China's Ancient Roots

On her return from a visit to China Pippen remained surprised to learn that the common belief in the first civilization being at Sumer is now being challenged by the Chinese.

"Chinese scholars are encouraging the population to see themselves as unique, with a civilization going back far beyond the traditional period of five thousand years,” says Pippen, “which means that it supplants Sumer as the first civilization.”

"Actually, they assert cultural roots of more than a million years but a civilization of at least ten thousand years," says Pippen. "The traditional five thousand year old civilization pre-dates a single Chinese entity -- descendents of Yan and Huang -- which has lasted for two thousand years."

"Researchers in archeology, ethnic and regional cultures believe that the Hongshan people of the Northeast, the Liangzhu people of Zhejiang, the Jinsha ruins of Sichuan and the Yongzhou Shun Emperor site of Hunan are evidence of early Chinese civilizations,” says Pippen, “and this proves that China’s rice-growing agricultural history alone can be traced back as far as 8,000 to 10,000 years."


Read more by Pippen on China:

Old and New China

the miraculous Chinese

three races, one perfect?

America first settled by Chinese

the wealthy Chinese exodus

fat figures of fun in China

alienated in China