Chapter 7: Early China - Fulton Independent School EA CHapter 7... · Chapter OverviewVisit...

The first Great Wall of China was built morethan 2,000 years ago to keep out invaders.The current wall, which is about 4,000 mileslong, was built about 500 years ago.

c. 1750 B.C. Shang dynastybegins

1045 B.C.Wu Wang creates Zhou dynasty

551 B.C.Confuciusis born

c. A.D. 100Silk Roadestablished

1800 B.C. 1150 B.C. 500 B.C. A.D. 1501800 B.C. 1150 B.C. 500 B.C. A.D. 150

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Chapter PreviewThe ancient Chinese, like the Egyptians, established

long-ruling dynasties. The Chinese valued three greatphilosophies: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism.

View the Chapter 7 video in the World History:Journey Across Time Video Program.

Chapter Overview Visitjat.glencoe.com for a previewof Chapter 7.

Organizing Information Make this foldable to help you organize informationabout the important people in the early history of China.

Reading and WritingAs you read the chapter,list important people andwhat they did or taughtduring these periods inChinese history.

Step 1 Fold asheet of paperin half fromside to side.

221

This will makethree tabs.

China’s FirstCivilizationsChinesePhilosophers

Qinand Han

Fold it so the leftedge lies about inch from the

right edge.

12

Step 2 Turn the paperand fold it into thirds.

Step 3 Unfold and cut the top layer only along both folds.

Step 4 Turn the paperand label it as shown.

China’s First CivilizationsChinese civilization was shaped by geography suchas mountains and large rivers. Long-lasting dynastiesgained power through strong armies.

Life in Ancient ChinaEarly Chinese society had three main social classes:aristocrats, farmers, and merchants. During periodsof unrest, ideas such as Confucianism and Daoismdeveloped.

The Qin and Han DynastiesBoth the Qin and Han dynasties created strongcentral governments. New inventions developedduring the Han dynasty helped to improve the lives of Chinese people.

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http://jat.glencoe.com

222

Headings and PunctuationAs you read this chapter, pay attention to bold headings and

punctuation. They are used by authors to help you better understandwhat you are reading. Look at the heading on page 235, ChineseThinkers. By putting these words in red, the author lets you know,even before you begin reading, that this part of the chapter is aboutfamous thinkers in Chinese history. Paying attention to punctuationmarks also can help you understand the text. Look at the punctuationmarks in the paragraph below.

Quotation markshave several uses.Here they are used toset off words takenfrom another source.

Text Structure

A colon (:)tells you thatthe words thatfollow are anillustration oran explana-tion of thefirst part ofthe sentence.

Words areindented toshow wherea new para-graph and a new ideabegin.

To Confucius, the bestway to behave was simi-lar to an idea known asthe Golden Rule: “Dounto others as you wouldhave others do unto you.”

—from page 236

Read a section out loud.

Say the names of the

punctuation marks as

you read. This will help

you remember why cer-

tain punctuation marks

are used.

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file photo

223

Winged dragon from Zhou dynasty

Punctuation CluesLook at the heading and punctuation in the following

paragraph and answer the questions that follow.

As you read the chapter, jot downpunctuation or section headings thatyou do not understand. Write themin your notebook to discuss later.

Suppose you had ayounger brother, sister, or friend who was justlearning to read. Howcould you explain the use of punctuation marksto this person? Write astep-by-step explanationof what he or she wouldneed to know aboutperiods, commas, colons,and quotation marks.

Read to Write

1. Based on the heading, what do youthink this section will be about?

2. Why do you think the phrase“Period of the Warring States”is in quotation marks?

3. How will you know when a newparagraph begins?

The Zhou Empire Falls Over time,the local rulers of the Zhou territoriesbecame powerful. They stoppedobeying the Zhou kings and set uptheir own states. In 403 B.C. fightingbroke out. For almost 200 years, thestates battled each other. Historianscall this time the “Period of theWarring States.”

—from page 231

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CChina’s hina’s FFirst irst CCivilizationsivilizations

What’s the Connection?In earlier chapters, you learned

that many civilizations developed in river valleys. The civilizations ofChina also began in river valleys.However, other features of the land,such as mountains and deserts,affected China’s history as well.

