Daily Life in Very Early China

Chinese civilization started around 10,000 BCE, when a group called the Yangshao (yahng show) settled near the Huang He River. Archaeologists have uncovered many Yangshao villages in northern China. In one village, they found the remains of farmhouses, built partly underground, with plaster floors, and roofs held up with wooden posts.

About 3,000 BCE, another farming group appeared, the Lungshan people. The Lungshan were very advanced for their time. They harvested silk, and used it to weave fine fabrics. They used the potters wheel. They baked strong bricks in ovens, and used them to build their homes. They worked together on flood control and irrigation projects. They had great engineering skills. Legend has it that their "Great Engineer", Yu, founded the Xia (sometimes called the Hsia) Dynasty in about 2,000 BCE.

There are no written records. Our knowledge of their life comes from ruins of their town, ancient stories and legends. This story tells us quite a bit about ancient life in Xia times.

Ancient Story: On a warm spring day, in Xia times, some children went out in the fields to play. In those days, if you had a problem you went to see the local wise woman. In this village, the wise woman's name was Loawnu.

Alarmed at what they saw in the fields, the children ran up the hill to Loawnu's house. "Loawnu," they shouted. "The sky is falling down!" Loawnu smiled at the children. "Don't be worried. Find all the pieces of sky that have fallen, and bring them to me. I'll sew them together again in time for the festival."

The spring festival was nearing. This was a time when the young people gathered from many villages to meet one another and to find husbands and wives. The children's village had been honored this year as the meeting village. It would be a horrible time for the sky to fall down. The village would be disgraced! 

Off the children ran to pick up the pieces. But some were missing! "Loawnu!" cried the children, as they tore up the hill, breathing heavily. Loawnu only smiled.

The next day, the children ran outside and looked up. The sky looked as it always looked on a warm spring day, clean and fresh and blue. They were so happy. 

That night, they were amazed! The sky had always been dark at night. That night, it was filled with light! Loawnu had patched the missing pieces of sky with bright twinkling light! How beautiful! How clever! We shall have the happiest spring festival in all the land! How lucky we are to know Loawnu! All the village agreed.

Xia Dynasty (British Museum)

Xia Dynasty