Division of Chinese Prehistoric Era and The Agricultural Characteristics

REN Ji-zhou(College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology,Lanzhou University /Gansu Grassland Ecological Research Institute,Lanzhou 730020)

Chinese prehistoric era,Three Sovereigns,Sui-Chao,Xi-Wa,Shen Nong and Yellow Emperor

Chinese prehistoric era was the time period from the late Pleistocene to the early holocene,lasting about 14000 years from 18000B.P to 4000B.P.This era,based on archeological discoveries and ancient legends,was characterized as "Three Sovereigns" period,which may be further divided into four stages:the Sui-Chao,Xi-Wa,Shen Nong and Yellow Emperor and each of them had its unique agricultural features.The Sui-Chao was the preparation period for agriculture,featured with fire utilization and temporary residence construction;The Xi-Wa,was the "the genesis" of the ancient Chinese,replaced fishing and hunting by initiative grazing and set up a basic format for a harmony ecosystem of grassland--herds--human beings.The Shen Nong witnessed a upsurge in agricultural development with widespread cultivating crops,weaving bast fiber and utilization of pottery so an agricultural civilization gradually took its shape;During the Yellow Emperor stage,which was based on all previous developments and integrated with surrounding groups,the Chinese emerged as an ancient nation.The agriculture reached a new lever,the totems of dragon and phoenix joined together and the foundation of Chinese civilization was finally established.In sum,the development of ancient Chinese agricultural civilization may be briefly regarded as:The Xi-Wa initiated agriculture,the Shen Nong started the cultivating-agriculture and the Yellow Emperor laid its foundation and started its construction for Chinese agriculture civilization.