Qujialing
Qujialing Culture Type-Site · Jingshan Qujialing
Qujialing 3400–2600 BCE → Shijiahe 2600–2300 → Longshan·Qujialing culture (Middle Yangzi Chalcolithic) → Shijiahe·🇨🇳 Hubei Province, Jingmen City, Jingshan County, Qujialing–Shijiahe plateau (Chang Lake basin, Jianghan Plain north), China
About
About Qujialing
Type-site for Qujialing culture (c.3400–2600 BCE) on the Qujialing–Shijiahe plateau north of Chang Lake in Jianghan Plain — 263 ha palisaded terrace (eastern plateau 160 m height) excavated 1955–57 and 1975–90 by Hubei Institute. Qujialing (with eastern and western sub-towns) shows fortified Chalcolithic village with egg-shell black pottery (0.5 mm thin), spindle whorls (textile), and evidence of 'Longshan egg-shell' precursor to Taosi and Longshan, plus China's earliest large storage pits and red copper. Stratigraphy: Qujialing → Shijiahe (2600–2300 BCE) then decline; demonstrates Jianghan rice-millet dual cropping moving northward to Central Plains Yangshao.
Why it mattersType-site for egg-shell black pottery — direct ancestor of Longshan egg-shell and Taosi black pottery, linking Middle Yangzi to Central Plains Longshan elite; textile whorls earliest ramie/cotton hint.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Was thin pottery for elite or everyday — why 0.5 mm?
Theories
- 01Qujialing as Longshan egg-shell origin diffusing north to Taosi (Yan)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.3400 BCE Qujialing palisaded village; florescence 3000–2600
- Period
- Qujialing 3400–2600 BCE → Shijiahe 2600–2300 → Longshan
- Culture
- Qujialing culture (Middle Yangzi Chalcolithic) → Shijiahe
- Builders
- Jianghan Chalcolithic farmers (Qujialing people)
- Purpose
- Palisaded ridge farming center controlling Jianghan rice-millet frontier near Central Plains
- Abandoned
- c.2300 BCE (Shijiahe hydraulic shift to Shijiahe mega-town)
- Rediscovered
- 1954 discovery; 1955–90 major excavations (Zhang Zhiheng)
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.3400–3000 BCE
Palisaded village with egg-shell black pottery precursor and copper
c.3000–2600 BCE
263 ha terrace with spindle whorls (cotton? ramie textile) and storage pits
1955
Hubei Institute defines Qujialing culture type-site
On the ground
Structures & features
30.8300° N · 112.5000° E · 45 m · 2 mapped features
Palisaded Terrace Core
settlementPalisaded 263 ha terrace with egg-shell black pottery workshops
30.8305° N · 112.5005° EStorage Pit and Textile Area
storage3 m deep storage pits and spindle whorl concentration on western terrace
30.8295° N · 112.4995° E