Xia Dynasty – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

This file photo shows ancient stone fortresses in Yulin, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by cultural heritage and archaeology team of the city of Yulin/Xinhua)

China: Survey Team Discovers 573 Ancient Stone Fortresses in North-West! (13.11.2025)

13/11/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

The survey revealed that these settlements spanned from about 2800 BC in the late Yangshao period to around 1000 BC in the Shang and Zhou (1046-221 BC) dynasties.

Mostly distributed along riverbanks, the stone fortresses were surrounded by numerous ordinary settlements without defensive stone walls, indicating a clear clustered relationship, said Ma Mingzhi, head of the team.

The development of these stone fortresses shows a clear evolution from small to large in scale, from simple to complex in layout, and from rudimentary to mature in construction techniques — with social hierarchy becoming increasingly distinct.

The survey provides crucial information for a comprehensive understanding of the origin, development, spread and evolution of prehistoric settlements in northern China, Ma added.

Ancient China: 5000 BCE Neolithic Boat Discovered at Hemudu, [Yuyao] Zhejiang! (13.3.2024)

13/03/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

From grasping usurping natural floating objects (such as people straddling a tree trunk or holding a gourd as a means of crossing a body of water) to waist-floats (perhaps several gourds tied together with ropes to increase the buoyancy of the mid-riff) to rafts (flat and wide buoyant objects tied together to increase the buoyancy – enough to bear the weight of a person whilst floating across the water). The emergence of rafts was a clear sign of a great technological leap forward for humanity which removed a traveller getting wet and actively creating proper water vehicles. Later, with the help of stone axes and fire (according to Friedrich Engels), a “boat” (as a “Canoe”) was made from a whole piece of wood. An example of this is pictured above which stems from the 7,000-year-old (c. 5000 BCE) Neolithic ruins discovered at Hemudu, Yuyao, situated in Zhejiang.

Ancient China: Did Shang Dymasty [1600-1046 BCE] Travellers Reach the Americas? (12.3.2024)

12/03/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

Since 1973, Americans have been discovering many strange artificial stone products in the shallow waters off the coast of California, in the United States. The total number is as high as eleven, with a number of these objects being “cylindrical” shaped, designed like an “equilateral triangle”, or “circular with an empty middle”! American scholar Moriarty pointed out – in his analysis of the stones – that these objects did not come from the Americas. “There is no doubt that this is an early stone anchor from Asia.” Based on the calculation of the manganese accumulation rate on the stones of one millimetre per thousand years, “since today It is about 2000-3000 years old.”

Hongshan (紅山) Culture (4700-2900 BCE): Ancient China – Transgenderism and Buddhism! (15.4.2023)

15/04/2023 Adrian (釋大道)

The concept of a female goddess in China existed thousands of years prior to the development of Buddhism in India – and yet when the ‘male’ Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (evoking ‘Compassion’) was transmitted into China from India – ‘he’ morphed into a ‘she’ (becoming locally known as ‘Guanyin’ [觀音] or she who is ‘Attentive to Sound’) – whilst retaining all the Buddhist characteristics. Why did this ‘transgender’ event occur?

Demystify the Origins of the Yijing [易經]! (10.1.2017)

10/01/2017 Adrian (釋大道)

Hunting, herding, fishing, gathering plants, going on long journeys (by land and water), going to war, consulting a wise or powerful person, or arranging marriages are mentioned far more regularly than planting or growing crops (which although mentioned in a relatively few cases, do not occupy a position of central concern within the Zhou society of its time).