Interesting Xia Dynasty Facts: Learn About Their Culture & Origin

The Xia dynasty is considered to be one of the earliest Chinese dynasties that ruled ancient China from 2205 BCE-1600 BCE.

Chinese legends tell the story of the first rulers of China before the Xia dynasty was founded. The country was ruled by the Three Sovereigns, who had god-like powers and created humans.

The Three Sovereigns are also believed to be the creators of farming, medicine, writings, fishing, and hunting. The Three Sovereigns were succeeded by the Five Emperors (Huang-ti, Zhuanxu, Emperor Ku, Emperor Yao, Emperor Shun), who were considered sages.

Legends state that Emperor Yao passed his throne to his son-in-law, Shun the Great. Under Yao, Yu the Great became a legend for his work in averting the flood of the Yellow River.

Yu's legends did not go unnoticed as, in the final years of his rule, Shun the Great, the last of the Five Emperors, considered his son Shangjun to be unworthy and picked Yu as the next king, who went on to create one of the most successful dynasties in ancient China.

The Culture Of The Xia Dynasty

The 14th Xia emperor, Kong Jia, modified the worshipping customs of the Xia from honoring ancestors to honoring supernatural elements. This change led to some Xia clans becoming discontented with the Xia reign.

By the time the 17th and last Xia emperor, Jie, ascended the throne, the affinity between the Xia and the other tribes was damaged beyond repair.

The Xia dynasty is renowned for its refined metal craftsmanship. Bronze was used in weapons and various artistic creations. This distance metalwork was later inherited by the Shang dynasty, which furthered the advancement of the Xia metalwork.

The Xia empire was not restricted to just metalwork, as the Xia excelled in the art of creating Chinese lacquerware, a cosmetic method of applying several coats of lacquer to metal, bamboo, or wood, which is believed to have originated during the Neolithic Era.

The intention behind the creation was for the layers to act as a waterproofing agent. Initially, raw lacquer was combined with iron or charcoal to produce colorations such as yellow, red, and black.

The use of lacquer paid off, as previously unearthed wine cups and vessels from the Xia dynasty were discovered in excellent condition, allowing us to learn more about the Xia dynasty!

Many of the Xia tribe members were farmers, and even though the tribe had invented bronze casting, the everyday tools that the farmers used were made from bone and stone.

As farming was the most popular profession, the Xia dynasty was extremely inventive and developed new agricultural methods such as irrigation. They were also known for their use of the potter's wheel and brick ovens.

The origin of the Chinese calendar is often dated back to the Xia dynasty.

Accomplishments Of The Xia Dynasty

The Xia dynasty was the first empire to start the hereditary system of government. After Yu the Great died, his son Qi of Xia ascended to the throne.

Before the creation of this dynastic succession, the rulers in China were chosen for their capacity for effective governing.

The Xia dynasty is believed to be the first Chinese empire to make advancements in the fields of warfare, irrigation, and creating cast bronze.

In folklore, Xi Zhong, a famous minister of the Xia dynasty, is credited with the invention of the wheeled vehicle.

The Xia dynasty was also, at the time, one of the largest, with an estimated 13.5 million people living under the rule of Yu the Great.

The Xia empire was home to several Chinese astronomers who are considered to be the first to record supernovas and chart the constellations in the sky.

Archaeological findings have found various ancient Xia bronze vessels over the years. According to Chinese legend, the Yellow Emperor, Huang-ti, was the first to cast bronze 5,000 years ago. The emperor is believed to have cast nine bronze tripods, each symbolizing his kingdom's nine provinces.

History And Origin Of The Xia Dynasty

The history of the Xia dynasty is based on the records of historians like Sima Qian, who spoke about the existence of a great emperor named Huang-ti, also known as the Yellow Emperor. The Yellow Emperor founded the culture of Chinese society and established a governance system.

The Yellow Emperor was buried in the present Shaanxi Province upon his death, and his tomb in the mausoleum is a popular tourist spot.

After Huang-ti's death, his grandson Zhuanxu succeeded the much-revered Yellow Emperor. Zhuanxu would go on to become one of the famous Five Emperors and establish the Xia tribe.

After the Xia tribe defeated their various rivals, they founded the first known dynasty in Chinese history under the rule of Emperor Yao.