Focusing on the • Rivers, mountains, and deserts helped

shape China’s civilization. (page 225)

• Rulers known as the Shang becamepowerful because they controlledland and had strong armies. (page 226)

• Chinese rulers claimed that theMandate of Heaven gave them the right to rule. (page 229)

Locating PlacesHuang He (HWAHNG HUH)Chang Jiang (CHAHNG JYAHNG) Anyang (AHN•YAHNG)

Meeting PeopleWu Wang (WOO WAHNG)

Building Your Vocabularydynasty (DY•nuh•stee)aristocrat (uh•RIHS•tuh•KRAT)pictograph (PIHK•tuh•GRAF)ideograph (IH•dee•uh•GRAF)bureaucracy (byu•RAH•kruh•see)mandate (MAN•DAYT)Dao (DOW)

Reading StrategySummarizing Information Completea chart like the one below describingthe characteristics of the Shang andZhou dynasties.

c. 1750 B.C.Shang dynastybegins

1045 B.C. Wu Wangcreates Zhoudynasty

221 B.C.Qin dynastybegins

LuoyangAnyang

1750 B.C. 975 B.C. 200 B.C.1750 B.C. 975 B.C. 200 B.C.

224 CHAPTER 7 Early China

ZhouDynasty

ShangDynasty

Dates

Leadership

Accomplishments

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China’s GeographyRivers, mountains, and deserts helped

shape China’s civilization.

Reading Focus Why do you think so many cities and

towns were built beside rivers? Read to learn why rivers

were important to the development of China.

The Huang He (HWAHNG HUH), orYellow River, flows across China for morethan 2,900 miles (4,666 km). It gets its namefrom the rich yellow soil it carries fromMongolia to the Pacific Ocean.

Like rivers in early Mesopotamia andEgypt, China’s Huang He flooded the land.The flooding was good and bad for theChinese. When the river overflowed, many

people drowned and many homes weredestroyed. As a result, the Chinese calledthe Huang He “China’s sorrow.”

The river, however, also brought a gift.When the river flooded, it left behind richtopsoil in the Huang He valley. As a result,farmers could grow large amounts of foodon very small farms.

China also has another great river,called the Chang Jiang (CHAHNG JYAHNG),or the Yangtze River. The Chang Jiang iseven longer than the Huang He. It flows for about 3,400 miles (5,471 km) east across central China where it empties into theYellow Sea. Like the Huang He valley, thevalley of the Chang Jiang also has rich soil for farming.

CHAPTER 7 Early China 225

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The Geography of China

While the country of China has one ofthe world’s largest populations, little ofits land can be farmed.1. What is the name of the desert on

China’s northern border near Mongolia?2. What effect did China’s mountains and

deserts have on its history?Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

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http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

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The Shang probably built the firstChinese cities.1. What rivers were found within

the borders of the Shang dynasty? 2. In what part of the Shang

kingdom was Anyang found?

Even though China has rich soil alongits rivers, only a little more than one-tenthof its land can be farmed. That is becausemountains and deserts cover most of theland. The towering Himalaya close offChina to the southwest. The Kunlun Shanand Tian Shan are mountain ranges onChina’s western border. The Gobi, a vast,cold, rocky desert, spreads east from themountains. These mountains and desertsshaped much of Chinese history. They werelike a wall around the Chinese, separatingthem from most other peoples.

Over time, the Chinese people united toform one kingdom. They called their home-land “the Middle Kingdom.” To them, itwas the world’s center and its leading civi-lization. The Chinese developed a way oflife that lasted into modern times.

Identify Name two riversimportant to early Chinese civilizations.

Shang empire,c. 1750-1045 B.C.

KEY

The Shang DynastyRulers known as the Shang became

powerful because they controlled land and hadstrong armies.

Reading Focus Who are the leaders in your commu-

nity? What gives them their power? Read to learn

why some people in early China had more power than

others.

Little is known about how Chinese civi-lization began. Archaeologists, however,have found pottery in the Huang He valleydating back thousands of years. These arti-facts show that the Huang He valley wasthe first center of Chinese civilization.Archaeologists think that people stayed inthe valley and farmed the land because ofrich soil. As their numbers rose, they beganbuilding towns, and soon after, the firstChinese civilization began.

China’s first rulers were probably part ofthe Xia (SYAH) dynasty. A dynasty (DY•nuh • stee) is a line of rulers who belongto the same family. Little is knownabout the Xia. We know more about the

next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kingsruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C.

Who Were the Shang? Archaeologistshave found huge walls, royal palaces, androyal tombs from the time of the Shang.These remains show that the Shang mayhave built the first Chinese cities. One ofthese cities was Anyang (AHN • YAHNG) innorthern China. Anyang was China’s firstcapital. From there, the Shang kings ruledthe early Chinese people.

