History of Asia (China)

The coastal state of U, which existed in the VI-IV centuries. BC. E. In the Yangtze Delta is considered by some researchers as the oldest class society of the peoples of the Austronesian language family (the remnant of the northern part of the "Indonesian ring" near the South Sea, related to the modern Indonesian peoples of Taiwan). The population of the Ba and Shu states in the middle reaches of the Yangtze usually refers to the Sino-Tibetan peoples who took part in the formation of the mrunma, that is, the early-famed Burmese people.
In addition to all these states there is information about a dozen small state formations in the northern part of the Indochina Peninsula, in the basin of the rivers Xijiang and the Yangtze River.
The territory of most of the states described was considered in ancient Chinese sources as something in common, their people were called "jiao-chi", then "man." The basis of their economy was irrigation rice growing in the main valley parts of these states, they widely used bronze tools, including plow plow.
These peoples lived in communities (small rural) in low valleys of large rivers, where high density of agricultural population arose on large areas. The monarch's power was despotic; Formed a large landed aristocracy and dependent (slaves), but the bulk of the population still were free community members. Complex religious ideas combined the prevailing cult of ancestors with the deification of certain forces of nature; Some agrarian cultures have already formed on this basis an agrarian cult.
At the end of the II century. BC. E. Almost all Thai and Vietnamese by language states were included in the Han Empire. History of Asia (China) ...

By the first centuries of our era, the centers of statehood arose in the basin of all large rivers of South-East Asia, which was promoted by the massive spread of iron smelting and the further improvement of agriculture. Regular contacts were made with the Buddhist world of South India, supplementing more ancient ties with the peoples of the Yellow River basin.
The basis of the economy was irrigated rice growing, both plow and hoe. The irrigation was, according to the conditions of the region, medium- and small-scale. A significant role was played by fishing. The main social unit of the plains farmers was a small rural community, whose members, apparently, were still connected at that time with strong ties of kinship.
A specific feature of all societies of the type described was the combination, within the framework of a single ethnic group, of developed plains farmers and of the hunter-gatherers and slash farmers who lived in the neighboring mountainous areas.

History of Asia (China)