History and humanities

Zhejiang is one of the birthplaces of ancient Chinese civilization.

Human activities occurred in the Zhejiang 1 million years ago, and more than 100 Neolithic sites have been discovered in the province. The most famous ones are the Liangzhu Culture dating back to 4,000-5,000 years ago, the Hemudu Culture dating back to 5,000-7,000 years ago, the Majiabang Culture dating back to more than 6,000 years ago, the Kuahuqiao Culture dating back to 7,000-8,000 years ago, and the Shangshan Culture dating back to 10,000 years ago. Recently, the largest ancient city in China dating back to 5,000 years ago was discovered at the Liangzhu site.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhejiang belonged to the Wu and Yue States; during the Warring States Period, it belonged to the Chu State; during the Qin Dynasty, it belonged to Kuaiji County, Zhang County, and Minzhong County; during the Han period, it belonged to the Yangzhou Prefecture Department; during the Tang Dynasty, it belonged first to the Jiangnan Supervision Area, and then to the East Jiangnan Supervision Area, which was divided into two divisions: the East Zhejiang upervision Area and the West Zhejiang Supervision Area. "Zhejiang" has been used as the name of an administrative area since then. Qian Liu, a native of Lin'an during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, established the Wuyue Kingdom, which belonged to the Jiangnan Supervision Area. The Southern Song Dynasty chose Lin'an (now Hangzhou) as the capital, which was divided into the West Supervision Area and the East Supervision Area. It belonged to Jiangsu and Zhejiang Executive Secretariat Province in the Yuan Dynasty. In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhejiang Executive Secretariat Province was established, referred to as Zhejiang Province briefly. The name of the province appeared since then, and was later changed to Zhejiang Provincial Administrative Government, with jurisdiction over 11 prefectures, 1 state, and 75 counties. Till then, the provincial boundaries were basically fixed. In the early years during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, it was changed to Zhejiang Province, the present name.

According to statistics, there are more than 1,000 writers from Zhejiang who have been recorded in history since the Eastern Han Dynasty, accounting for about one-sixth in the whole country. Especially since the "May Fourth" Movement, a large number of cultural celebrities from Zhejiang, such as Lu Xun and Mao Dun, have appeared. Nearly one-fifth of the academicians (members of the academies) of the "two academies" are from Zhejiang since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

There are five religions, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Christianity, in Zhejiang. Each religion has a long history and many believers. Buddhism and Taoism have been introduced into Zhejiang for more than 1,800 years, Islam, more than 1,400 years, Catholicism, more than 400 years, and Christianity, more than 150 years. Zhejiang has 13 national key temples for Buddhism. Mount Putuo is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains. Guoqing Temple of Tiantai Mountain is regarded as the ancestral court of Tiantai Sect by Japanese and Korean Buddhism, and Tiantong Temple in Ningbo is revered as the ancestral court of Caodong Sect by Japanese Buddhism. Of the Ten Taoist Caves, three are located in Zhejiang. Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque is one of the four ancient Islamic mosques along the southeast coast of China.