The people of the Shang dynasty weredivided into groups. The most powerfulgroup was the king and his family. The firstShang king ruled over a small area in north-ern China. His armies used chariots andbronze weapons to take over nearby areas.

Shang Empire

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In time, the Shang kings ruled over most ofthe Huang He valley.

Later, Shang kings chose warlords togovern the kingdom’s territories. Warlordsare military leaders who commandtheir own armies. However, the kingcontrolled even larger armies whodefended the kingdom’s borders.The king’s armies helped him stay in power.

Under the king, the warlords andother royal officials made up theupper class. They were aristocrats (uh • RIHS • tuh • KRATS), nobles whosewealth came from the land theyowned. Aristocrats passed their landand their power from one generationto the next.

In Shang China, a few people weretraders and artisans. Most Chinese, how-ever, were farmers. They worked the landthat belonged to the aristocrats. They grewgrains, such as millet, wheat, and rice, andraised cattle, sheep, and chickens. A smallnumber of enslaved people captured in waralso lived in Shang China.

Spirits and Ancestors People in ShangChina worshiped gods and spirits. Spiritswere believed to live in mountains, rivers,and seas. The people believed that they hadto keep the gods and spirits happy by mak-ing offerings of food and other goods. Theybelieved that the gods and spirits would beangry if they were not treated well. Angrygods and spirits might cause farmers to havea poor harvest or armies to lose a battle.

People also honored their ancestors, ordeparted family members. Offerings weremade in the hope that ancestors would helpin times of need and bring good luck. Tothis day, many Chinese still remember theirancestors by going to temples and burningsmall paper copies of food and clothing.

The Role of Women ZhengZhenxiang was China’s firstfemale archaeologist. In 1976she found the tomb of Fu Hao,China’s first female general.In the tomb were more than2,000 artifacts from the Shangdynasty, including weapons,bronze vessels, jade objects,and bones with Chinesecharacters carved on them.

Fu Hao, the wife of KingWu Ding, was given a royalburial. She was famous for

her strength, martial arts skills, andmilitary strategies. She often helpedher husband defeat their enemies onthe battlefield. Fu Hao was the firstfemale in China’s history to receivethe highest military rank.

Her tomb and its artifacts reveal the grand civilization of China’s Shang dynasty. Duringthis period, theChinese developedwriting, a calendar, and musical instruments.

Jade sculpture of a seated human figure

Bronzevessel

Connecting to the Past1. What was Fu Hao famous for during

her life?

2. Describe what the artifacts found inFu Hao’s tomb might reveal aboutlife during that time.

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Chinese WritingThe Chinese writing system was created nearly3,500 years ago during theShang dynasty. The earliestexamples of Chinese writinghave been found on animalbones. The carvings on thesebones show that Chinesewriting has always usedsymbols to represent words.Some of the carvings arepictures. For example, the verbto go was represented by apicture of a foot. The characterswere carved in vertical columnsand read from top to bottom,like modern Chinese writing. Thewriting on the bones recordedthe Shang kings’ questions abouta wide range of topics—from the weather to good fortune.Chinese writing has changed in many ways, but it still reflects its ancient roots in pictures and symbols.

Shang religion and government wereclosely linked, just as they were in ancientMesopotamia and Egypt. An importantduty of Shang kings was to contact thegods, the spirits, and ancestors before mak-ing important decisions.

The kings asked for the gods’ help byusing oracle (AWR • uh • kuhl) bones. Theyhad priests scratch questions on the bones,such as “Will I win the battle?” and “Will I recover from my illness?” Then the priestsplaced hot metal rods inside the bones,causing them to crack. They believed thatthe pattern of the cracks formed answersfrom the gods. The priests interpreted theanswers and wrote them down for thekings. Scratches on oracle bones are the ear-liest known examples of Chinese writing.

The Chinese Language The scratches onoracle bones show how today’s Chinesewriting began. However, the modernChinese language is much more complex.

Like many other ancient languages,early Chinese writing used pictographs andideographs. Pictographs (PIHK • tuh • GRAFS)are characters that stand for objects. Forexample, the Chinese characters for amountain, the sun, and the moon are pic-tographs. Ideographs (IH • dee • uh • GRAFS)are another kind of character used inChinese writing. They join two or more pictographs to represent an idea. Forexample, the ideograph for “east” relatesto the idea of the sun rising in the east. Itis a combination of pictographs thatshow the sun coming up behind trees.

Unlike Chinese, English and manyother languages have writing systemsbased on an alphabet. An alphabetuses characters that stand for sounds.The Chinese use some characters tostand for sounds, but most charactersstill represent whole words.

