4.The Yangshao Culture

The Yangshao culture (仰韶文化)was a Neolithic (新石器时代)culture that existed extensively along the Yellow River in China.It is dated from around 5000 BC to 3000 BC.The culture is named after Yangshao, the first excavated representative village of this culture, which was discovered in 1921 in Henan Province by the Swedish archaeologist, Johan Gunnar Anderson.The culture flourished mainly in the provinces of Henan, Shaanxi and Shanxi.

The Yangshao culture shows the first evidence of settled agriculture in China.People produced millet, wheat, rice, kaoliang, and possibly soybeans during that period.They kept domesticated animals such as pigs and dogs, chickens, sheep, goats,and cattle, caught fishes with nets, and gathered fruits and nuts.Besides, the art of pottery is one of the achievements during this period.Red pottery ware such as cooking vessels, bowls, cups, and jars were made by hand.Another characteristic of the pottery during this time is the painted patterns and animal lines.Tools such as fine-grinding stone axes, shovels, millstones, arrows, harpoons, etc. were widely used.

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Exercise One

Directions:Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1.The Yangshao culture existed along the Yellow River in China.

2.It was Chinese archeologists that discovered the Yangshao culture site.

3.The Yangshao culture belongs to the Stone Age.

4.The art of pottery is one of the achievements during the Neolithic period.

5.People kept animals during that period.

Exercise Two

Directions:Answer the following questions.

1.Where did the Yangshao culture exist?

2.What are the characteristics of the Yangshao culture?

3.What do you think of the Yangshao culture?