Archaeological culture, document texts, and the construction of early Wu Yue history

Abstract The current study first systematically traces the archaeological cultures of southeast China (the Wu Yue region) during the Western Zhou, from the perspective of material culture remains, sources, regional variants, and social conditions revealed from the archaeological evidence. It then analyzes the plurality of interpretations of bronze inscriptions and the nature of documentary records concerning the emergence of the Wu and Yue states and their early history. The author points out that a regional archaeological culture with unique characteristics, showing great cultural affinity with the Wu Yue culture during the late Eastern Zhou period (771–475 BCE) had existed in southeast China during Western Zhou (1045–771 BCE). However, the emergence of Wu and Yue states and their early history recorded in historical texts have not been confirmed by any archaeological discoveries in the form of material cultures, bronze inscriptions, or documentary texts. Assertions of direct connections between related archaeological cultures and early Wu and Yue states lack persuasiveness. Considering this, the author proposes new insights into the textuality of documentary records, the relation between archaeology and historical texts, as well as the essence of historiography.