These copies represent things that theirdeparted relatives need in the afterlife.

Telling the Future Shang kings believedthat they received power and wisdom fromthe gods, the spirits, and their ancestors.

Oracle bone

228 CHAPTER 7 Early ChinaBridgeman/Art Resource, NY

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Shang Artists The people in Shang Chinadeveloped many skills. Farmers producedsilk, which weavers used to make colorfulclothes. Artisans made vases and dishesfrom fine white clay. They also carved stat-ues from ivory and a green stone called jade.

The Shang are best known for their worksof bronze. To make bronze objects, artisansmade clay molds in several sections. Next,they carved detailed designs into the clay.Then, they fit the pieces of the mold tightlytogether and poured in melted bronze. Whenthe bronze cooled, the mold was removed. Abeautifully decorated work of art remained.

Shang bronze objects included sculp-tures, vases, drinking cups, and containerscalled urns. The Shang used bronze urns toprepare and serve food for rituals honoringancestors.

Explain What was the roleof Shang warlords?

The Zhou DynastyChinese rulers claimed that the Mandate

of Heaven gave them the right to rule.

Reading Focus Who gives you permission to do the

things you do? Your mother? Your teacher? Read to find

out how the rulers of the Zhou dynasty turned to the

heavens for permission to rule.

During the rule of the Shang, a great gapexisted between the rich and the poor.Shang kings lived in luxury and began totreat people cruelly. As a result, they lost thesupport of the people in their kingdom. In1045 B.C. an aristocrat named Wu Wang(WOO WAHNG) led a rebellion against theShang. After defeating the Shang, Wubegan a new dynasty called the Zhou (JOH).

The Zhou Government The Zhou dynastyruled for more than 800 years—longer thanany other dynasty in Chinese history.

Zhou kings ruled much like Shang rulers.The Zhou king was at the head of the govern-ment. Under him was a large bureaucracy(byu• RAH• kruh• see). A bureaucracy is madeup of appointed officials who are responsi-ble for different areas of government. Likethe Shang rulers, the Zhou king was incharge of defending the kingdom.

These bronze bells are fromthe Zhou dynasty. How longdid the Zhou dynasty last?

Bronze bowland ladle fromZhou dynasty

Buffalo-shapedbronze vesselfrom the Shang dynasty

Bronze foodcontainer fromthe Shang dynasty

(bl)file photo, (br)The Art Archive/Musee Cernuschi Paris/Dagli Orti, (others)Asian Art & Archaeology/CORBIS

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Web Activity Visit jat.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 7—Student Web Activity to learn more about ancient China.

FPO

The Zhou kings copied the Shang sys-tem of dividing the kingdom into smallerterritories. The kings put aristocrats theytrusted in charge of each territory. The posi-tions the aristocrats held were hereditary.That meant that when an aristocrat died,his son or another relative would take overas ruler of the territory.

The Chinese considered the king theirlink between heaven and earth. His chiefduty was to carry out religious rituals. TheChinese believed these rituals strengthenedthe link between them and the gods. Thisbelief paved the way for a new idea that the Zhou kings introduced to government.They claimed that kings ruled China becausethey had the Mandate of Heaven.

What Was the Mandate of Heaven?According to Zhou rulers, a heavenly lawgave the Zhou king the power to rule. Thismandate (MAN • DAYT), or formal order, wascalled the Mandate of Heaven. Based on themandate, the king was chosen by heavenly

order because of his talent and virtue.Therefore, he would rule the people withgoodness and wisdom.

The Mandate of Heaven worked intwo ways. First, the people expected theking to rule according to the proper“Way,” called the Dao (DOW). His dutywas to keep the gods happy. A natural dis-aster or a bad harvest was a sign that hehad failed in his duty. People then had theright to overthrow and replace the king.

The Mandate of Heaven also workedanother way. It gave the people, as well as theking, important rights. For example, peoplehad the right to overthrow a dishonest or evilruler. It also made clear that the king was nota god himself. Of course, each new dynastyclaimed it had the Mandate of Heaven. Theonly way people could question the claimwas by overthrowing the dynasty.

New Tools and Trade For thousands ofyears, Chinese farmers depended on rain towater their crops. During the Zhou dynasty,the Chinese developed irrigation and flood-control systems. As a result, farmers couldgrow more crops than ever before.

Improvements in farming tools alsohelped farmers produce more crops. By 550 B.C., the Chinese were using iron plows.These sturdy plows broke up land that hadbeen too hard to farm with wooden plows.As a result, the Chinese could plow moreand produce more crops. Because morefood could support more people, the popu-lation increased. During the late Zhoudynasty, China had a population of about50 million people.


