论中国城市形成于商代

关于中国城市形成的年代,学术界争议颇多,关键是对城市内涵的理解不一。城市是一个国家或地区一定历史时期内政治、经济、文化的中心和有机结合体。以文献和考古材料相结合考察,可见发现,商代既有作为阶级对抗的防御设施——城墙或壕沟,又有进行商品交易的场所——"市";既有贵族、平民、奴隶的多层次社会结构,又有兴旺发达的工商业,从而使"城"真正成为某一地区某一历史时期内的政治、经济、文化中心的"城市"。准此,中国城市形成于商代。

On The Formation of Cities in the Shang Dynasty

The controversy in the academic field about when Chinese cities were formed results from the different understandings of the connotation of the term "city".Cities reflect the politics,economy,and culture of a country or an area in a specific historical period.The related literature and materials of archaeology show that the Shang Dynasty had not only the defense facilities like city walls and trenches,but also "markets" where goods could be exchanged.It also had the multi-layer social hierarchy and developed industry and commerce.All the above contribute to the emergence of cities as the political,economic and cultural center of an area in the specific historical period.That is to say,Chinese cities were formed in the Shang Dynasty earliest.