JNU Culture and Quality Education Lecture (No.290)

The observation and Thinking on early China 

Date: October 26, 2017 

Time: 19:30 p.m. 

Venue: International Meeting Hall in Zeng Xianzi Science Center

Speaker: Xu Hong, Institute of Archaeology of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Archaeology Laboratory of Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasty

Host: Wang Yin-tian, Jinan University

Sponsor: Cultural Quality Education Office of Publicity Department of Party Committee

ABOUT XU HONG

Xu Hong is a researcher of Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the dean of Archaeology Laboratory of Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasty, a professor and post-doctoral supervisor of Department of Archaeology in Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a director of Chinese society of archaeology, and the Executive Deputy Director of Xia and Shang Dynasty Archeology Specialized Committee.

He principally engages in the archaeological research of early cities, countries and civilizations in China. He has presided over several projects including the exploration and evacuation of Erlitou Site in Yanshi and the archaeological research in Luoyang basin. As an archaeological team leader, he has guided the exploration and evacuation of many important vestiges and remains, witnessed and elaborated numerous archaeological discoveries and findings. He has published many monographs including Urban Archaeological Study in Pre-Qin Period, Earliest China, Why China Is Called As "Zhongguo" - the Central Plain's Prospect in 2000 BC, Capital Has No Wall - a Dynamic Interpretation of Ancient Chinese Capitals, and written the archaeological report Erlitou (1999-2006).

INTRODUCTION

As Chinese society develops in fast pace and faces transition, Chinese people begin to seek roots in academic research to answer hot issues like why China is called as "Zhongguo"- What is the direction and motivation of ancient and modern China. When, where and how Chinese civilization originates? What is its early development and characteristics? How to look upon the emerge of Chinese civilization from the perspective of the history of global civilization?

Having served as Erlitou working team leader for many years, Xu Hong witnessed many significant archaeological discoveries. He's good at telling how "Zhongguo" came into being through unearthed cultural relics from the archaeological perspective. In this lecture, he will lead us into that period to tell the story of Zhongguo’s birth and to consider the mental journey of those explorers.