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Fu Xi culture gains archaeological credibility

Author  :  Deng Zhimei     Source  :    Chinese Social Sciences Today     2014-10-23

Picture of Fu Xi

The First Symposium on Fu Xi Culture in Yanchuan was held in Yanchuan county, Yan’an city, Shaanxi Province, from October 27 to 28. The event was jointly organized by the Society of Pre-Qin Period History, China International Yi Dao Institute and Yanchuan County Government.

Fu Xi (2852-2738 BC) is considered one of the Three Sovereigns, a trio of mythological rulers from ancient China. Rulers classed as the Three Sovereigns differ among scholars, but one group is considered to comprise Fu Xi, Nüwa and Shennong.

Yanchuan county has records of Fu Xi culture dating back to ancient times. Whether Fu Xi actually lived is still debated by Chinese historians. Renowned historian Gu Jiegang claimed Fu Xi refers to a fishing and hunting period in ancient China, rather than an actual ruler per se.

“Our study of Fu Xi should be based on recognizing him as a part of culture,” said Liu Baocai, a professor at the Institute of Chinese History of Ideology and Culture at Northwest University in Lanzhou, Gansu Province.

Liu said that the connotation of Fu Xi culture fundamentally comprises three aspects: invention of wang gu (fishing nets), the institution of marriage and creation of ba gua (Eight Trigrams).

Liu suggests that the Chinese characters fu and xi are etymologically related to fishing, which along with hunting and the domestication of animals is attributed to Fu Xi’s rule.

Liu said the underlying significance of the marriage system can be traced to the union between Fu Xi and Nüwa, an opinion shared by many scholars of ancient Chinese history.

As to the creation of ba gua, Liu said that it is a tool for cognition. In Chinese mythology, it was during the Fu Xi period that Chinese began to learn about the outside world.

Liu noted Fu Xi culture can be credited as the root of Chinese philosophy, thought, logic and civilization, but not enough importance has been attached to Fu Xi’s influence for some time. Some scholars maintain that the story of Fu Xi is only a myth without academic value. More archaeological evidence has been found dating back to the Fu Xi period, which offers new insight into understanding this period.

“Although Fu Xi’s story is told as a myth, it is a true story at its core. We believe that the Fu Xi period can gain greater archaeological credibility,” said a scholar at the symposium, which gathered around 30 domestic academics representing the philosophy, history and archaeology disciplines. Scholars also discussed the I Ching, or Book of Changes, which contains the ba gua and is said to have originated during the Fu Xi period.

 

The Chinese version appeared in Chinese Social Sciences Today (CASS Issue), No. 267, October 10, 2014.

  

Translated by Du Mei
Revised by Tom Fearon

Editor: Chen Mirong

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