Homo Sapiens Sapiens) in the Shandong Peninsulawere excavated in 2022 at the archaeological sites of Zhaojiaxuyao Village (about 13,200 years BP) in Linzi of Zibo, (in where the earliest pottery of ancient China was discovered); and excavated in 2004 at Bianbian cave (about 11,000-9,600 years BP) of Beitaohuaping Village in Yiyuan County of Zibo. These areas match Shanhaijing’s records of the Shao Hao People living in the Gan Mountain in today’s Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains and spread out to surrounding areas since as early as 16,000-14,000 years BP, including the Zi and Wei river valleys, Zhaojiaxuyao Village in Linzi of Zibo and Bianbian cave in Yiyuan County of Zibo.
The Records of the Grand Historian: Second Xia Benji written by Sima Qian (145-87BCE), state, “Lai-Yi grazed in the Zi River and Wei River valleys; mulberry silk was full in their basket.” The Lai People, also called Lai-Yi(1), occupied a wide area of the Zi and Wei River Valleys to the east during the Xia’s time (about 2070-1600BCE). Lai literally means wheat, suggesting the Lai’s ancestors changed their group’s name from Shao Hao to Lai as early as Longshan Culture (3200-1900BCE), when wheat was widely cultivated in today’s Shandong Peninsula. The name of Lai came from wheat.
While, the Nü He People spread and lived along coastline since 16,000-14,000 years BP and later were forced to move to inland regions by rising sea level; some of them also moved to the Zi and Wei River valleys from coastline, met the Shao Hao’s offspring and integrated into one group, still called “Shao Hao group.”
Neolithic Chinese people went from gathering to cultivating rice around 14,000 years BP and millet around 11,000 years BP, the Nü He, who lived along coastline, were the earliest people who went from gathering to cultivating, surely had developed agriculture along coastline before 11,000 years BP, however, rising sea level had destroyed those remains.
b) Houli Culture (about 6400-5700BCE).
Archaeologists regard Houli Culture as the earliest phase of Dong Yi Culture. Houli Culture was the successor of Zhaojiaxuyao and Bianbian cave.
Houli Culture was a millet-growing culture in the Shandong Peninsula during the Neolithic Age. The original site at Houli in the Linzi District, which was excavated from 1989 to 1990, was located in the Zi River Valley in the northeast of the Taishan Mountains. Houli Culture centered in Houli of Linzi, spread out to Zouping and Zhangqiu areas, in the north and northeast of the Taishan Mountains, also to Changqing in the northwest of Tai’an and Hanting of Weifang.
During about 8,000-6,000 years BP, today’s Jiaolai River became the Jiaolai Strait and the distribution range of Houli millet-growing culture, including Zouping, Zhangqiu, Changqing, Zibo and Weifang areas in the north of the Taishan Mountains, were drown by sea water. The Shao Hao’s offspring in these areas had to live on sea (but they were poor at this), or move to mountain areas (where were unsuited for developing millet-growing culture). Even if the Shao Hao’s offspring had planted millet or other grains in tiny fields in mountain areas, the rain had washed away those vestiges. This could explain the disappearance of Houli Culture in about 5700BCE.
About 5,500 years BP, sea level was about two meters lower than today, the Shao Hao People moved back to their early inhabitation areas - the north of the Taishan Mountains.
Being developers of inland millet-growing Houli Culture, the Houli People were not seafaring men and they could not cross the Jiaolai Strait (today’s Jiaolai River) to reach the Jiaodong Peninsula, therefore, they were surely not ancestors of the Baishi (Yantai) People, who developed Baishi coastal Culture before 7,000 years BP.
(2) Near Tianjin Around Bohai Sea.
The Nü He People spread out along coastline from the Jiaodong Peninsula to the north and south, lived along coastline and were forced to move to inland regions by rising sea level. Some of them moved to today’s Ji County (before 10,000 years BP) of Tianjin, Zhuan’nian site (10,000-9,200 years BP) of Huairou County, Beijing, Nazhuantou (10,500-9,700 years BP) of Xushui in Henan, and further west in Baoding (10,000 years BP) of Hebei and Yujiagou (lower layer) site (14,000-8,000 years BP) of Yangyuan County of Hebei. They learned how to make pottery from the Shandong People, who had invented the earliest pottery of ancient China.
