Dynasties of ChinaEarly China · The beginnings of civilization
17 Xia kings · c. 2070–1600 BCE · 14 generations of succession
Tradition credits Yu with controlling the floods and Qi with establishing hereditary rule. Xia is the earliest hereditary dynasty recorded in traditional Chinese histories.
Dynastic color · Dark indigo
The Xia dynasty was the first hereditary dynasty recorded in Chinese history books. According to legend, floods occurred during the reign of Yao and Shun, and Gun failed to control the floods. His son Yu changed the dams to dredges, and it took thirteen years to quell the floods. After being abdication by Shun, he became the co-lord of the world. Around 2070 BC, Yu established Xia Dynasty, and according to legend, the capital was Yangcheng (today's Dengfeng area in Henan). After Yu's death, his son Qi inherited the throne, and the hereditary system replaced the abdication system, and "the world is for the public" became "the world is for the family."
The center of Xia dynasty's rule was roughly in present-day western Henan and southern Shanxi. Qi's son Taikang lost his country because of his indulgence in entertainment. Hou Yi, the leader of the Youqiong clan in Dongyi, took the opportunity to replace Xia's government because of the Xia people. Hou Yi was killed by his confidant Han Zhuo, and the Xia king was also killed. After the prime minister's posthumous son Shao Kang grew up, with the support of Xia Yichen, he eliminated Han Zhuo and his son and restored Xia's rule, which was known as "Shao Kang Zhongxing" in history. After that, Xia dynasty passed on to more than ten kings. By the time of Kongjia, "the ghosts and gods were good", and the princes gradually rebelled.
The last monarch, Jie, was cruel and cruel, and the people were filled with resentment. About 1600 BC, Tang, the leader of the Shang tribe, launched an army to attack Xia and defeated Jie in the Battle of Mingtiao. Xia Dynasty was destroyed for about 470 years. Since no contemporary writings of the Xia Dynasty have been discovered so far, the history of the Xia is mainly based on later documents such as the "Historical Records"; the Erlitou site in Yanshi, Henan is regarded by many scholars as the capital of the middle and late Xia Dynasty (it is said to be the capital of Xia Dynasty) and is the key to exploring Xia culture.
After Yu's death, Qi succeeded to the throne, and the throne changed from the abdication of "selecting the worthy and capable" to that of father and son, and brother. The "Book of Rites" says that "the great road is hidden, and the world is home." The pattern of hereditary dynasties has continued for thousands of years.
The Erlitou site in Yanshi, Henan, has an existing area of about 3 million square meters. The earliest known palace city in China, a regular road network, large palace buildings and official handicraft workshops were discovered, showing the appearance of the capital of the early dynasty.
The bronze jue cups, jia vessels, and tripods unearthed in Erlitou are the earliest known groups of bronze vessels in China, and were cast using multiple pottery molds. The tradition of using bronze ritual vessels to mark status continued into the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
"Shang Shu Yu Gong" is named after Dayu, dividing the world into Ji, Yan, Qing, Xu, Yang, Jing, Yu, Liang, Yong and Jiuzhou, and records the mountains, rivers, soil, products and tributes of various places. His book was written around the Warring States period and reflects the ancient tradition of "Yu Painting Nine States".
According to legend, there was a calendar in the Xia Dynasty. "Xia Xiaozheng" collected in "Book of Rites of Da Dai" records phenology, celestial phenomena and agricultural affairs on a monthly basis. It is one of the earliest existing agricultural almanacs. Confucius advocated "the time of summer", so later generations of the lunar calendar was also called the "Xia calendar".
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It is said that during the reign of Yao and Shun, the floods were monstrous. Gun used the method of building embankments to control the floods for nine years without success, and was executed in Yushan. His son Yu changed to the method of diversion, "living away for thirteen years, not daring to enter the house", and finally calmed down the flood.
