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Xia Xiaozheng
Xia Xiaozheng is the earliest existing farming almanac of Han nationality. It was the 47th article in Da Dai Book of Rites. Xia Xiaozheng consisted of Channels and Biography, and there were more than four hundred words. The content of it was arranged into twelve months and recorded the phenology, weather, aspect astrology and related important policies, especially in production. 
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Chinese Literature Xia xiaozheng

For all twelve months the short text Xia xiaozheng (it is only 463 characters long) notes down the configuration and movement of the stars (the constellations appearing at dawn and at dusk at the horizon, the direction of the ladle of the Northern Dipper, or the appearance of the Milky Way), meterorological phenomena, phenology and agricultural and political activities.

Xia Dynasty

In this period Xishi and Heshi were assigned to be in charge of observing celestial bodies and the four seasons. Xishi and Heshi worked out a calendar called "Xia Xiao Zheng", which divided the year into 12 months. They also recorded the monthly configuration and movement of the stars, appropriate farming activities in different living stated of plants and animals in different months. As regards to the production of pottery, stoneware and bronze there were also achievements in the Xia dynasty. Bronze metallurgy was a newly developed industry and the techniques were fairly advanced. There are more than 20 kinds of signs inscribed on the wares unearthed from the Erlitou and Dawemkou cultural relics. These signs already represented the forms of strokes of Chinese characters.

Xia Dynasty

The Xia established its own army and penal code Yu Xing (penal code of Yu). The Xia also created a calendar, which is said to be China's first calendar, using the Big Dipper to determine months. Xia Xiao Zheng, kept in Da Dai Li Ji (Book of Rites by Da Dai), is an important existing document of the Xia calendar. It recorded the movements of the sun, moon and stars in line with the 12 lunar months of the year and also the seasons of stockbreeding and farming accordingly. Xia Xia Zheng, to certain extent, reflects the development of animal husbandry and agriculture in Xia, leaving an invaluable record of the earliest scientific knowledge in ancient China.

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Examples

1 One such ancient text is the Xia Xiao Zheng, which is said to have circulated as an independent text before it was incorporated in the Dadai Liji.

2 The Small Calendar of the Xia, or Xia xiaozheng, now preserved in the Confucian classics, is believed to be a calendar of the Xia dynasty.

3 The Xia xiaozheng is the earliest calendar to have had a wide circulation.