[1] The Cishan culture was based on the farming of broomcorn millet, the cultivation of which on one site has been dated back 10,000 years.

Also, the Cishan potters created a broader variety of pottery forms such as basins, pot supports, serving stands, and drinking cups.

However, the contemporary consensus among archaeologists is that the Cishan people were members of a distinct culture that shared many characteristics with its neighbors.

[6] The type site at Cishan is located in Wu'an, Hebei, China on a low elevation mesa.

Nuts (Juglans regia and Corylus heterophylla), Celtis bungeana,[7] wild apricots and pears, and various roots and tubers were foraged from the surrounding forests.