A Query to the View of the Xia and Shang Dynasties “Taking a Straight Path” 

Wu Rui

Abstract: The Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties developing in a straight line is the Confucian idea of history, which lasts until now. The Xia nationality surnamed “Si”, and the original form of it was “yi”. Wang Yinzhi, a scholar of the Qing Dynasty had pointed out that “yi” and “yun” were interlinked, and the bronze inscriptions also proved that the two characters were interchangeable. The ethnic minority of “Yun”, “Xianyun”, and “Xiongnu” recorded in ancient books all surnamed “Si”, which are the descendants of the Xia nationality. The Xia nationality originated from the Wei river basin in the west. Though they had ever expanded to the east, it did not mean that the Shang nationality arose until the Xia nationality perished. Originated from the east, the Shang nationality surnamed “Zi”, and belonged to the Niaoyi nationality, named after its totem of bird. Being recorded twice in the piece “Yugong” of Shang Shu, the Niaoyi nationality was a very large lineage, including Yao, Shun, Gaoyao, as well as the people of the states of Yin, Qin, and Zhao. The Niaoyi civilization is actually the foundation of the East Asian culture. The rites of Yin were based on the long culture of Niaoyi but not the culture of Xia nationality. It is understandable that Confucius indiscreetly took the rites of Xia which was already nebulous as the foundation of the rites of Yin, as he could not find the foundation was actually the Niaoyi culture. To backtrack the history for clue of ideological creation is a common method in historical studies, but it is limited, and should be carefully applied.