Abstract: The era of Yao, Shun, and Yu as recorded in the literature broadly corresponds to the Longshan era in archaeological terms. This period is a critical stage in the formation and development of Chinese civilization, laying the historical and cultural foundation of early Chinese civilization. Rather than becoming preoccupied with the minor details of the documentary accounts of this era, we should adopt a relatively macro-level holistic analysis of the social conditions and historical circumstances reflected in the textual narratives. Ethnic identification, reverence for heaven and emulation of the ancestors, moral convergence, and the concept of centering were the four key factors driving the continuous integration of different tribes and clan-states during the Yao-Shun-Yu era, and served as the internal driving forces toward unity. These shared concepts and fundamental ideas gradually homogenized cultural beliefs and greatly promoted the transition of Chinese civilization from plurality to a pluralistic and integrated whole.

Key words: era of Yao, Shun, and Yu, Longshan era, pluralistic integration, early Chinese civilization