<Tr> <Td_colspan="8"> This box: <Ul> <Li> view </Li> <Li> talk </Li> <Li> edit </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> view </Li> <Li> talk </Li> <Li> edit </Li> </Ul> <P> Written records of the history of China can be found from as early as 1500 BC under the Shang dynasty (c. 1600--1046 BC). Ancient historical texts such as the Records of the Grand Historian (c. 100 BC) and the Bamboo Annals (before 296 BC) describe a Xia dynasty (c. 2070--1600 BC), which had no system of writing on a durable medium, before the Shang . The Yellow River is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization, although cultures originated at various regional centers along both the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers . These Neolithic civilizations, known as the Yellow River and Yangtze civilizations, arose millennia ago . With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest civilizations, and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization . </P> <P> Much of Chinese culture, literature and philosophy further developed during the Zhou dynasty (1046--256 BC). The Zhou dynasty began to bow to external and internal pressures in the 8th century BC, and the kingdom eventually broke apart into smaller states, beginning in the Spring and Autumn period and reaching full expression in the Warring States period . This is one of multiple periods of failed statehood in Chinese history, the most recent being the Chinese Civil War that started in 1927 . </P>

Where did civilization get its start in china