(3) In the Liaohe Plain.
Some of the Nü He’s offspring moved to the Liaohe River Valley, including the Liaohe, Xilamulun and Laoha River Valleys. They were founders of Xiaohexi (7500-6200BCE) and Xinglongwa (about 6200-5200BCE) cultures.
Archaeologists have excavated more than ten sites of Xiaohexi Culture. The typical pottery was plain, cylindrical-shaped and sand inclusion. Such potteries were also excavated in Zhuan’nian site (10,000-9,200 years BP) of Huairou County, Beijing; Nanzhuangtou site (10,500-9,700 years BP) of Xushui County; Baoding of Hebei and Yujiagou (lower layer) site (14,000-8,000 years BP) of Yangyuan County of Hebei (two sand inclusion potteries were about 11,000 years BP). (Yujiagou’s upper layer was about 8,000-5,000 years BP.) The plain and sand inclusion potteries in these sites were later than Zhaojiaxuyao Village (about 13,200 years BP) in Linzi of Zibo, but earlier than Xiaohexi Culture. It suggests pottery making spread out from the Shandong Peninsula along coastline to the Liaohe Plain.
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Xiaohexi Culture (about 7500-6200BCE)
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Daxinjingzi site
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Guangdegong Township
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Wengniute Banner
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赤峰翁牛特旗广德公镇大新井子村
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Xiaohexi site
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Mutouyingzi Township
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Aohan Banner
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赤峰敖汉旗木头营子乡
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Yushushan-Daoliban site (4780-3813BCE)
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Manihan Township
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Aohan Banner
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敖汉旗玛尼罕乡道力板村榆树山
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Xiliang-Qianjinyingzi site (4780-3813BCE)
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Niugutu Township
(Yushushan is 500 meters away from Xiliang.)
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Aohan Banner
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赤峰敖汉旗牛古吐乡千斤营子村西梁(距离榆树山500米)
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Majiazi Site
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Niuyingzi Township
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Kalaqin Banner
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赤峰喀喇沁旗牛营子镇马架子村
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Baiyinchanghan site
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Xinchengzi Township
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Linxi County
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赤峰林西县新城子镇白音长汗
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Guochengzishan Site
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Linxi
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Linxi County
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赤峰林西县锅撑子山
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Fushandi site
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Balinzuo
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Balinzuo Banner
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赤峰巴林左旗福山地
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Yangjiawa site (7000-6500BCE)
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Tashan Township
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Huludao
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辽宁葫芦岛塔山乡杨家洼
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Xibajianfang site
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Lingyuan County
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Liaoning
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辽宁凌源县西八间房
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Chahai site (phase I)
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Fuxin County
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Liaoning
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辽宁阜新县查海
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The times of Xiaohexi and Xinglongwa Culture were not far. They had some similarities but also had obvious differences. Xiaohexi pottery had more primitive shape and simple decoration technique than Xinglongwa pottery, therefore, archaeologists believe that Xiaohexi Culture was earlier than Xinglongwa Culture and Xinglongwa was Xiaohexi’s successor.
Some sites of Xiaohexi Culture lasted until 3813BCE, such as, Yushushan-Daoliban site (4780-3813BCE) in Manihan Township and Xiliang-Qianjinyingzi site (4780-3813BCE) (500 meters away from Yushushan) in Niugutu Township of Aohan Banner; they were much later than Xinglongwa Culture. However, in the Baiyinchanghan site, Xinglongwa (phase I) Culture replaced Xiaohexi Culture; in Chahai site of Fuxin, Liaoning, Xiaohexi Culture was earlier than Xinglongwa (phase II); therefore, archaeologists agree that Xinglongwa Culture was Xiaohexi’s successor.
The phoenix worship, which appeared in the Liaohe Plain, were from the Nü He’s offspring, who worshipped phoenix.
