An Alternative Chronology for the Xia Dynasty and Discussion on Issues Related to Xia Culture

This paper proposes an alternative chronology for the Xia dynasty [ca. 2100-1600 BCE ] based on the respective year counts and generation numbers of the Xia, Shang [ca. 1600-1046 BCE ], and Zhou [1046-256 BCE ] dynasties. It argues that Qi 啟 founded the Xia dynasty midway through the twentieth century BCE and further discusses questions relating to the capital cities and culture of the Xia. By integrating archeological material, it further contends that the ancient city of Wangchenggang 王城崗 located in Dengfeng 登封 was Yangcheng 陽城, the capital established by Yu 禹. It also argues that the Wadian 瓦店 site in Yuzhou 禹州 may have been inhabited by Yu and Qi, that the ancient city of Xinzhai 新砦 was an early capital of the Xia dynasty from the reigns of Qi to Shao Kang 少康, and that the Erlitou 二里頭 site was the capital of the Xia dynasty during its middle and late periods after the reign of Di Huai 帝槐. Xia culture should be approached as a concept that blends the disciplines of archeology and history and defined as the Xia people and the Xia dynasty within its region of governance or a culture whose creators mostly consisted of the Xia people. Furthermore, the ruins of the Xinzhai period represent Xia culture during its formative period, while Erlitou culture represents Xia culture during its maturity

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · China · Chronology · Political science · Reign · Shang dynasty · Chinese history and philosophy · History · Japanese History and Culture · Law · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies