User:He Ying

The presumably Earliest City in China: Chengtoushan

Introduction

The emergence of cities is a significant milestone in the development of human civilization. As a key manifestation of social complexity, cities not only signify population concentration and settlement but also reflect transformations in social division of labor, power structures, and economic systems.

The Chengtoushan site, located in Lixian County, Hunan Province, dates back approximately 6,000 years and is recognized as one of the earliest and most distinctly urban sites discovered in China to date. It features a complete system of moats and walls, clearly defined functional zones, and the world's earliest and best-preserved paddy field remains. These discoveries provide crucial empirical material for exploring the morphology of early Chinese cities and the origins of civilization.

This paper focuses on the Chengtoushan site, integrating archaeological findings to analyze its urban characteristics from the perspectives of its city layout and spatial organization, agricultural economy, and altar rituals. It also discuss Chengtoushan’s important role in the development of early Chinese cities and the broader process of civilization origins.

Overview of the Chengtoushan Site

The Chengtoushan site is situated in Lixian County, Hunan Province, in the heart of the Liyang Plain. This plain is characterized by flat terrain and a dense river network, belonging to a subtropical monsoon climate zone. The warm and humid natural conditions provided an ideal environment for prehistoric human settlement and agricultural development.

In terms of chronological sequence, the cultural deposits at the site are continuous and deep, spanning the middle to late Neolithic period. Based on archaeological cultural periods, the site primarily includes three consecutive developmental stages: the Daxi Culture period (approximately 6300-5300 years ago), the Qujialing Culture period (approximately 5300-4600 years ago), and the Shijiahe Culture period (approximately 4600-4000 years ago). Among these, the construction and main use of the city occurred from the late Daxi Culture period to the Qujialing Culture period, approximately 6000-4800 years ago, which was also the site's most prosperous phase.

In terms of spatial scale, Chengtoushan was a large, meticulously planned settlement. The site is roughly circular in shape and consists of multiple layers of artificial structures: at its center is a living area covering approximately 80,000 square meters, surrounded by a rammed-earth wall with a base width exceeding 30 meters. Outside the wall is a moat (defensive ditch) tens of meters wide, which still holds water today. This composite structure of "moat-wall-inner space" forms a distinct, well-defended independent unit.

Since its discovery in 1979, systematic archaeological excavations have been conducted multiple times, uncovering an area of nearly 9,000 square meters and revealing an exceptionally rich cultural heritage. Over 16,000 artifacts have been unearthed, including pottery, stone tools, jade objects, and bone and antler implements. More importantly, a series of significant features have been discovered, including residential areas, burial grounds, pottery workshop areas, a large altar, and ancient paddy fields. These features are orderly distributed and functionally distinct, collectively outlining the basic framework of an early city.

Urban Form and Spatial Layout

Firstly, the Chengtoushan site features a distinctive defensive system. Located in the flat lands of the northwestern Liyang Plain rather than in strategically advantageous mountainous terrain, its security relied entirely on artificially constructed defensive works. The ancient city is roughly circular in plan, with a diameter of about 310 meters and an inner area of approximately 80,000 square meters. The moat surrounding the city wall is tens of meters wide and remains water-filled to this day, serving not only as an effective military defense feature but also fulfilling multiple functions such as drainage, water supply, transportation, and territorial demarcation. The city wall itself underwent multiple phases of ramming and expansion, from a smaller scale during the initial Daxi Culture period (around 6300 years ago) to large-scale reinforcement during the Qujialing Culture period, with the base width of the wall exceeding 30 meters. This demonstrates the long-term and organized nature of the construction. The complete layout of "wall + moat" directly reflects the concentration of resources, mobilization of labor, and the existence of social public authority, marking a fundamental difference from simple moat-enclosed settlements.

Secondly, the Chengtoushan site exhibits clear functional zoning. Residential areas, farming areas, ritual areas, and burial areas are strictly separated. Rows of house foundations have been discovered in the residential areas, with house layouts showing considerable sophistication, such as connected living rooms and bedrooms separated by objects. The handicraft area contains concentrated groups of pottery kilns along with associated clay extraction pits, water storage pits, and workshop remains, clearly indicating the existence of a specialized pottery production zone.

The World's Earliest Known Paddy Fields and Mature Agricultural Economy

Another world-class discovery at Chengtoushan is the ancient paddy field remains located inside the city wall, dating back approximately 6,500 years. These fields are exceptionally well-preserved, covering an area of several hundred square meters, with field ridges, water inlets, irrigation pits, and other features clearly discernible. Even today, rice phytoliths from that period can be detected in the soil.

