An attempt to render Chinese archaeology more accessible to Western readers through a detailed case study of approximately 16,000 years of cultural development in northeastern China. The author addresses prehistoric sociopolitical processes in the Dongbei region through an analysis of both his and other researchers' field data and demonstrates the potential contribution of conducting archaeological research into anthropology-related issues in China.

Reconciling the Dichotomies.- The Paradigm of Chinese Archaeology and the Archaeology of Northeast China.- Hongshan and Related Cultures (c. 4500-2200 B.C.).- Lower Xiajiadian Period (c.2200-1600B.C.).- Upper Xiajiadian Period (c. 1000-600 B.C.).- Warring-States to the Han (5th Century B.C to 3rd Century A.D.) and Liao (10th to 12th Century A.D.) Periods.- Diachronic Analysis of Processes in the Chifeng Area and Northeast China.- Conclusions and Suggestions for Future Archaeological Research in the Chifeng Area.