The evidences of China's national life at the beginning of the Arst mileniuni B.C. consist of a few archaeological discoveries, the Inscribed carapaces of toriolse's and the clavicles of deer nised in divination, some Bronze sacrificial vessels with inscriptions, perhaps the stone' drums at Peking and the later Odes and certain fragments of the Classic of history. Nevertheless, the Chinese historiographers have reconstructed ancient China. They have a period which is supplied by mythology. Such periods certainly represent nothing but Chinese folklore, important in thought, Mterature and art, but crea-_ tions of later times, and examples of euhemerism or deliberate archaism.
Modern scholarship (and for that matter Chinese scholars for some p centuries) is sceptical of the histor-tolly of these accounts. Unfortunately, unlike for ancient Egypt and the East Mediterranean rations, monuments of antiquity have not been preserved In any abundance; and excavations, save for a few scattered ex-editions in Honan and Shensi, may he said to have scarcely begun.
The Modern Schoot As is to be expected, the school] of modern Chinese historians who
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.