A Crossroads of Early Chinese Civilization

The region spanning southern Jiangsu, northern Jiangxi, eastern Hubei, and along the Yangtze in Anhui represents one of China’s most fascinating archaeological mosaics. During the Neolithic period (5000-3000 BCE), this area nurtured distinct yet interconnected cultures that developed sophisticated pottery, jade craftsmanship, and early social hierarchies. The Beiyinyangying and Xuejiagang cultures, flourishing contemporaneously with the better-known Liangzhu culture, reveal a vibrant chapter in China’s prehistoric past where geographic diversity met cultural exchange.

The Beiyinyangying Culture: Jewel of the Nanjing Region

### Discovery and Academic Recognition
First uncovered during 1955-1958 excavations at Nanjing’s Beiyinyangying site, this culture was initially misclassified as part of the Qingliangang cultural sphere. By the 1970s, archaeologists recognized its unique character through:
– Distinctive burial practices featuring north-oriented skeletons
– A pottery tradition emphasizing redware with geometric designs
– Advanced jade and stone tool production

The culture’s core territory centered around modern Nanjing and Zhenjiang, possibly extending into Anhui’s river valleys.

### Material Culture and Daily Life
Excavations revealed a society mastering multiple technologies:
– Pottery: Dominated by red sandy and clay wares, featuring tripod ding vessels, stemmed dou cups, and gui pitchers adorned with string patterns, perforations, and painted geometric motifs
– Stone Tools: Exquisitely crafted perforated stone knives and thin ritual axes (yue) demonstrating specialized craftsmanship
– Jade Works: 39% of recovered jades were nephrite, including huang pendants and jue slit rings used as status markers

Notably, Tomb M145 at Beiyinyangying contained 24 jade and stone items including raw materials, suggesting the occupant controlled production—an early example of craft specialization correlating with elite status.

### Social Structure and Belief Systems
The 271 excavated tombs reveal a stratified society:
– Early period graves showed dramatic wealth disparities, with elite burials containing 20+ ritual objects
– Middle/late periods saw reduced grave goods but maintained status distinctions
– Unusual practices like placing Yuhua pebbles in mouths and modified boar tusks hint at spiritual beliefs

Archaeobotanical evidence remains scarce, but young domesticated pigs (6-12 months old at death) and deer bones confirm mixed farming-hunting subsistence.

The Xuejiagang Culture: Anhui’s Neolithic Powerhouse

### Geographic Scope and Chronology
Centered in Anhui’s Wan River valley with sites like Tianningzhai and Wangjiadun, this culture flourished circa 3300-2800 BCE based on radiocarbon dating. Its influence stretched across the Yangtze, blending with Jiangxi’s Fanchengdui cultural elements.

### Technological Achievements
Xuejiagang artisans produced:
– Ceramics: Black/gray pottery featuring tripod vessels with leaf-vein-patterned legs and hollow-out decorated dou stems
– Ornamented Stone Tools: Ritual axes and multi-holed knives (3-13 holes) adorned with cinnabar paintings
– Jade Innovations: Semi-circular huang pendants and rare cong-like tubes showing early ritual jade traditions

The culture’s perforated stone knives represent a technical marvel—some specimens exceed 11 precisely drilled holes despite Neolithic tool limitations.

### Spiritual World and Cosmic Symbols
The nearby Lingjiatan site (though possibly a distinct culture) revealed astonishing jade artifacts:
– A jade plaque possibly depicting ancient cosmological concepts of round heaven/square earth
– Eagle-shaped pendants with boar heads and eight-pointed stars
– Turtle shells and jade dragons suggesting ritual practices

These finds, dating to 3600-3300 BCE, foreshadow the theocratic systems seen in later Liangzhu culture.

Cultural Interactions and Legacy

### The Yangtze-Huai Cultural Network
These cultures participated in a dynamic exchange system:
– Shared ceramic styles with Songze culture to the east
– Jade-working techniques influencing Liangzhu traditions
– Possible trade routes moving stone tools across regions

The Lingjiatan jades particularly demonstrate how cosmological ideas spread among Neolithic elites.

### Modern Significance
Recent discoveries continue reshaping our understanding:
– 2019-2022 excavations at Xuejiagang revealed new elite tombs
– Archaeometric studies trace jade sources to nearby mountains
– DNA analysis of human remains may reveal migration patterns

These cultures represent more than regional variants—they were active participants in shaping early Chinese civilization’s technological and spiritual foundations. Their legacy persists in later Bronze Age traditions of jade symbolism and ritual vessel production.

Conclusion: Reassessing China’s Neolithic Mosaic

The Beiyinyangying and Xuejiagang cultures challenge traditional narratives centered on the Yellow River. Their achievements in:
– Early social stratification
– Jade craftsmanship
– Astronomical symbolism

demonstrate that multiple centers of innovation coexisted in prehistoric China. As archaeology uncovers more connections between these Yangtze-Huai societies and their neighbors, we gain a richer, more complex picture of East Asia’s ancient past—one where cultural boundaries were fluid, and ideas traveled as far as precious jade.