After Shun's death, Yu ascended the throne as emperor, and his country was named Queen of Xia. According to legend, Yangcheng was the capital. Yu gathered the princes at Tushan, "holding jade and silk fabrics from all nations"; later generations used "Yu cast the Nine Tripods" to symbolize the establishment of royal power.
In his later years, Yu appointed Bo Yi as his successor. After Yu's death, many princes left Yi and came to Qi. Qi then ascended the throne. He said that Qi killed Yi to seize the throne. The throne changed from abdication to being passed down from father to son, and Qi held a banquet for the princes at Juntai.
The Hu family refused to accept Qi's succession, so Qi Qin led a large army to attack him and fought in Gan. The words of the oath before the war are "Shang Shu·Gan Oath". The Youhu clan was defeated and destroyed, and "the Xian Dynasty under heaven" was established, and the hereditary kingship was consolidated.
According to legend, Taikang, the son of Qi, indulged in hunting and had no regard for civil affairs. Hou Yi, the leader of the Youqiong clan in Dongyi, took the opportunity to occupy the Xia region. "Because the Xia people replaced the Xia government", Taikang lost the throne, which was known as "Taikang lost its country" in history.
Hou Yi relied on his good shooting skills and lived in the field hunting, trusting the traitor Han Zhuo. Han Zhuo instigated Yi's family to kill Yi and take possession of his family. He also ordered his sons to attack Zou Guan and Zou Po, and kill the Xia king.
Hou Min, the wife of the prime minister, fled back to her mother's home and gave birth to Shao Kang. Shao Kang defected to the Youyu family, "Youtian Yicheng, Youzhong Yicheng". Xia Yichen Mi raised an army to destroy Han Zhuo, Shao Kang was destroyed, his son Zhu was destroyed, and Xia dynasty was revived.
The archaeological culture named after the Erlitou site in Yanshi, Henan, is distributed in western Henan and southern Shanxi. The palace city, palace foundations, bronze ritual vessels and turquoise dragon-shaped vessels were found at the site. Many scholars believe that the main body belongs to the Xia culture.
Kongjia "favors ghosts and gods, but engages in promiscuity." The Xia Queen's virtue declined, and the princes rebelled one after another. According to legend, he ordered Liu Lei to tame the dragon descending from the sky. After the death of a female dragon, she was made into meat sauce and presented to Kongjia. Liu Lei fled in fear of the crime.
Jie "was not moral and harmed the people with force." According to legend, he doted on Mei Xi, built a lot of construction projects, and killed Guan Longfeng, who had directly remonstrated. The people cursed, "The days are mourning, and you will perish together." Jie also imprisoned Shang Tang in Xiatai and later released him.
Shang Tang appointed Yi Yin, and successively eliminated Wei, Gu, Kunwu and other Xia allies. Then he led his army to attack Jie and defeated the Xia army at Mingtiao. Jie fled and was exiled to death. It is said that he died in Nanchao and Xia Dynasty was destroyed.
Historian Xu Xusheng led a team to investigate the legendary "Xia Ruins" in western Henan and discovered the Erlitou ruins in Yanshi. After more than sixty years of continuous excavation, Erlitou became the core site for exploring Xia culture and the formation of early Chinese states.
The Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project, a multidisciplinary joint research project, published the "Xia-Shang Chronology" in 2000, which set the first year of Xia as about 2070 BC and the division of Xia and Shang as about 1600 BC, providing a reference frame for the Xia Dynasty date range.
According to legend, he was the leader of the Chong tribe after Zhuanxu and was recommended to control floods. He tried to build embankments to block the water, but failed for nine years, and was executed by Shun at Mount Yu. His son Yu inherited his father's business and finally succeeded in controlling floods.
According to legend, he was a "shi" in charge of prisons during the Shun Dynasty. He enforced the law fairly and was regarded as the originator of justice by later generations. After Yu ascended the throne, he recommended him as his successor and granted him political power, but Gao Tao died before Yu.
