Xia Dynasty 夏朝 [2,070 BC – 1,600 BC]
China First Dynasty – Xia. We have learned in the past article that there are several sizable kingdoms existed before the Xia, but Xia is the only one that successfully laid claim to the title of dynasty. Why was that?
In my opinion, the previous kingdoms were unable to gain full support from the surrounding tribes. The various tribes competed for resources, which hindered anyone’s chance to sustainably grow into a cohesive country. Let’s examine what the Xia did differently to achieve this.
Why it named "Xia" ?
“Xia” is the name of a tribe, which also serves as the surname for its people.
The Yellow River is often referred to as the mother river of ancient China, providing abundant food and resources for livelihood. However, despite its generosity, the Yellow River was also unpredictable and destructive during ancient times. As a result, people expended considerable effort trying to control its floods. Unfortunately, despite generations of hard work, success remained elusive.
Yu was tasked with taming the floods. Not long before, his father had been executed by the Xia tribe due to his failure in the same mission. Unlike those who came before him, Yu was exceptional; he was intelligent and able to organize support from adjacent tribes for their common good. They all worked diligently together on his flood prevention plan, and ultimately, they succeeded.
His success was crucial for all the people in the valley, as it ensured a stable food supply and a secure way of life. Consequently, all tribes were willing to support him as their supreme leader, not just the Xia tribe. In this peaceful and stable political environment, Yu gradually established the Xia royal power, eventually forming the mighty Xia Dynasty.
Erlitou Capital - The Relics Site, Henan
We can learn about the past of the Xia Dynasty from the historical site of Erlitou. This ancient city is believed to have been the capital of the Xia Dynasty during its peak. At that time, it was one of the largest and best-equipped cities in the world. The excavated areas cover the equivalent of 400 football fields and include systematic roads, houses, palaces, government administration buildings, graveyards, and more. The city also contained manufacturing facilities for horse-drawn wagons, pottery, jade, turquoise, food storage, weaponry, and, most significantly, a bronze manufacturing plant measuring more than 10,000 square meters.
The site also uncovered many jade objects and even some “shells,” which were used as currency, indicating that a medium of exchange was already in use. This was important for trading goods that were scarce from distant lands, meeting the needs of the Erlitou people.
As expected, there were discoveries of dragons at the site. I previously covered one such turquoise dragon in my post titled “China’s First Dragon.” This dragon is made from more than 2,000 pieces of turquoise in various shapes. It measures 65 cm long and 4 cm wide at its midsection, with a flat, round head and a slightly protruding snout.
What we learned from the China First Dynasty
There is much to write about a dynasty that lasted 470 years and had 17 emperors. I will focus on a few key points that I believe are worth sharing and that have had a lasting impact on future generations.
Feudal State System
Before the Xia Dynasty, the land was inhabited by various tribes that were often in conflict with each other, each having their own laws and practices.
With supreme power in his hands, the new Emperor Yu aimed to maintain peace among all the tribes for the longevity of his people and his dynasty. To achieve this, Emperor Yu granted land to each tribe leader, who would then act as vassals. In return for the land, the tribe leaders had to provide military loyalty and a portion of their harvest and wealth to the emperor. By having each vassal serve directly and separately under him, the emperor was able to maintain absolute control over the vast territories of his new empire.
This feudal system proved effective and popular, lasting for millennia to come.
Social Hierarchy System
A new dynasty like Xia needs a ruling system that helps effectively manage the country and a new dynasty. A ruling system that can effectively manages the country and ensures the longevity of the ruler’s power.
The Xia dynasty employed a social hierarchy system to divide its people into different levels, including the ruling class and ordinary civilians. This system serves as a reminder of everyone’s role and limitations. One cannot simply challenge a high-ranking person; doing so would result in punishment for disrupting the social order.
The royal endorsement of this hierarchy is symbolized by bronze objects. Various types of bronze items, such as wine containers, are used to confer status from the ruler, recognizing an individual’s social standing.
