The Neolithic of Southeast China: Cultural Transformation and Re ...

Archaeologists who favor an endogenous model to explain the origin of the Tanshishan Culture have disputed Chang‘s population migration theory. After the excavation of the Keqiutou site in 1986, most archaeologists working with the materials of Fujian argued that the Tanshishan Culture was developed from the Keqiutou Culture, and the external influence was insignificant or only played a minimum role (An, 1990; Lin, 1993; Wu, 1995). An Zhimin argued that the ceramic tripod, one important indicator of Chang‘s “Longshanoid Sphere,” was not a major type of vessel in the Tanshishan Culture. Therefore, it could not serve as a marker of cultural influence (An, 1990). Wu maintains that the integration of Fujian into the Chinese civilization sphere was a complicated process, and it did not happen until the end of the second century B.C. when Han Dynasty annexed Fujian as part of its territory (Wu, 1995). Lin Gongwu proposed that the Taishishan Culture developed indigenously from the previous Keqiutou Culture and no significant external influences were observed in the Tanshishan material assemblage (Lin, 1993).

5. The relationship between the Neolithic cultures of mainland southeast China and Taiwan: This has been an interesting issue for archaeologists both in Taiwan and mainland China. The discussion has been focused on the origins of the Neolithic cultures in Taiwan and the later influences from the mainland to Taiwan. Most archaeologists recognize that Taiwan‘s Neolithic cultures originated in the mainland. Chang argued that the Dapenkeng Culture, the earliest Neolithic culture so far known in Taiwan (see Chapter Four), was also distributed on the Mainland coast, and he listed the Keqiutou site, the Fuguodun site, and the Chenqiao site as parts of the Dapenkeng Culture (Chang, 1995). Tsang Cheng-Hwa further elaborated on this issue (Tsang, 1995, 2002).