History of Jiangxi

The history of Jiangxi stretches from Lower Paleolithic times to the present, as Jiangxi was already inhabited by humans one million years ago.Sun Jiahua 孫家驊, Zhan Kaixun 詹開遜, 2004, ISBN 7-210-02912-5 and the Neolithic period began before 8000 BC, represented by Xianrendong culture in discovering cultivated rice over 10,000 years ago. It is followed by the Bronze Age around 2000 BC, represented by Wucheng culture and Dayangzhou culture, and by the Iron Age prior to 500 BC.

The first recorded people inhabited in Jiangxi are Baiyue and their influence is still found in nowadays Gan language. Jiangxi was then respectively ruled by Wu, Yue, Chu in the 1st millennium BC and firstly conquered by the Chinese dynasty of Han around 200 BC.

Centred on the Gan River valley, Jiangxi provides the main north-south transport route. Its encirclement by mountains has allowed the lands of Jiangxi to develop as a separate geographic region and an independent cultural entity. They provide one of the communication routes from the North China Plain and the Yangzi River valley to the territory of modern Guangdong. As a result, Jiangxi has been strategically important throughout much of its history.

Early history

Jiangxi was outside the sphere of influence of early Chinese civilization during the Shang Dynasty...
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