Yazhang and the origin of political world order in ancient China

Scepter yazhangs are jade ceremonial blades that have been unearthed across China. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, they manifested as some of the most prestigious objects for the elite. After over two decades of collaborations among scholars, we have a comprehensive understanding of its dispersal: 1) In approximately 4,500 BP, yazhang first appeared in Dawenkou and Longshan sites in Shandong province; 2) In 4,000 BP, Shandong yazhangs had spread eastward into Shaanxi province through the Yellow River’ valley, eventually reaching southwestern region of Gansu province. In Shaanxi, yazhangs in the Shimao site developed into large blades with dragon-shaped flanges on the sides, which the longest jade blade reached 50 centimeter. The yazhangs of the Qijia culture in the early Bronze Age could possibly have been influenced by Shimao. This marked the first dispersal of yazhangs from the east to the west in the Yellow River basin; 3) In 3,700-3,600 BP, Erlitou in He-nan province was possibly the capital of the late Xia dynasty. Erlitou yazhangs found in the Erlitou elites’ burials became enormous in size, reflecting the influence by Shimao. As important royal regalia, yazhang reflected the presence of political system in this period. This signified the second dispersal of yazhangs in prehistory, where this jade culture dispersed from Shaanxi eastward to He-nan. Yazhangs unearthed in Shimao, Huadizui, and Erlitou are closely related; 4) A comprehensive characteristic analysis of the unearthed yazhangs in the regions of Yangtze River, the Pearl River, and the Hồng River in Vietnam indicate that Erlitou yazhangs developed southward about 3,500 to 3,000 BP. The culture dispersed through the Nanyang basin, reaching the Yangtze River, and separated into two directions: one path followed the Sichuan basin and reached the Hồng River Delta in Vietnam, the other path travelled southeast, reaching Hunan and Fujian, and arrived as far as Lamma Island at the Pearl River Delta in Hong Kong. The yazhang unearthed on Lamma Island, dated to the early Shang dynasty, is the only known jade blade unearthed on an island. This yazhang thus serves an important role in the discussion of coastal culture dispersal in early Shang period. This development marked the massive third yazhang dispersal, where the culture had reached South China and northern Southeast Asia at the beginning of Bronze Age.