Climate Change, Geopolitics, and Human Settlements in the Hexi Corridor over the Last 5,000 Years

Abstract

Social responses to climate change over human history have been widely discussed in academia over the last two decades. However, the transformation of the human–environment nexus crossing prehistoric and historic periods and the processes associated with it are not yet clearly understood. In this study, based on published works on radiocarbon dating, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, and archaeological sites, together with a synthesis of historical documents and high‐resolution paleoclimatic records, we trace the extent to which human settlement patterns in the Hexi Corridor in northwestern China evolved in conjunction with climate change over the last 5,000 years. A total of 129 Neolithic, 126 Bronze Age, and 1,378 historical sites in the Hexi Corridor (n=1,633) were surveyed. Our results show that, in the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age periods (~2800–100 BC), climate change contributed to the transformation of subsistence strategies and the subsequent changes in human settlement patterns in the Hexi Corridor. The warm‐humid climate in ~2800–2000 BC promoted millet agriculture and helped the Majiayao, Banshan, and Machang Cultures to flourish. The cold‐dry climate in ~2000–100 BC resulted in the divergence and transformation of subsistence strategies in the Xichengyi–Qijia–Siba and Shajing–Shanma Cultures and in a shift in their settlement patterns. However, in the historical period (121 BC–AD 1911), human settlement patterns were primarily determined by geopolitics related to the alternating rule of regimes and frequent wars, especially in the Sui–Tang dynasties. We also find that trans‐Eurasian cultural exchange since ~2000 BC improved social resilience to climate change in the Hexi Corridor, mediating the human–environment nexus there. Our findings may provide insights into how human societies reacted to climate change in arid and semi‐arid environments over the long term.

Interpreting Diachronic Size Variation in Prehistoric Central Asian Cereal Grains

“…Its wide range of ecological tolerance allows farmers to cultivate barley in very diverse environmental zones, from arid deserts to 4,500 masl (Knüpffer et al, 2003). Yet, change in environmental conditions induced by climate change may have had an important impact on agriculture development or caused farmers to move up or down in ecoclines (Hsu, 1998;Büntgen et al, 2011;Yang et al, 2020a). High-altitude ecosystems are highly sensitive to climate changes (Huang et al, 2014;Schwarz et al, 2017); thereby, the regional changes in precipitation and temperature patterns could directly affect the duration of the growing season or yields.…”

Silky entanglements in Chinese color‐naming and its diachronic change: A new materialism perspective

“…59 Evidence from archeology depicts that between 3000 and 2200 BP, the intensity of human interaction and climate change transformed the original prehistoric economy into a pastoral economy. 57,59,60 At that time, the mild climate proved suitable condition for the development of agriculture. 61 For example, silk production and silkworm breeding evolved in the east and south of the country.…”

Sex-Biased Population Admixture Mediated Subsistence Strategy Transition of Heishuiguo People in Han Dynasty Hexi Corridor

“…Among the studies of adaptive changes, the evaluation of the factors leading to significant changes in subsistence strategy in human prehistory and history is a fascinating topic. Climate change, technological innovation, rapidly growing population, trans-continental cultural exchange, human migration, and geopolitics are clear potential candidates ( Cohen, 1975 ; Bonsall et al, 2002 ; Gao et al, 2007 ; Pokharia et al, 2017 ; Cheung et al, 2019 ; Petraglia et al, 2020 ; Yang et al, 2020 ; Li et al, 2021 ). Climate change is well-studied and considered one of the most guiding factors of shifting subsistence strategies.…”

“…The area was also a crossroads of agricultural and nomadic populations within China. Multiple lines of evidence showed that a significant shift in subsistence strategies along the Hexi Corridor occurred during the Han Dynasty ( Ma et al, 2016 ; Yang et al, 2019a ; Yang et al, 2020 ). Historical records from the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian, 史记) to the Hanshu (Book of Han, 汉书) stated that the Hexi Corridor was occupied by nomadic pastoralists (Xiongnu, Yuezhi, and Wusun) before the Han Dynasty, a claim supported by excavated relics and faunal remains from Shajing culture (2,900–2,100 cal yr BP) and Shanma culture (2,700–2,100 cal yr BP) ( Yang et al, 2019b ) sites.…”

“…Located in an arid climatic transitional belt, the Hexi Corridor is extremely sensitive to changes in its environment. Previous studies have primarily attempted to explain shifting subsistence strategies through the mirror of environmental change ( Zhou et al, 2016 ; Shi et al, 2018 ; Yang et al, 2019a ; Yang et al, 2020 ). But we believe that the influence of population migration should not be overlooked, especially when considering the Hexi Corridor’s unique geographical position.…”