Xiaoshan site (about 5200-4500BCE) in Gaojiawopu Township of Aohan Banner has the earliest totem pattern and diorama, an painted pottery Zun (a kind of wine vessel) (about 4800BCE), which has spirit-animal patterns - deer, pig and bird (phoenix). In this site, archaeologists also excavate other four Zun(s), which have spirit-animal patterns, including spirit animals and sun (one), spirit animals and moon (two) and spirit animals and stars (one).
A pottery phoenix cup (about 5200-4500BCE), which was called “China first phoenix” by archaeologists, was excavated in 2003 in Beishan Village, Jiefangyingzi Township of Wengniute Banner. A wood bird (phoenix) hairpin (7245±165 years ago) was excavated in 1978 in Xinle Site (5300-4800BCE) of Shenyang. They were prototypes of Hongshan Culture’s jade phoenix.
On the other hand, Shanhaijing tells that the Yu Hu and Yu Jing peoples (the Huang Di’s offspring) spread out from the west to the northeastern areas until they reach the Northeast Sea. Also The Classic of the Great Wilderness: East records Fairy Ying Long (the Huang Di’s offspring) lived in the southernmost place of Mound Xiong Li Tu Qiu in the north of the eastern mountains, suggesting that after having killed the Chi You and Kua Fu People, some of the Ying Long’s offspring escaped to Mount Xiong Li Tu Qiu. The Ying Long’s offspring worshipped Ying Long to be a kind of dragon, which could control rain.
Clearly, in the areas of Xiaohexi (about 7500-6200BCE), Xinglongwa (about 6200-5200BCE) and Chahai (about 6200-5200BCE) Culture, there were also a very small percentage of the Huang Di’s offspring.
Xiaohexi Culture in western Liaoning Province was different with the area between the Xilamulun and Laoha rivers; also, Chahai and Xinglongwa cultures were at the same period, had similarities, but also had major differences, suggesting their ruling peoples were from different groups of people – the Nü He’s offspring and Huang Di’s offspring.
Shanhaijing tells that the earliest dragon worship came from the Huang Di People. Archaeologists have excavated earliest dragon objects of ancient China in the Liaohe Plain, suggesting some people in the Liaohe Plain were the Huang Di’s offspring.
Yangjiawa Site (7000-6500BCE) in Tashan Township of Huludao, Liaoning, has excavated two earliest piled-up soil dragons.
Chahai site in Shala Township, Fuxin of Liaoning has excavated a dragon shape stone pile (about 6000BCE) and two potsherds (brown and sand inclusion) with rilievo incised dragon.
Xinglonggou site (about 6200-5200BCE) in Xinglongwa Village, Baoguotu Township (today’s Xinglongwa Township) of Aohan Banner, has excavated a stone and potsherd pile dragon; stones and potsherds had been laid out in a “S” shape, a pig head was put in the head position, suggesting the earliest pig-dragon totem. It was the prototype of Hongshan Culture’s jade pig-dragon.
(4) In the lower reach of the Changjiang River
In the Kuahuqiao site (about 6000-5000BCE) in Xiaoshan of Zhejiang in the south of the lower reach of the Changjiang River, the Nü He’s offspring developed rice-growing agriculture.
Kuahuqiao Culture has six China and world records, including the world’s earliest dugout canoe; world’s earliest lacquer bow, China earliest pottery pot for cooking medicinal herbs; China earliest slow-wheel pottery techniques; China earliest horizontal rod set weaving loom (Juzhiji loom); China earliest pottery Zeng (an ancient earthen utensil for steaming rice). Its straw braided mat and cultivated rice were the earliest in the lower reach of the Changjiang River; Its painted pottery and domestic pig were the earliest in the south of the Changjiang River.
Historians commonly agree that bow and arrow were invented in the Shandong Peninsula, thus Kuahuqiao’s world earliest lacquer bow learned or came from the Shandong Peninsula. Kuahuqiao’s painted pottery has similarities with the Shandong Peninsula. We can say that the Kuahuqiao Nü He had connections with the Shandong Nü He People and learned from them.