However, based on historical records, historians believe that Yu the Great, a descendant of Huang-ti, founded the Xia Dynasty. The story states that Emperor Yao assigned the task of controlling the floods of the Yellow River to his minister, Yu.

Yu garnered the status of a mythical figure in Chinese history after he spent 13 years of his life working to reduce the risks of a dangerous flood.

Based on Chinese mythology, Yu was seen as the ideal ruler and hero, and on his mission, he was aided by a black turtle and a yellow dragon.

Yu the Great became a legendary ruler for his flood control, and with his ascension to the throne after Shun the Great, he founded the Xia dynasty, and he introduced dynastic rule to China.

Yu the Great is thought to have split China into nine regions, with each ruling lord swearing loyalty to Yu.

Historians believe that Yu came to be known as Yu the Great for his establishment of a long-lasting government and his status as a just ruler who made China more manageable by dividing it into the aforementioned nine regional policies.

The 11th Xia Emperor, Bu Jiang, had the longest reign as the leader of China. He ruled from 1890 BCE-1931 BCE and is considered to be one of the best rulers of the Xia dynasty.

Jie, the last king of the Xia dynasty who ruled from 1728 BCE-1675 BCE, is blamed for the downfall of the early civilization. Legends believe that Jie became a tyrant king after he married an evil woman.

The tyranny of Jie led to a rebellion led by Zi Lü, who founded the Shang Dynasty and is also known as the Tang Emperor.

Language And Religion Of The Xia Dynasty

The Western Xia dynasty adopted Tangut as their official language. It was founded in northwestern China by the Tangut people. The language follows the Tangut script, and the latest known records of the language can be found on the Tangut dharani pillars, dating back to 1502.

The Xia people were considered to be religious, and they prayed to several gods, with each god symbolizing a natural element like the sky, rivers, earth, and rain.

Historians believe the Xia dynasty was the founder of the ruling structure of ancient China. The sixth Xia emperor, Shao Kang, is credited with the creation of the beliefs of the heavenly and earthly realms.

Under Shao Kang, this ancestor worship ritual prospered, and royal families were responsible for the protection of the bones of the ancestors and were also responsible for supervising religious traditions as a state celebration.

Did You Know...

The Neolithic Age in China is considered to have begun around 10,000 years ago, and the community was distinguished for farming millet and rice. Zhejiang Province, especially the city of Yuyao, is an important archaeological site because of the discovery of ancient farming tools.

Early Chinese civilization inhabited the regions around the rivers. During this early period, the settlements took advantage of the Yangzi River (flowing in southern and eastern China) and the Yellow River (flowing in northern and central China), and their steady development saw the rise of dynasties in ancient China.

The Yangshao culture was the earliest Neolithic tribe ever found in China. And in the recent past, more civilizations like the Liangzhu Civilization were found.

In 1928, Chinese archaeologists found old Bronze-age sites in the Henan Province, and the findings suggested the actual existence of the Xia dynasty. More urban sites were unearthed in the '60s and '70s and had tombs and bronze artifacts, pointing to the sites' being a part of the Xia dynasty.

The findings of the Erlitou were dated to around 2,100-1,800 BCE, and today, many archaeological sites are still being studied to learn more about the history of ancient China.

Chinese writings such as the 'Records of the Grand Historian' and the 'Classic of History' have extensive documentation of the Xia clan. However, there are no archaeological findings that can prove the records.

Before the archaeological findings of the Erlitou civilization, modern scholars believed that the Xia dynasty never existed and was created by historians of the Zhou dynasty as part of Chinese mythology.

FAQs

What was the culture of the Xia dynasty?

The Xia tribe is known for its fine goldsmithing and bronze-making. The culture also gained recognition for jade carving, sericulture, and ivory carving.

How did the Xia dynasty come to power?

The Xia dynasty came to power under the Xia emperor, Yu the Great.

What was the Xia Dynasty known for?

The Xia Dynasty is famous for being the first dynasty in ancient China.

What happened during the Xia Dynasty?

In the ancient history of China, the Xia clan was the first to produce cast bronze, irrigate, and create a powerful army.

Why is it called so?

The origin of the name 'Xia' is still not known.