Abstract:

In the oracle - bone inscriptions of Yin times both the gods of "Hua" and "Xia" had a similar high position with the god of "He" (river), which afforded an important clue for revealing the origin of Hua - xia civilization and the source of the term "hua xia". In the past hundred years, however, these two characters were always misinterpreted as "yue" and "nao". "Hua" and "Xia" were originally geographical terms, referring to Hua Mount and Great Xia respectively, which were located in and connected by the opposite south and north banks of the Yellow River. And there was a legendary myth about the god of "River" who ripped "Hua" and "Xia". Accordingly, the fact that the three gods were mentioned together in the inscriptions could be understood from their cognitive source. The region of "Hua Xia" was just a core place that was occupied in succession by Yao, Shun and Yu and by Shang, Zhou and Qin Dynasties, and was regarded as "zhong tu" (middle land) and further an alternative name of "zhong guo" (literally, middle country, that is, China), as opposed to the "four directions". Then, its implication of regional culture was transformed and referred to the people of "zhong guo" (the Chinese people). As a name of the nation, "Hua Xia" represented a national concept in the sense of regional culture instead of blood relationship.

Key words: oracle - bone inscription, hua, xia, China, the Chinese nation