(5) In southeastern China
Cultivated rice has been discovered in Yingde of Guangdong (11000-8000BCE), where was near sea. Yingde of Guangdong and Baozitou (10,000 years BP) of Nanning in Guangxi were inhabitation areas of the Nü He’s offspring, who lived near sea.
In Conclusion, the Xinglongwa’s phoenix worship came from the Jiaodong Nü He; the Xiaohexi, Xinglongwa and Kuahuqiao cultures and their pottery techniques learned from the Shandong Peninsula. It suggests that the Jiaodong Nü He People, who worshipped phoenix, had connections with them, often send peoples to teach them advanced sciences and technologies.
III. During about 8,000-7,000 years BP.
(1) The Jiaodong Nü He People were founders of Baishi Coastal Culture (before 7,000 years BP) in the Jiaodong Peninsula.
During about 8,000-6,000 years BP, sea level rose to 2-5 meters higher, the Jiaolai River became the Jiaolai Strait and the Jiaodong Peninsula became the Jiaodong Island.
Archaeologists confirm that Baishi Culture (before 7,000 years BP), which was named after Baishi Village of Yantai, where the first site containing distinctive cultural artifacts was found in 2006, was a kind of coastal culture in the Jiaodong Peninsula and had influences to the Liaodong Peninsula, Korea Peninsula, Japanese archipelago, Kamchatka Peninsula, Aleutian Islands and Americas. [6]
Baishi Culture was more developed than Banpo Di Qiang Culture (about 6800-6300 years BP) in Xi’an.
Baishi coastal Culture had its own sources - earliest coastal and maritime cultures. The Jiaodong Nü He, who lived along coastline, developed Baishi coastal Culture before 7,000 years BP and surely also developed agriculture before 11,000 years BP, but their remains were drowned by sea water during sea level rising. However, Baishi of Yantai site, whose altitude is 23 meters today, was the rare survivor.
(2) The Jiaodong Nü He (and their tributary group Xi He) People were founders of Beixin Inland Culture (about 5300-4100BCE) in the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains.
Archaeologists regard Beixin Culture, a millet-growing culture in the Shandong Peninsula, as Houli’s successor. The original site at Beixin in Tengzhou of Shandong Province was excavated from 1978 to 1979. It exists in today’s Tengzhou, Qufu areas (in the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains) and spreads out to the southern and northern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains, including today’s Yanzhou, Tai’an, Pingyin, Changqing, Jinan, Zhangqiu, Zouping, Wenshang, Zhangdian, Qingzhou, Juxian, Linshu and Lanlin. It also spreads out to today’s Xuzhou and Shuyang of Jiangsu, Suixi County of Anhui and Lianyungang.
The Jiaodong Nü He, who had suffered a lot from sea level rising history, were extremely concerned about sea level keeping rising to drown the whole Jiaodong Peninsula. Therefore, the Jiaodong Nü He ordered some of them, re-named “Chang Xi” (with female as leader) to move to the western Kunlun Mountains near the Pamirs Plateau; some Chang Xi women found the Di Jun men to procreate and set up twelve groups of the Yue (moon) People; Concurrently, ordered some of them, re-named “Xi He” (with female as leader) to move to the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains; some Xi He women found the Di Jun men to procreate and set up ten groups of the Ri (sun) People near the Four Lakes of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan. The Ri People later spread out to surrounding areas, including eastern Henan (including Shangqiu), northern Anhui and Jiangsu.
The Xi He, Chang Xi, Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People remained tradition of matriarchal clan society, knew only mother not father and had female as leader, thus were tributary groups of the Jiaodong Nü He.
The Xi He People lived in the southwestern Taishan and Yimengshan Mountains, in where Beixin Culture was developed, suggesting the Xi He People were founders of Beixin Culture.