The discovery of the Chengtoushan paddy fields is of great significance. It provides tangible, visual evidence of the history of human rice domestication and systematic field management. The fields at Chengtoushan are not scattered crop remains but represent large-scale agricultural production with a complete irrigation system. This proves that 6,500 years ago, the inhabitants of the middle Yangtze River region had already mastered relatively advanced rice farming techniques, moving beyond slash-and-burn agriculture into a stable period of intensive farming. Agriculture and the city here formed a mutually reinforcing symbiotic relationship: agriculture supported urban development, while the needs of the city drove advancements in agricultural technology and management refinement.

Altar and Burials

In the eastern part of the Chengtoushan site, the remains of China's earliest large-scale altar have been discovered. The altar has a complex structure, underwent multiple construction phases, and is accompanied by sacrificial pits, indicating that large-scale religious rituals were held here. The incorporation of this sacred ritual space into the core planning of the city reveals the central role of spiritual beliefs in integrating early urban society.

Additionally, concentrated public cemeteries have been found within the site. A small number of large tombs feature spacious burial pits and contain precious grave goods such as jade. In contrast, the vast majority of small and medium-sized tombs contain only everyday pottery, stone tools, and other utilitarian production or domestic items. The differences in tomb form, scale, and grave goods reflect the strict social order and management at the time.

Conclusion

Chengtoushan is hailed as the "Ancestor of Chinese Cities, Source of World Rice." These eight words precisely summarize its dual epoch-making value: it is both the earliest confirmed city in China, significantly pushing back the timeline of Chinese urban origins, and a crucial testament to the highly developed world of rice agriculture civilization.

The great discovery of Chengtoushan transcends the site itself. It stands like a historical lighthouse, illuminating the long-overlooked chapter of the Yangtze River Basin in the process of Chinese civilization origins. It strongly confirms the pluralistic and indigenous nature of Chinese civilization's beginnings. It tells us that the cradle of Chinese civilization was not singular; the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, like two dragons, each nurtured splendid prehistoric cultures early on. They echoed each other from north to south, exchanging and learning from one another, jointly laying the deep foundation for the later "pluralistic unity" of Chinese civilization. The protection, research, and interpretation of Chengtoushan's value are not merely the pursuit of a lost glory but a profound understanding of the roots of the Chinese nation. They hold far-reaching and significant implications for strengthening cultural confidence in our time and understanding the diverse paths of civilizational development.

References

[1] 国家文物局.湖南澧县城头山遗址[EB/OL].(2022-3-19). http://www.ncha.gov.cn/art/2022/3/19/art_2587_80.html

[2] 湖南省文物考古研究所.澧县城头山——新石器时代遗址发掘报告[Ｍ].北京：文物出版社，2007.

[3] 澧县城头山.城头山简介[EB/OL].(2022-11-22). http://chcts.net/Contents_486_1.Html

[4] 唐湘岳.城头山，中国最古老的城[J].光明日报，2015，5.

Questions

1. In which province is the Chengtoushan site located? Which three main cultural periods does its primary timeframe span?

2. What are the distinctive features of the urban form of the Chengtoushan site?

3. What is the global significance of the ancient paddy fields discovered at the Chengtoushan site?

4. What societal characteristics do the altar and burials at the Chengtoushan site reflect?

5. Why is the Chengtoushan site referred to as the "Ancestor of Chinese Cities, Source of World Rice"?

Answers

1. The Chengtoushan site is located in Hunan Province. Its primary timeframe spans the Daxi Culture period (approximately 6300-5300 years ago), the Qujialing Culture period (approximately 5300-4600 years ago), and the Shijiahe Culture period (approximately 4600-4000 years ago).

2. The Chengtoushan site is roughly circular in shape and features a complete defensive system of "wall + moat." The city wall underwent multiple expansions, and the moat served defensive, drainage, and transport functions. The internal spatial layout exhibits clear functional zoning, including residential areas, handicraft areas, ritual areas, burial areas, and farming areas.

3. The ancient paddy fields discovered at Chengtoushan date back approximately 6,500 years and are currently the world's earliest known and best-preserved paddy field remains. They demonstrate that the inhabitants of the middle Yangtze River region had already mastered advanced rice farming techniques and achieved intensive agricultural production at that time.

4. The discovery of the altar indicates that religious rituals had become an important means of social integration. The differences in tomb size and grave goods (large tombs contained precious items like jade, while small and medium-sized tombs contained only everyday utensils) reflect the emergence of clear social stratification and power structures.

5. "Ancestor of Chinese Cities" refers to its status as the earliest confirmed city in China, representing the origins of early urban civilization in the Yangtze River Basin. "Source of World Rice" refers to its discovery of the world's earliest paddy fields, providing important evidence for rice agriculture civilization. Together, they embody Chengtoushan's landmark status in both Chinese civilization and global agricultural civilization.

