Preface

Huo Wei

As early as 1987, Prof. Enzheng Tong, a late prominent Chinese archaeologist in Sichuan University, has made a significant theoretical contribution to long-distance cultural communications in his writings. As he pointed out, there were rows of mountain chains on the northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau stretching eastward into the Da Xing’an Mountain region in Jilin and Liaoning provinces, and other rows of mountain chains on the southwest of the Plateau extending from western Sichuan to northwestern Yunnan, named the Hengduan Mountain. These two mountain chains in the north and south resembling two powerful arms, along with the adjacent highlands, embraced the heartland of China, namely the fertile plains and basins in the midstream and downstream regions of Yellow River and Yangtze River.‘Culturally, the geographical zone had remarkable characteristics which derived from their proper originations. Likewise, it formed the fringe area of the ancient Chinese civilization. These highlands extended thousands of kilometers from Northeast to Southwest, however, plentiful ethnic groups there had left numerous similar cultural elements from the Late Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age’, based on the analysis of archaeological cultural elements, Prof. Tong put forward the momentous argument that there would have been a‘crescent-shape communication belt’ alongside the Northeast to Southwest China historically. Once the hypothesis was brought out, it exerted great influence over Chinese archaeological academia. A new era started thereafter. The proposition made it possible to combine‘Cultural Elements’ with natural environments, and to apply transregional studies into comparable studies in wider horizon. The hypothesis has been carrying profound significance so far.

What Prof. Tong presented was concentrated on the area from Northeast to Southwest China, whereas the discussions and considerations have gone far beyond the area. Recently, a good few of Chinese and occidental scholars have promoted the theory to a further phase. As mentioned below, those scholars believe that there should be another‘crescent-shape cultural communication belt as well, which stretches eastward from Xinjiang, Qinghai and Gansu, then extends alongside Hengduan Mountain into northwest Sichuan and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. These two crescent-shape cultural belts apparently compose a Y-shape network and unite the peripheries of the Northeast, Northwest and Southwest together. Furthermore, the three limbs of the network also insert into the remote areas of the Northern Steppe and the hilly region of Southeast Asia. Noteworthy is the fact that several cultural phenomena and elements spread widely. As examples, the former includes the emergence of bronze melting and casting techniques in Southeast Asia and the wide distribution of the stone-coffin graves throughout Chinese borderlands, then the latter lies in the images of animals and northern-styled weapons and other particularities in the site of Shizhaishan in Yunnan and more sites of Sichuan.

The causes resulting in such similar or even identical cultural elements in long-distance and widespread area are rather complex. Unfortunately, the attempt that the Chinese and occidental scholars undertook to construct frames for the spectacular narratives were not fruitful, though they have used various theories to elucidate, or presented different‘diffusion models’ or hypothesis including trade, tribute, reward, immigration and wars. In early years, Tong considered the causes from the prospective of ecological environments and the ethnic relationship between nomadic and agricultural groups associated with environments. Circumspectly, he further pointed out that the possible reasons should also conclude ethnic immigrations, fusions and direct communications, or indirect ideological transmissions. And even we cannot rule out the possibility that some factors arose independently. However, whether the communications were direct or not, certain objective conditions are necessary. Nothing but only when there were same requirements and similar environmental surroundings between the diffusing groups and the receiving ones, would the communications take place. It is still gimleteyed and far-seeing of Tong for proposing this notion even in nowadays. As is mentioned by Anke Hein that the natural circumstances in Southwest China and its vicinities is extremely complex. Various ecologic units intersected in a special pattern. The valleys among high mountains and dense river networks are connected with every directional route. According to the diversity of communications, we should take into consideration not only the connections within steppes, which has been cited popularly, but also the relationships with Tibet, India, Southeast Asia and other regions, regardless of the distance. Archaeological materials in most parts of Tibet, Southwest China, Southwest Asia and India still need to be published or exploited. All the proposed issues so far are temporary. However, it is obvious that regions of Southwest China and Asia had been brought into multiple associated networks since a very long time ago. The importance of these correlations is dissimilar, moreover, the intensity of relations and the modes of communications are far different as well.

