Ancient China

Geography• NE – Cold/dry• (drops below -17

and rivers are frozen ½ the year

• NW – desert/dry• SE – Tropical

(average 6350 mm rain/year

• - that’s a two story house!)

Early Civilization

• Development of Farming (7000 BC) similar reasons to Nile River

• Rice along river, grains in the plains• 3000 BC – potter wheels used and houses

partly in the ground (mud and straw)

Mandate of Heaven

• Divine intervention• Impossible to disprove

Dynasties

China’s First Dynasties

• The Xia Dynasty• The Shang Dynasty• The Zhou Dynasty

Periods of history in China are easily studied through the dynasties

The First DynastyThe Xia Dynasty

• Probably not real• Stories claim Yu the Great dug channels to

drain flood waters (and these became the main waterways of China).

• Story tells of kings who helped people and explained geography

Shang Dynasty1600 – 1027 BCE

• Mark the start of Chinese civilization• Created writing system• Chinese term for civilization is “to

transform by writing”• 10 000 characters made it hard to

read and write• Develop cities, vocational specialties,

horse drawn chariots• Oracle Bones (Divination)

Usually tortoise shells

Zhou Dynasty1027 – 256 BCE

Zhou Dynasty1027 – 256 BCE

• Change political and social hierarchical system• Replace religion with Heaven (divination being in

control of the Middle Kingdome ... us)• Decentralized system of rule by lords (sound familiar?)

Zhou Dynasty1027 – 256 BCE

• Longest Dynasty in Chinese History• Copper and gold coins used for 1st time• China becomes most populated country

Unsurpassed Bronze work during this period

No more China• 771 – 491 BCE (Lord’s loyalty lags and no one

state has any real power)• 481 – 256 BCE (known as the Warring States)

– 200 years of civil war

It was during this period that ...• Pants replaced the robe• Chopsticks replaced forks and knives• Music and poetry flourish

Silver LiningThe following emerges during this time period:

• Confucius (Confucianism)• Laozi (Taoism)• Legalism

Belief System 2 main ideas

Confucianism

Taoism

Legalism

Confucius Says ...• Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes

• Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves

• Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it

• It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop

• Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do

• Study the past if you would define the future

• When anger rises, think of the consequences

• Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart

• I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand

Confucius

• Human beings were equal and alike at birth• Learning and practice set us apart• Learning and practice can lead human beings

to true humanity

• Filial piety: respect for elders (turn the world into a family)

Taoism

Do people need motivation to be good?