Terms and Expressions

Earliest city in China: 中国最早之城

Chengtoushan site: 城头山遗址

Liyang Plain: 澧阳平原

Neolithic Age: 新石器时代

Daxi Culture: 大溪文化

Rammed-earth city wall: 夯土城墙

Defensive moat (surrounding ditch): 环壕（护城河）

Functional zoning: 功能分区

World's earliest paddy fields: 世界最早的古稻田

Rice farming agriculture: 稻作农业

Large-scale altar: 大型祭坛

Sacrificial pit: 祭祀坑

Social stratification: 社会分层

Ancestor of Chinese Cities, Source of World Rice: 中华城祖，世界稻源

中国目前最早的城市——城头山

引言

城市的出现是人类文明发展进程中的重要标志之一。作为社会复杂化的重要体现，城市不仅意味着人口的集中与定居，更反映了社会分工、权力结构以及经济形态的转变。

位于湖南省澧县的城头山遗址，距今约六千年，被认为是目前中国考古发现中年代最早、城市特征最为明确的遗址之一。该遗址拥有完整的环壕与城墙体系、清晰的功能分区，还发现了世界上目前最早、保存最完好的水稻田遗迹，为探讨中国早期城市形态和文明起源提供了重要实证材料。

本文以城头山遗址为研究对象，结合考古发现，从城头山的城市形制与空间布局、农业经济及祭坛祭祀等方面分析其城市性特征，探讨城头山在中国早期城市发展与文明起源进程中的重要地位。

城头山遗址的基本概况

城头山遗址位于湖南省澧县境内，地处澧阳平原腹地。该平原地势平坦，河网密布，属于亚热带季风气候区，温暖湿润的自然条件为史前人类的定居与农业发展提供了得天独厚的环境。

从年代序列上看，遗址的文化堆积连续且深厚，其主体年代跨越了新石器时代中晚期。根据考古学文化分期，遗址主要包含三个连续发展的文化阶段：大溪文化期（约距今6300-5300年）、屈家岭文化期（约距今5300-4600年）和石家河文化期（约距今4600-4000年）。其中，城市的兴建与主要使用期集中在大溪文化晚期至屈家岭文化时期，距今约6000-4800年，这一阶段也是遗址最为繁荣的时期。

在空间规模上，城头山是一处经过严密规划的大型聚落。遗址整体呈规整的圆形，由多重人工设施构成：中心为面积约8万平方米的城内生活区；其外围环绕着底宽达30米以上的夯土城墙；城墙之外则是宽数十米、至今仍有水体的环壕（护城河）。这种“环壕—城墙—城内空间”的复合结构，构成了一个界限分明、防御严密的独立单元。

自1979年被发现以来，通过多次系统性的考古发掘，揭露面积近9000平方米，发现了极为丰富的文化遗产。出土文物包括陶器、石器、玉器、骨角器等各类遗物达16000余件。更为重要的是，发现了包括居住址、墓葬区、陶器作坊区、大型祭坛以及古稻田在内的一系列重要遗迹。这些遗迹在空间上分布有序，功能明确，共同勾勒出一座早期城市的基本框架。

城市的形制与空间布局

首先，城头山遗址有着标志性的防御系统。城头山遗址坐落于澧阳平原西北部的平原地带，而非险要山地，其安全完全依赖人工建造的防御工程。古城平面呈规整的圆形，直径约310米，城内面积约8万平方米。环绕城墙的护城河（壕沟）宽达数十米，至今水面充盈，这不仅是有效的军事防御设施，也具有排水、供水、交通乃至区域标识的多重功能。城墙本身经历了多次夯筑扩建，从最初大溪文化时期（约距今6300年）的较小规模，到屈家岭文化时期的大规模增筑，墙体底部宽度达30米以上，显示出工程的长期性与组织性。这种“城墙+环壕”的完整格局，是资源集中、人力动员和社会公共权力存在的直接体现，与简单的环壕聚落有了本质区别。

其次，城头山遗址也有功能分区。生活区、耕作区、祭祀区、墓葬区均严格分开。生活区发现了成排的房基，房屋格局也颇有讲究，居室与客厅相连又用物品隔开；手工业区集中分布着陶窑群以及相关的取土坑、蓄水坑、工棚遗迹，清晰地展示了一个专业化制陶作坊区的存在。

世界已知最早的稻田与成熟农业经济

城头山的另一项世界级发现，是位于城墙内侧、距今约6500年的古稻田遗址。这片稻田保存极为完好，面积达数百平方米，田埂、水口、灌溉坑等设施清晰可辨，甚至土壤中仍可检测出当时水稻硅酸体的遗留。