Being acquainted with the academic history and confronting the new stage of archaeological study on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, we suggest that, contemporarily, one of our important tasks should be to sort and review the former archaeological investigations and researches carefully. Only by doing this could it be possible for us to pinpoint the correct direction in large-scaled and long-termed narratives without confusion. This is the main purpose for this book series. Instead of sealing themselves in an isolated‘culture island’, people on the Plateau maintained intimate relationships with the region in its vicinity. They have been absorbing all sorts of virtues from various ethnics and cultures to shape their plateau-style characteristic. By means of selection and reform, this kind of‘Culture Gene’ was inherited and carried forward continuously.

After the discussion with editorial board members, we tentatively plan to organize the reports and papers specifically in the area of Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan.According to the content, this series is constituted of four volumes. Volume I is about Fieldwork, which concludes important archaeological field reports of Paleolithic and historical archaeological sites in the abovementioned area. Volume II is about Archaeological Research. We selected a series of important research papers, in an attempt to demonstrate the perspective of academic circle on significant archaeological and historical subjects. Volume III is about Archaeometry. We collected representative papers with respect to studies of environmental changes and archaeometry, in order to show the application and gains of new archaeological methods and techniques in mentioned area. Volume IV is about Cultural Heritage Conservation. We gathered parts of articles about the strategic policies on cultural heritage conservation made in the aforementioned provinces and autonomous regions, and the situations of ethnic handcraft impartations and recoveries of murals. Our purpose is to manifest the major tendency that instead of simplex field archaeology, the archaeological assignment in new era is transforming into total cultural heritage conservation. Additionally, these four volumes just roughly expressed our editing principle, which is not a precise categorization.

Totally, we expect that the historical outline of ancient ethnic cultures’ emerging and formation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau would be further realized and improved through these articles. We also attempt to make comparisons between space-time environments and cultural elements. Firstly, perceiving the early groups’ living situation during the Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages on the Plateau and its vicinities through archaeological sites and remains, in order to provide scientific materials for inquiring into the basic clues of the origination and development of the ancient cultures in the regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its neighborhood. Secondly, examining various types and characteristics of Bronze culture such as Kayue Culture, Nuomuhong Culture and‘stone coffin grave culture’. The purpose is to identify how the Bronze cultures of Southwest and Northwest impacted the culture on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and to comprehend the similarities and individualities. Thirdly, to view the relationship between Tibetan and Tang’s culture, the Tibetan impact in this area, the communications and interactions among Tibetan culture and ethnic cultures nearby. Especially to improve our recognitions of the contacts of Tibetan culture and traditional Silk Road through the area in Tang Dynasty, which enhanced the close connections between Chinese inland and the peripheries. Finally, to analyze the diffusion of the Buddhist culture, the origination and emission of the Buddhist art and those performances according to field archaeological materials, for a better understanding of the communication with Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism. Certainly, due to the limitation of our knowledge, ability and scope, it should be valued by academic world whether we have achieved the goal or not.

It should be noted that this series is compiled from different sources, therefore some of the standpoints might be different, even contradictory with each other. Some views, if not all, would be improved and revised according to the emergence of new materials. Exactly, while comparing various materials in the long-time and wide-space scale, we could be acquainted with the progresses and paths of perceiving academic problems. Thereby it would be possible for us to review the past and look into the future, and to take solid steps and set clear objective as well.

Last but not least, we would like to acknowledge both the academic institutes and individual authors for their contributing to this book series. It is impossible to finish the volumes without their understanding and recognitions. All the field investigation, excavation reports and research papers are derived from their painstaking cares and intelligence of lots of years’ working in archaeological forefront. Their intentions of contributions, based on their enthusiasm to academy, are devotions into academic course. Likewise, we are grateful to the directors of Tiandi Publishing House, especially to Mr. Fan Yong, who graduated from Sichuan University majoring in archaeology and is also my classmate, for their warm-hearted cooperation on academic development. Under the recent circumstances of publishing, without noble-minded and wide horizon there could be no determination for them to invest this project. I would like to acknowledge to the mentioned organizations and individuals again.

30th, May, 2017 （Dragon Boat Festival）

Sichuan University