Bronze manufacturing was the most advanced technology of the time. It could only be achieved through national-level coordination and resources.
Archaeological evidence shows that there were mining fields across the country, along with some small copper ingot fabrication yards. Workers delivered copper ingots to the main bronze factory in Erlitou city, where, using intricate molding techniques, they fashioned the ingots into bronze objects.
This manufacturing plant was equipped with the best-skilled workers and facilities of its time. It was capable of producing bronze weapons that represented a significant technological advancement. The advance weapon enabling the nation to defend itself against potential enemies. This marks the beginning of the Bronze Age in China.
Additionally, there was a small kingdom named Ancient Shu, located at the Sanxingdui historical site. They possessed superior bronze manufacturing techniques and produced astonishing bronze artifacts. I plan to cover the Sanxingdui historical site in the future, if possible
Family Dynasty
When Emperor Yu died, his son “Qi” succeeded to the throne. This is the beginning of the “family dynasty” in Chinese history, which lasted until the recent history.
Before Yu died, tribes commonly practiced the demise of power. A leader will demise his position to who is more capable and suitable for such a position, so the new leader can lead the tribe for the better good. What a subversion fact, right?
In contrast, the ruler of “family dynasty” will only pass on the throne to his biological descendants. This system gave opportunity to the ruler family to remain in control forever if they could, which in turn reinforce the implementation of the “social hierarchy system”. The system provides incentive for the ruling class to infinitely isolate the working class, exploiting their freedom and live, effectively seal the faith of many.
Turmoil in the Dynasty
There is an interesting twist on the Xia family dynasty. When Emperor Qi died, he passed the throne to his son’s name Tai Kang. However, the new emperor indulged in recreation and hunting and ignored government affairs. During his reign, the authority of the Xia tribe weakened, giving an opportunity to other ruling class to rise. A capable young name Hou Yi from another tribe who was good at archery, seek the opportunity to form clan with others, and seized the power.
Hou Yi appointed Zhong Kang (younger brother of Tai Kang) as a puppet emperor, with Hou Yi himself oversaw all state affairs. 6 years later, Zhong Kang died and Hou Yi became the emperor. Interestingly, Hou Yi repeated “Qi” bad habit in indulging recreation and hunting, this created dissatisfaction of many including his own official name Han Zhou. Han Zhou killed Hou Yi and become the new emperor.
Zhong Kang’s son with the name Shao Kang fled and formed a clan with other tribes. He eventually overturned Han Zhou to reclaim the throne that once belongs to his family. With this episode the new emperor has effectively ended a several decades of Xia Dynasty history that without a Xia Emperor in power.
End of The China First Dynasty Xia
Time come to Xia Jie, he ascended to the throne as emperor. He is a tyrant and became infamous for his brutality towards his people. The relationship between the Xia family and other tribes deteriorated significantly, resulting in a decline in the number of tribes paying tribute to the Xia. Without hesitation, the emperor would declare war and attack those who resisted his rule.
Ancient documents describe Jie as lustful; after defeating a tribe, he would choose a woman he desired from that tribe and bring her back to the palace as a concubine. Jie’s selfish pursuit of pleasure led him to ignore the suffering of his people, which fuelled their anger. It was only a matter of time before someone rose up to fight back.
Rise of a Savior
That resistance came in the form of Tang, a warrior from the Shang tribe, who initiated a war alongside other tribes against the Xia. The already declining Xia dynasty was defeated around 1600 BC. This time, there was no saviour like Shao Kang to rescue the Xia family, and thus, the first dynasty of China came to an end.
Although the Xia appeared strong and mighty, they ultimately collapsed due to their weaknesses. As Chinese proverb, “Wealth does not last for more than three generations.” This saying serves as a metaphor for how the founding generation often works hard and lives prudently, while their descendants tend to indulge in lavish lifestyles and forget the true meaning of wealth, which ultimately leads to their downfall.