城头山稻田的发现具有重要意义。它以实物的方法直观地呈现了人类驯化水稻并进行系统农田管理的历史。城头山的稻田不再是零散的作物遗存，而是带有完善灌溉系统的规模化农业生产。这证明，在6500年前，长江中游的先民已经掌握了相当成熟的稻作农业生产技术，脱离了刀耕火种的原始阶段，进入了稳定的集约化农业时期。农业与城市在此形成了相互促进的共生关系：农业支撑城市发展，城市的需求又推动了农业技术的进步和管理的精细化。

祭坛与墓葬

在城头山遗址东部还发现了中国最早的大型祭坛遗迹。祭坛结构复杂，经过多次筑建，旁边有祭祀坑，表明这里曾举行过大规模的宗教仪式活动。这种将神圣祭祀空间纳入城市核心规划的做法，揭示了精神信仰在整合早期城市社会中的核心作用。

此外，遗址内还发现了集中的公共墓地，也有少数大型墓葬墓圹宽敞，且随葬有玉等珍贵器物。但绝大多数中小型墓葬仅随葬日常使用的陶器、石器等生产生活用具。墓葬的形制、规模及随葬品的差异反映了当时社会已存在明确的秩序与管理。

结论

城头山被誉为“中华城祖，世界稻源”，这八个字精准概括了其双重划时代价值：它既是迄今可确认的中国最早城市，将中国城市起源史大幅前推；又是世界稻作农业文明高度发展的重要见证。

城头山的伟大发现，其意义超越了遗址本身。它像一座历史的灯塔，照亮了中华文明起源进程中长期被忽视的长江流域篇章，强有力地证实了中华文明起源的多元性与本土性。它告诉我们，中华文明的摇篮不止一个，黄河与长江如同两条巨龙，很早就各自孕育出了灿烂的史前文化，它们南北呼应，交流互鉴，共同奠定了日后“多元一体”的中华文明的深厚根基。对城头山的保护、研究与价值阐释，不仅是对一段失落辉煌的追寻，更是对中华民族根脉的深度认知，对于我们在当今时代坚定文化自信、理解文明发展的多样路径，具有深远而重要的启示意义。

参考文献

[1] 国家文物局.湖南澧县城头山遗址[EB/OL].(2022-3-19). http://www.ncha.gov.cn/art/2022/3/19/art_2587_80.html

[2] 湖南省文物考古研究所.澧县城头山——新石器时代遗址发掘报告[Ｍ].北京：文物出版社，2007.

[3] 澧县城头山.城头山简介[EB/OL].(2022-11-22). http://chcts.net/Contents_486_1.Html

[4] 唐湘岳.城头山，中国最古老的城[J].光明日报，2015，5.

问题

1. 城头山遗址位于哪个省份？它的主体年代跨越了哪三个主要文化阶段？

2. 城头山遗址的城市形制有什么突出特点？

3. 城头山遗址中发现的古稻田有何世界性意义？

4. 城头山遗址的祭坛和墓葬反映了当时社会的哪些特征？

5. 为什么说城头山遗址是“中华城祖，世界稻源”？

回答

1. 城头山遗址位于湖南省。它的主体年代跨越了大溪文化期（约距今6300-5300年）、屈家岭文化期（约距今5300-4600年）和石家河文化期（约距今4600-4000年）。

2. 城头山遗址呈规整的圆形，拥有完整的“城墙+环壕”防御系统，城墙历经多次扩建，环壕兼具防御、排水和交通功能。城内空间布局功能分区明确，包括生活区、手工业区、祭祀区、墓葬区和耕作区。

3. 城头山发现的古稻田距今约6500年，是目前世界上已知最早、保存最完好的水稻田遗迹。它证明长江中游的先民在当时已掌握成熟的稻作农业技术，实现了集约化农业生产。

4. 祭坛的发现表明宗教仪式已成为社会整合的重要手段；墓葬的规模与随葬品的差异（大型墓有玉器等珍贵器物，中小型墓仅有日常用具）反映了社会已出现明显的等级分化和权力结构。

5. “中华城祖”指它是迄今确认的中国最早城市，代表了长江流域早期城市文明的起源；“世界稻源”指它发现了世界最早的古稻田，是稻作农业文明的重要实证。二者共同体现了城头山在中华文明与全球农业文明中的标志性地位。

术语和表达

Earliest city in China: 中国最早之城

Chengtoushan site: 城头山遗址

Liyang Plain: 澧阳平原

Neolithic Age: 新石器时代

Daxi Culture: 大溪文化

Rammed-earth city wall: 夯土城墙

Defensive moat (surrounding ditch): 环壕（护城河）

Functional zoning: 功能分区

World's earliest paddy fields: 世界最早的古稻田

Rice farming agriculture: 稻作农业

Large-scale altar: 大型祭坛

Sacrificial pit: 祭祀坑

Social stratification: 社会分层

Ancestor of Chinese Cities, Source of World Rice: 中华城祖，世界稻源