Archaeologists agree Beixin inland and Baishi coastal Culture were in the same period and had significant similarities, suggesting that the Beixin (Xi He) People and Baishi (Nü He) People had interflow and cooperation. Such interflow was because the Xi He, who came from the Jiaodong Nü He, were invariable tributary group of the Jiaodong Nü He and kept close connections with each other. The Xi He People learned from Baishi coastal Culture (around 7,000 years BP), the Jiaodong Nü He’s early agriculture and Houli inland Culture (about 6400-5700BCE), and developed Beixin Culture (about 5300-4100BCE). Therefore, the Jiaodong Nü He and Xi He were co-founders of Beixin Culture.
Archaeologists agree Beixin Culture and Baishi coastal Culture had similarities but also had major differences. The differences tell that Baishi coastal Culture had its own sources - earliest coastal and maritime cultures along coastline in the Jiaodong Peninsula, which had been drowned by sea water during sea level rising.
(3) The Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples to their tributary groups and taught them Baishi and Beixin Cultures.
- a) The Ri (sun) People.
Archaeological discoveries have proven Beixin Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula to today’s Xuzhou and Shuyang of Jiangsu, Suixi County of Anhui and eastern Henan (including Shangqiu). This suggests that the Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples to their tributary groups - Ri People, who had spread out from the four lakes to those areas, and taught them advanced Beixin Culture.
- b) Along coastline in Jiangsu.
Archaeological discoveries have proven Beixin Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula along coastline to Jiangsu, including Lianyungang, where were inhabitation areas of the Nü He’s offspring. This suggests that the Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples to their tributary groups along coastline in Jiangsu and taught them advanced Beixin Culture.
- c) In the lower reach of the Changjiang River.
The Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples to their tributary groups in the lower reach of the Changjiang River, taught them advanced Baishi Coastal and Beixin Inland Culture, and helped them to develop rice-growing cultures - Hemudu Culture (about 5000-3300BCE) in Yuyao of Zhejiang and Majiabang Culture (about 5000-4000BCE) in Jiaxing of Zhejiang.
d) In southeastern China (including Taiwan), southeastern and southern Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippinesand Oceania.
The Jiaodong Nü He also sent peoples, who brought Baishi Coastal and Beixin Inland Culture, to move along coastline to the south to southeastern China (including Taiwan), southeastern and southern Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Oceania. The Nü He’s offspring, who lived along coastline in those areas, were the Jiaodong Nü He’ tributary groups.
e) In the Liaohe Plain.
The Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples, who brought Baishi Coastal and Beixin Inland Culture, to move along coastline to the north to the Liaohe Plain, taught their tributary groups (the Nü He’s offspring) new advanced cultures, and helped them to develop Xiaohexi’s (7500-6200BCE) and Xinglongwa’s (6200-5200BCE) successor, Zhaobaogou Culture (about 5200-4500BCE), a millet-growing culture.
Xiaoshan site in Gaojiawopu Township of Aohan Banner has excavated the earliest phoenix totem pattern and diorama. The Liaohe Plain’s phoenix worship came from the Jiaodong Nü He.
f) In theLiaodong Peninsula, Korea Peninsula, Japanese archipelago, Kamchatka Peninsula, Arctic Circle, Aleutian Islands and Americas.
Archaeological discoveries have proven that Baishi coastal Culture had deep influences in the Liaodong Peninsula, Korea Peninsula, Japanese archipelago, Kamchatka Peninsula, Arctic Circle, Aleutian Islands and Americas. This suggests that the Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples, who brought Baishi Coastal and Beixin Inland Culture, to move along coastline to those areas and taught the Jiaodong Nü He’s tributary groups, new advanced cultures.
IV. During Dawenkou Culture (about 4100-2600BCE).
Archaeologists regard Dawenkou Culture, whose main food was millet, as Beixin’s and Baishi’s successor. Modern archaeologists confirm that Dawenkou Culture began in the eastern and western Shandong at the same time. Dawenkou Culture exists primarily in the Shandong Peninsula, but also appears in northern Anhui, eastern Henan and Jiangsu provinces.
The typical site at Dawenkou, which was excavated in 1959, 1974 and 1978, is located in Tai’an, where was an inhabitation area of the Xi He People. Thus, the Xi He People were founders of Dawenkou Culture in the western Shandong Peninsula.
