Periods of Prehistory

Archaeologists divide the prehistory of China into the following parts:

► The Paleolithic Age (Early & Middle Period): Pithecanthropus erectus, about 0.5 millions years ago

► The Paleolithic Age (Middle & Later Period): Upper Cave Man, about 0.2 million years ago

► The Neolithic Age (Early Period): Matrilineal society, without social classes division

► The Neolithic Age (Middle Period): Matrilineal society transferred to Patriarchy society, social classes divisions appearance

► The Neolithic Age (Later Period): human being civilization gradually formed in central China which is around 4,900 years ago.

 

Characterized by the use of rudimentary chipped stone tools, the Paleolithic Age or Old Stone Age is the earliest history of human beings. With the Yunnan Yuanmou Man lived 1,700,000 years ago as the representative, Lantian Man and Peking Man also lived during this period. At that time, the uncivilized people were gregarious, living in the caves and living on wild animals, wild fruit, fish and even tree leaves and grass; farming and stockbreeding didn't come into being. During the period, human beings evolved from ape-man to Homo erectus, through Homo sapiens, and then finally formed the shape of the modern man. In addition, people of that time first discovered fire, and learned to use the natural fire in their daily lives, which helped to improve people's physical qualities a lot.

Between the Paleolithic Age and Neolithic Age is the Mesolithic Age. People of that time still lived on hunting and fishing, and clans began to appear. Working more co-operatively in these clans, people invented bows and arrows, fishing spears and nets as well as some hunting tools which made their daily lives much easier. They also invented canoes and techniques for constructing simple houses, and began to domesticate dogs, sheep and pigs.

The last period of the Stone Age, the Neolithic Age is a new starting point in China's ancient economy and culture. Marked by the emergence of farming and stockbreeding, humanity graduated from depending on nature to transforming nature. People began to live a settled life and use grinding stone tools. Meanwhile, the skills of making pottery and spinning were developed, and paintings, characters, sculptures, music and dances all began to appear. Relics of the Neolithic Age are found throughout China, some of which are still intact in villages in such places as Yangshao and Longshan Cultural Areas of the Yellow River watershed and the Hemudu Cultural Area of the Yangtze River watershed.