The five prominent features of Chinese civilization can be understood from the perspective of Central Plains archeaology.

Consistency: Archaeological findings and research have substantiated China’s extensive historical timeline, spanning millions of years of human history, 10,000 years of cultural history, and over 5,000 years of civilizational history. China has formed a unique pattern of “diversity in unity,” particularly evident in the Central Plains.

Mount Huangshan settlements, representing large functional settlements, include cultural relics of Yangshao, Qujialing and Shijiahe. The Dahe Village settlement, representing urban settlements, includes four periods: Yangshao, Longshan, Erlitou, and Shang culture, with important discoveries including city sites. The Erlitou settlement features a grid-like overall plan, setting the precedent for the later capital systems. They provide strong evidence that China’s ancient cultural sites exhibit both continuity of layered cultural elements and successive multi-period cultures.

Originality: Innovating with the times are the eternal intellectual qualities of Chinese civilization. Since the Neolithic Age, Chinese civilization has been developing constantly in the process of inheritance and innovation.

The discovery of middle and late Neolithic settlements in the Central Plains has revealed innovative aspects in various facets of life, business practices, knowledge systems, handicraft traditions, and prehistoric religious culture. These elements have been seamlessly integrated into the ancient culture of the Central Plains, distinguishing it as a significant symbol from its surrounding regions.

Unity: Chinese civilization is formed by the convergence of excellent cultures of various ethnic groups. Archaeologist Yan Wenming believes that due to the objective conditions of China’s natural geography, the development of prehistoric Chinese culture presents a multi-petal flower-like integrated structure, with its center in the Central Plains. This structure itself has a cohesive and centripetal effect. As the civilization developed, neighboring cultures with similarities gradually merged, leading to a stronger cultural unity. This unity is particularly evident in the expansion of the core of the cultural landscape.

The Peiligang Culture in the Central Plains lasted about 2,000 years, and gradually integrated most of today’s Henan in three stages. The Peiligang Culture exhibits well-organized residential areas and burial sites, a diverse livelihood model, advanced manufacturing techniques, knowledge systems, and sacrificial rituals. These progressive elements were subsequently inherited and transformed by the Yangshao and Longshan cultures. Through a process of assimilating and incorporating advanced cultural factors from the Yellow River, Huaihe River, Yangtze River, and Xiliao River basins, the Central Plains became the birthplace of Chinese civilization, where these elements were blended, acquired, and occasionally lost.

Inclusivity: During the Yangshao Culture period, the inclusivity of Chinese civilization and the interaction and blending of multiple cultures were extremely prominent. The Dahe Village culture in Luoyang is represented by the Shuanghuaishu Site, presenting the characteristics of a cultural convergence. This cultural diversity is not only limited to the convergence and interaction of different cultural types during the same period, but also manifested as the accumulation and integration of diverse cultures in different periods. In terms of the characteristics of artifacts, the formation of the Dahe Village culture was accompanied by certain external cultural factors. As for population growth, the convergence of foreign populations has stimulated the growth of the population in Dahe Village. This culture has absorbed and integrated advanced cultural factors from surrounding areas and embarked on a sustainable development path that values people’s livelihoods and practical needs.

Peaceful nature: During the period of the Longshan Culture, a late Neolithic culture, city sites emerged in the settlements of the central plains. The emergence of city sites is also a manifestation of social conflicts and contradictions. Chinese civilization has always upheld “harmony in diversity,” “peace is most precious.” Peace has been integrated into the bloodline of the Chinese nation and engraved into the genes of the Chinese people.

Chinese civilization is a unique intellectual symbol of the Chinese nation. Only when we have a comprehensive understanding of the history of Chinese civilization can we more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s fine traditional culture, and promote the building of a modern Chinese civilization.

Yuan Guangkuo is a professor from the School of History at Capital Normal University.