The Xi He were invariable tributary group to the Jiaodong Nü He, kept close connections with the Nü He and learned from each other, therefore, the Jiaodong Nü He and their tributary group, Xi He, were co-founders of Dawenkou Culture in the Shandong Peninsula.
After having developed Dawenkou Culture in the Shandong Peninsula, the Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples to their tributary groups and taught them Dawenkou Culture.
(1) The Ri People.
Archaeological discoveries confirm that Dawenkou Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula to eastern Henan (including Shangqiu), northern Anhui and Jiangsu, where were inhabitation areas of the Ri (sun) People, and turned these regions into outposts of Dawenkou Culture.
(2) Along coastline in Jiangsu.
Archaeological discoveries confirm that Dawenkou Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula along coastline to the south to Jiangsu, then to the lower reach of the Changjiang River and its south areas, and turned these regions into outposts of Dawenkou Culture.
The coastal regions of Jiangsu, including Lianyungang, were inhabitation areas of the Nü He’s offspring, who were tributary groups of the Jiaodong Nü He.
(3) In the lower reach of the Changjiang River.
During 8,000-6,000 years BP, sea level rose to about 2-5 meters higher than present level; the estuary of the Changjiang River were drowned by sea water; the Taihu Lake areas became coastal region and became inhabitation areas of the Nü He’s offspring.
Many historians agree that Liangzhu Culture (3300-2300BCE), which was included in The World Heritage List in 2019, should be called an “initial state.” [7]
Many painted-potteries and a large numbers of black potteries, discovered in Liangzhu Culture (about 3300-2300BCE) near Taihu of Zhejiang, suggest they had been deeply influenced by Shandong Dawenkou Culture.
Liangzhu Culture was a kind of Marsh culture, coinciding with the Ri (sun) People living near the biggest water of Nanyang, Dushan, Zhaoyang and Weishan lakes.
Archaeologists and historians agree that the Jade Human Face in Liangzhu Culture was the Liangzhu People’s top worship: Sun-goddess worship. Sun-goddess in ancient China was Nü He (and Xi He). These hint us that the Liangzhu People were the Nü He’s offspring and tributary group.
The Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples, who brought Dawenkou Culture, to move along coastline to the lower reach of the Changjiang River, teach their tributary groups (the Nü He’s offspring) Dawenkou Culture, and help them to develop Hemudu’s (5000-3300BCE) and Majiabang’s (5000-4000BCE) successors, Songze Culture (about 3800-2900BCE) Qingpu District of Shanghai and Liangzhu Culture (about 3300-2300BCE) near Taihu.
(4) In southeastern China (including Taiwan), southeastern and southern Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Oceania and Australia.
Archaeological discoveries confirm that Dawenkou Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula along coastline to the south to the lower reach of the Changjiang River, then to southeastern China (including Taiwan and inhabitation areas of Dabenkeng Culture), southeastern and southern Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Oceania and Australia, and turned these regions into outposts of Dawenkou Culture.
Dabenkeng Culture (about 4000-3000BCE) appeared in southeastern China and northern Taiwan and spread around the coast of Taiwan, as well as the Penghu islands to the west, also spread out from Taiwan to Philippines and Polynesia, confirmed by German archaeologist Robert Heine Geldern.
The Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples, who brought Dawenkou Culture, to move along coastline to those areas, teach their tributary groups (the Nü He’s offspring) Dawenkou Culture, and help them to develop Dabenkeng Culture.
(5) In the Liaohe Plain.
Archaeological discoveries confirm that Dawenkou Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula to the Liaohe Plain and inhabitation areas of Hongshan Culture (4000-3000BCE) (in an area stretching from the Liaohe Plain to Inner Mongolia), and turned these regions into outposts of Dawenkou Culture.
The Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples, who brought Dawenkou Culture, to move along coastline to the Liaohe Plain, teach their tributary groups (the Nü He’s offspring) Dawenkou Culture, and help them to develop Zhaobaogou (5200-4500BCE)’s successor, Hongshan Culture, a millet-growing culture.