His surname was Si, his given name was Wenming, and he was the son of Gun. According to legend, he had been controlling floods for thirteen years, but he passed through the house three times without entering. He was abdication by Shun for his merits. During his reign, he demarcated the Kyushu and allied princes and established the foundation of Xia Dynasty. He traveled eastward to Kuaiji and died. Later generations honored him as "Da Yu".
Also known as Da Fei, it is said that he assisted Yu in flood control, managed mountains and rivers for Shun, tamed birds and animals, and invented well digging. In his later years, Yu appointed him as his successor, and eventually the throne passed to Qi. It is said that he was killed by Qi. Qin and Zhao both regarded him as their ancestor.
According to legend, he was from the Yu Dynasty and was good at making wine. "Warring States Period Policy" records that Yi Di brewed fine wine and presented it to Yu. After drinking it, Yu felt it was sweet, but he alienated Yi Di from then on, saying, "There will be people in future generations who will destroy their country with wine."
Son of Yu, his mother is Tu Shanshi. After Yu's death, he inherited the throne, broke the abdication tradition and created a hereditary system for the throne. He held a banquet for the princes at Juntai, and in the Battle of Gansu, he defeated the disobedient Youhu clan and established the rule of the Xia Dynasty.
The ancestor of the Xue Kingdom, it is said that he was the "Chezheng" of Xia Dynasty and was in charge of the car and uniform system. "Xun Zi" and other books call him "Xi Zhong made a car", and later generations regarded him as the ancestor of car making. The earliest two-wheel rut found in archaeology in China was found at the Erlitou site.
There is a leader of the Qiong clan in Dongyi who is good at archery. Taikang seized the power of Xia, but he relied on his archery skills and spent time hunting in the fields. He abandoned virtuous ministers and trusted Han Zhuo, and was eventually killed by his family. He is often confused with the mythical Yi who shot down nine suns.
A descendant of Bo Ming's family was expelled because he was good at flattery. He took refuge with Hou Yi and was highly regarded. He planned to kill Yi, occupy his family, and sent his son to attack and destroy the Xia king. He controlled the Xia land for a time, but was eventually destroyed by Xia Yichen Mi's army.
The wife of Xia Wangxiang was a daughter of the still family. During the attack, Hou Min, who was pregnant, escaped from the hole in the wall and returned to her mother's home, where she gave birth to Shao Kang, preserving the bloodline for Xia Dynasty.
The posthumous son of Xia Wangxiang. In his early years, he served as Mu Zheng in the Youyang clan, and later defected to the You Yu clan as the Paozheng. Based on Lunyi, he "disclosed his virtues and foreshadowed his plans" and gathered the old troops of Xia. With the support of Yichen Mi and others, he killed Han Zhuo and his son, and restored Xia dynasty.
One of Shao Kang's subordinates is said to be a woman. Shao Kang sent him to sneak into Shui's fiefdom and investigate the situation, creating conditions for the destruction of Shu. The record of "The Spy of Nü Ai" in "Zuo Zhuan" is regarded as one of the earliest records of spies in Chinese history books.
Also at the end of the year, there was a daughter of the Shi family. "Guoyu" records that Jie attacked the Shi family, and Shi was offered Mei Xi, and she became favored. Later generations blamed her for Xia's death, and mentioned her together with Da Ji and Bao Si. This kind of statement is often attached to the historical view of "female disaster".
According to legend, he was the minister of Xia Jie. Jie was dissolute and immoral. Guan Longfeng repeatedly spoke out and advised him to cherish the people's strength, but he was imprisoned and killed by Jie. Later generations often referred to him as Bi Gan in the late Shang Dynasty, as a model of loyal ministers and direct remonstrances.
Named Lugui, son of Fa. It is recorded in history that he "was not moral and harmed the people with force". He once imprisoned Shang Tang in Xiatai and released him. After being defeated in the Battle of Mingtiao, he was exiled and died, and Xia Dynasty was destroyed. Jie and Shang Zhou were collectively called "Jie Zhou" and became synonymous with tyrants.