On the Development and Evolution of Neolithic Jade Culture: Taking the Xinglongwa Culture of Prehistoric Art as an Example

From ancient times to the present, the Chinese have had an unspoken love for jade. The discovery of jade artifacts at Xinglongwa, a site of the Xinglongwa Culture, opened the door to China’s jade civilization. The findings at Xinglongwa in the Liao River Basin are of great research significance for the origins and development of early jade artifacts, pottery, and sculpture, among other arts. The Xinglongwa jade culture is closely related to the later Hongshan Culture in northeastern China, as well as the Majiabang Culture in southern China, which is also linked to the origins of jade artifacts. Both their forms and cultural connotations have played significant roles in the history of Chinese jade civilization. This article focuses on the origins of the Xinglongwa jade culture, its transmission to subsequent cultures, and the exchange and integration of jade cultures between the North and South. Based on existing literature records, it conducts an in-depth exploration and analysis of the development and evolution of jade culture during the Neolithic era.