9.1 East Asian Neolithic cultures

East Asia's Neolithic period marked a major shift from hunting and gathering to farming and settled life. This change, happening around 8,000 to 2,000 BCE, saw the rise of agriculture, pottery-making, and complex social structures.

Rice farming in China's Yangtze River valley was a game-changer. It allowed for bigger populations and more advanced societies. Meanwhile, unique cultures emerged across the region, each with their own pottery styles and ways of life.

Neolithic East Asia

Transition to Agriculture and Settled Communities

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• The Neolithic period in East Asia, dating from around 8,000 to 2,000 BCE, was characterized by the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one based on agriculture and settled communities
• Key developments during this period included:
  • Domestication of plants (rice, millet, soybeans) and animals (pigs, chickens)
  • Emergence of pottery and other crafts (textiles, stone tools)
  • Establishment of complex social structures and belief systems
• The Neolithic period in East Asia saw the rise of distinctive regional cultures, each with their own unique pottery styles, tool assemblages, and settlement patterns

Importance of Rice Agriculture

• The development of rice agriculture, particularly in the Yangtze River valley of China, played a crucial role in the emergence of complex societies and the growth of population in the region
• Rice cultivation provided a stable and abundant food source, supporting larger populations and enabling the development of more complex social and political structures
• The Neolithic period in East Asia also witnessed the beginnings of long-distance trade and exchange networks, which facilitated the spread of ideas, technologies, and cultural practices across the region (Silk Roads)

Emergence of Agriculture in East Asia

Environmental Factors

• Climate change at the end of the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago, led to warmer and wetter conditions in East Asia, which favored the growth of wild plants and attracted game animals, providing a foundation for the development of agriculture
• The presence of large river valleys, such as the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in China, provided fertile alluvial soils and reliable water sources for irrigation, which supported the intensification of agriculture and the growth of larger settlements

Biological and Technological Factors

• The availability of diverse plant and animal species in East Asia, such as rice, millet, soybeans, pigs, and chickens, provided a wide range of potential domesticates for early farmers to experiment with and cultivate
• The development of new technologies, such as pottery, stone tools, and storage facilities, enabled early farmers to process and store food more efficiently, supporting the growth and stability of agricultural societies
• Pottery allowed for better cooking and storage of food, while stone tools (sickles, grinding stones) facilitated harvesting and processing of crops

Social and Demographic Factors

• Population pressure and competition for resources may have encouraged some hunter-gatherer groups to adopt farming as a more reliable and productive subsistence strategy, leading to the emergence of settled agricultural communities
• The transition to agriculture and settled life led to significant changes in social organization, including increased sedentism, population growth, and the emergence of more complex social hierarchies and divisions of labor

Neolithic Cultures of East Asia

China

• The Neolithic cultures of China, such as the Yangshao, Longshan, and Liangzhu, were characterized by the early domestication of rice and millet, the production of distinctive painted pottery, and the emergence of large, fortified settlements and social hierarchies
• Chinese Neolithic cultures also developed advanced technologies, such as silk production and bronze metallurgy, which laid the foundations for the later emergence of complex state societies (Shang Dynasty)

Japan

• The Neolithic period in Japan, known as the Jōmon period (c. 14,000-300 BCE), was characterized by the early development of pottery, which was used for cooking, storage, and ritual purposes
• Jōmon communities relied on a diverse subsistence base, including hunting, fishing, and gathering, as well as limited cultivation of plants such as chestnuts and buckwheat
• Jōmon settlements were typically small and dispersed, with little evidence of social stratification or centralized authority

Korea

• The Neolithic cultures of Korea, such as the Chulmun and Mumun, were characterized by the early adoption of rice agriculture, the production of distinctive comb-pattern pottery, and the emergence of large, settled villages
• Korean Neolithic communities also developed advanced stone tool technologies, such as polished stone daggers and arrowheads, which were used for hunting and warfare
• The Mumun period in particular saw the emergence of social stratification and the beginnings of bronze metallurgy, which laid the foundations for the later development of complex chiefdoms and early states (Gojoseon)

Impact of the Neolithic Revolution on East Asia

Social and Political Changes

• The adoption of agriculture and settled life during the Neolithic period had far-reaching consequences for the social organization of East Asian communities, leading to the emergence of more complex and hierarchical societies with specialized occupations and social roles
• The surplus food production generated by agriculture supported population growth and the emergence of larger, more permanent settlements, which in turn facilitated the development of new forms of social and political organization, such as chiefdoms and early states
• Social stratification became more pronounced, with the emergence of elite classes, such as chiefs and religious leaders, who controlled access to resources and labor

Economic Developments

• The Neolithic revolution also had significant economic impacts, leading to the intensification of production, the development of craft specialization, and the emergence of long-distance trade networks
• Craft specialization, such as pottery making and weaving, emerged as people could dedicate more time to non-subsistence activities
• Long-distance trade networks facilitated the exchange of goods (obsidian, jade), ideas, and technologies across the region, stimulating economic growth and cultural interaction

Cultural and Religious Changes

• The transition to agriculture and settled life also had profound cultural consequences, leading to the emergence of new forms of material culture, such as pottery and textiles, as well as the development of complex belief systems and ritual practices
• Agricultural societies developed rituals and beliefs associated with the agricultural cycle (planting, harvesting) and the veneration of ancestors, which served to reinforce social cohesion and legitimize political authority
• The Neolithic period in East Asia laid the foundations for the later emergence of complex state societies and civilizations, such as the Shang and Zhou dynasties in China, the Yayoi and Kofun periods in Japan, and the Gojoseon and Three Kingdoms periods in Korea, which built upon the social, economic, and cultural innovations of the Neolithic era