Northern Zhejiang area  (Group leader Masaru Nishitani)

Neolithisation: 5000-2500BC; Modernisation: 15-19 c

Area: The southern bank of the Qiantang Jiang river mouth

Reasons for selection:

(1) NZ. area is the birthplace of agriculture (incl. rice cultivation and livestock farming) on the East Asian inland seas;

(2) Unique geographical setting of Qiantang Jiang river mouth with its lowlands and mountains;

(3) Qiantang Jiang river mouth unites inland sea and continental inland.

(4) Existence of major archaeological sites (Tianluoshan).

Important issues during the Neolithisation period:

(1)   Autonomous emergence of the first agricultural society combining paddy field rice cultivation and livestock farming (pigs and chicken), and its expansion to other areas.

(2)   The emergence of the first urban centres in the East Asian inland sea region; formation of the first state in the region.

(3)   Central role in a trading network connecting inland sea with continental inland.

Important issues during the Modernisation period:

(1)   One of the main target areas for Japanese pirate attacks.

(2)   NZ. area not only unites inland sea and continental inland, but is also central in the contacts with the Western civilisation.

(3)   One of the major rice production areas.

(4) Although NZ. area is densely populated, urbanised and although industry and monetary economy were developed, there was no autonomous Industrial Revolution and no expansion of capitalism.