Volume I of the three-volume “Ancient China” is devoted to the history of the emergence of the most ancient centers of civilization and statehood in the Yellow River basin (Shang, Western Zhou). The book gives a brief outline of the prehistory of China, as well as a description of ancient Chinese sources and the history of the study of Chinese antiquities.

Contents: Preface Ancient Chinese source (texts and their study) Ancient Chinese texts Ancient inscriptions Early works of the canon (“Shujing”, “Shijing”, "I Ching") Treatises of ancient Chinese thinkersTexts of historical contentConsolidated and systematic worksAncient Chinese written text as a sociocultural phenomenonHistory of the study of Chinese antiquities and ancient ChinaStudy of antiquity in China after Sima QianThe formation of European sinologyWestern European sinology of the 19th century: the study of Chinese antiquityChinese sinology at the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. : the study of Chinese antiquityAncient China in world sinology of the 20th century. The fate of domestic sinology and the study of ancient China in our country. The study of ancient China in the People's Republic of China Sinology today and tomorrow: problems and prospects (the study of ancient China) Problems of prehistory Sinanthropus and the processes of anthropo- and racial genesis in China Problems of the genesis of the agricultural Neolithic Neolithic painted ceramics in ChinaLate Neolithic of China: Longshanoid horizonEarly Bronze Age and the problem of XiaShan ChinaGeneral appearance and main characteristics of the Late Shan (Anyang) civilizationModern science on the problems of the genesis of supra-communal political structuresEarly proto-state structures in ChinaDeveloped proto-state in AnyangClan structure of Shang society and the institutionalization of the power of the ruler-WangOrganization of production and system administrationSpiritual culture of the ShangMilitary function in the ShangHistoriographic tradition about the ShangZhou people and the collapse of the ShangZhou people before Wen-wanZhou people under Wen-wanWu-wan and the battle of Muye (1027 BC)Shang rebellion and the eastern campaign of Zhou-gongTheory of the “Mandate of Heaven” (Tian -min) Ethical determinant (idea de)Western Zhou: institutionalization of powerFrom proto-state to statePrinciples of administration organizationProblem of centralization of redistributionCentral power and the system of destiniesWang and vassals: feudalization of external destiniesFeudal-clan ties in destinies (zong-fa, zong-zu)Production and redistributionHistory of Western Zhou (1027-771) BC) Zhou China under Kang-wang (1004-967) and Zhao-wang (966-948) Mu-wang (947-928) Gong-wang, I1-wang, Xiao-wang, I2-wang ( 927-858) Zhou China under Lebanon (857-828) Reforms of Xuan-wang (827-782) Yu-wang (781-771) and the end of Western Zhou From Western Zhou to Chunqiu (Ping-wang, 770-720) Destinations (kingdoms ) Zhou China to ChunqiuLifestyle in Shang-Early Zhou ChinaClan, clan, family, communityRealities of everyday lifeHolidays and ritualsCult of ancestors in the Shang and Western ZhouUpper and lower classes in Shang-Early Zhou ChinaBibliography (literature on the topic)IndexMaps