Ba-Shu culture (
Chinese: 巴蜀文化;
pinyin: Bāshǔ wénhuà) refers to a regional culture centered around
Sichuan province and
Chongqing city, also encompassing parts of
Yunnan,
Guizhou and neighboring regions which speak
Southwestern Mandarin. Historically centered around the
Yangtze River, it emerged as an amalgamation of the cultures of the
Shu and
Ba kingdoms after their conquest by the
Qin Dynasty. The discovery of the Shu site of
Sanxingdui in 1986 and
Jinsha in 2001 places the Ba-Shu culture's age at nearly four millenia old;[2][3] consequently, it is widely considered to be one of the cradles of
Chinese civilisation and culture.[4][5][6]
The continuous use of the name Shu to refer to the Sichuan region throughout history has contributed to the Ba-Shu culture's survival (even today, one of the official names of Sichuan is Shu).[7] As a result, the Ba-Shu culture continues to the present day and is famous for aspects such as
its cuisine and
Sichuan opera.
Origins
Shu culture
The ancient kingdom of Shu originated from the Sanxingdui culture and thrived during the
Xia Dynasty, lasting a total of one or two millenia.[8] The Shu culture had a rich tradition of metalworking (especially with bronze) and manufactured numerous notable artifacts, hundreds of which were unearthed at sacrificial pits at Sanxingdui and Jinsha; these include bronze statues, heads and masks, several bronze trees (one of which, the Bronze Sacred Tree, has been restored), daggers, hundreds of pieces of pottery, and the
Golden Sun Bird.[9][10] Additionally, the Shu culture is noted for its resistance to external influences, and was more or less unaffected by other nearby cultures until its conquest by the Qin Dynasty in 316 BC.[11][12]
Ba culture
Ba culture and the State of Ba were historically centered around the Three Gorges area.[13] The Ba people worshiped the white tiger, which was their totem, and crafted many bronze artifacts based on its form and patterns.[14][15] Additionally, they had a rich tradition of performing arts, with distinctive instruments and ritual dances like the Bayu Dance.[16][17] However, there is a lack of identifiable artifacts belonging to the Ba culture because nearly all of them have been mixed with relics of other nearby kingdoms. Additionally, there is an absence of written records about Ba culture made in the same time period by the Shang dynasty or any other states. As a result, not much is known about ancient Ba culture.[18]