The Jiaodong Nü He Queens, who allowed the Xi He and Chang Xi women to find the Di Jun men to procreate and set up the Ri (sun) and Yue (moon) People, also allowed the Nü He’s offspring in China, the Arctic Circle, Americas and Oceania to find the Huang Di, Di Jun or Zhuan Xu men to procreate.
Due to some of the Huang Di’s offspring in the Liaohe Plain having paternal kinship with some of the Nü He’s offspring, they were able to learn Hongshan Culture from the Nü He’s offspring. Therefore, Hongshan Culture spread out from the Liaohe Plain to Inner Mongolia, in where the Huang Di’s offspring lived.
Phoenix worship (from the Jiaodong Nü He) and dragon worship (from the Huang Di’s offspring) were two top worships in Hongshan Culture. A jade pig dragon and a jade phoenix (about 3000BCE) were excavated in 2003 in Niuheliang Site, Lingyuan of Liaoning.
(6) In the Liaodong Peninsula, Korea Peninsula, Japanese archipelago, Kamchatka Peninsula, Aleutian Islands and Americas.
Archaeological discoveries confirm that Dawenkou Culture spread out from the Shandong Peninsula along coastline to the Liaodong Peninsula, Korea Peninsula, Japanese archipelago, Kamchatka Peninsula, Aleutian Islands and Americas, and turned these regions into outposts of Dawenkou Culture.
In Studying Prehistoric Human-face Petroglyphs of the North Pacific Region, published by the Smithsonian Institution in 1998, Song Yao-liang discovered that Aleutians in northwestern America exhibit similarities in religion culture with Dawenkou Culture in the Shandong Peninsula. A great number of human-face petroglyphs, totally about 5,000-6,000 pieces, have been discovered in eastern Asia, mainly China. A few have been found in South Korea and the Heilongjiang River Valley in eastern Russia. Similar human-face petroglyphs also appeared numerously in the West Coast of North America, from Alaska down the west coast of Canada, through American states to northern California. There are more than 230 archaeological sites with more than 5,000 examples of human-face petroglyphs in these areas. American scholars have divided American petroglyphs into nine distribution areas. The area of human-face petroglyphs is named The Northwest Coastal Petroglyphs.
Song was looking at those human-face petroglyphs, which were estimated to have been created some 5,000 to 7,000 years ago. That places contact or ancient Asian presence in North America long before John A. Ruskamp’s proposed Shang Dynasty contact some 3,000 years ago, but long after the Bering Land Bridge had disappeared.
“Many of these east Asian human-face petroglyphs have close counterparts with rock art figures in the Pacific Northwest of North America from Kodiak Island (in Alaska) to the Columbia River (in southern British Columbia and the northern United States). …The Northwest Coast group (of petroglyphs) is seen as a distinct group by all scholars.” [8]
Song Yao-liang believed that 5,000 years ago, another large-scale migration of the Shandong People brought these prehistoric human-face petroglyphs to America.
The common view of the migration route was that it came via the Bering Strait. However, another theory suggests that the Shandong people moved along coastline (also by boat) to the north to the Liaodong Peninsula, Korea Peninsula, Japanese archipelago, Kuril Islands, Kamchatka Peninsula, Aleutian Islands and Americas. Rising sea level and volcanic eruptions in the Aleutian Islands had destroyed most archaeological remains.
Archaeological discoveries suggest that the Jiaodong Nü He sent peoples to move along coastline to those areas, teach their tributary groups (the Nü He’s offspring) Shandong Dawenkou Culture, and turn those areas into outposts of Dawenkou Culture.
Please go to (PartII:) The Nü He People were Roots of Ancient Chinese Civilization.
https://peacepink.ning.com/blog/partii-the-nu-he-people-were-roots-of-ancient-chinese-civilizatio
Other Scholarly Papers Presented and Published by Soleilmavis.
https://peacepink.ning.com/blog/scholarly-papers-presented-and-published-by-soleilmavis
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