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Zhou rulers maintained the longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history.1. What body of water made up the

eastern border of Zhou territory?2. Why did the Zhou divide their

kingdom into smaller territories?


Zhou Empire

Zhou empire,1045-256 B.C.

KEY

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Reading SummaryReview the • China’s first civilizations formed

in river valleys. The Chinese wereisolated from other people by mountains and deserts.

• The rulers of the Shang dynastycontrolled the area around theHuang He valley.

• The Zhou dynasty replaced theShang and claimed to rule withthe Mandate of Heaven. Duringthe Zhou dynasty, farming methods improved and tradeincreased.

1. What is a dynasty?

2. What were oracle bones andhow were they used?

Critical Thinking3. Analyze How did the

Mandate of Heaven allow forthe overthrow of kings inancient China?

4. Summarizing InformationDraw a diagram like the onebelow. Add details that describethe members of Shang society.

5. Evaluate What were someimportant technologicalchanges during the Zhoudynasty, and how did they leadto a larger population?

6. Explain How did ancientChinese kings maintain controlof their dynasties?

7. Text StructureExplain why parentheses areused in the following sentence.“The Huang He (HWAHNGHUH), or Yellow River, flowsacross China for more than2,900 miles (4,666 km).”

What Did You Learn?

Homework Helper Need help with the material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com


Trade and manufacturinggrew along with farming. Animportant trade item during theZhou dynasty was silk. Pieces ofChinese silk have been foundthroughout central Asia and asfar away as Greece. This suggeststhat the Chinese traded far and wide.

The Zhou Empire Falls Over time, the localrulers of the Zhou territories became pow-erful. They stopped obeying the Zhou kingsand set up their own states. In 403 B.C. fight-ing broke out. For almost 200 years, thestates battled each other. Historians call thistime the “Period of the Warring States.”

Instead of nobles driving chariots, thewarring states used large armies of foot soldiers. To get enough soldiers, they issuedlaws forcing peasants to serve in the army.The armies fought with swords, spears, and

Shang Society

crossbows. A crossbow uses a crank to pullthe string and shoots arrows with greatforce.

As the fighting went on, the Chineseinvented the saddle and stirrup. These let soldiers ride horses and use spears and crossbows while riding. In 221 B.C. the rulerof Qin (CHIHN), one of the warring states,used a large cavalry force to defeat theother states and set up a new dynasty.

Identify What was thechief duty of Chinese kings?

This statue of a wingeddragon is from the Zhoudynasty. From whatmetal did the Chinesemake plows and weaponsduring the Zhou dynasty?

file photo

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What’s the Connection?In Section 1, you learned about

the Chinese government under theZhou dynasty. This section describeswhat life was like during the Zhoudynasty.

Focusing on the • Chinese society had three main

social classes: landowning aristocrats,farmers, and merchants. (page 233)

• Three Chinese philosophies,Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism,grew out of a need for order.(page 235)

Meeting PeopleConfucius (kuhn•FYOO•shuhs)Laozi (LOWD•ZOO)Hanfeizi (HAN• fay•DZOO)

Building Your Vocabularysocial class

filial piety(FIH• lee•uhl PY•uh•tee)

Confucianism(kuhn•FYOO•shuh•NIH•zuhm)

Daoism (DOW• IH•zuhm)Legalism (LEE•guh•LIH•zuhm)

Reading StrategyOrganizing Information Create apyramid diagram like the one belowshowing the social classes in ancientChina from most important (top) toleast important (bottom).

551 B.C.Confucius is born

c. 300 B.C.Laozi’s ideas of Daoismbecome popular

c. 200 B.C.Hanfeizi develops Legalism

600 B.C. 400 B.C. 200 B.C.600 B.C. 400 B.C. 200 B.C.

LLife ife ininAAncient ncient CChinahina

232 CHAPTER 7 Early China(l)Robert Frerck/Odyssey Productions, (c)ChinaStock, (r)Dennis Cox

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Peasants planted and cultivatedrice plants in large flooded fields.

Villagers built walls that surrounded and protected the town.

Since horses were more valuable as war animals, farmers used oxen and water buffalo to pull

plows and carts.

Foot-pedaled hammers were used to remove grain and

rice from their stalks.

Life in Ancient ChinaChinese society had three main social

classes: landowning aristocrats, farmers, and merchants.

Reading Focus Have you heard the terms high society

and working class? They describe social classes in America.

Read on to find out about social classes in early China.

A social class includes people who sharea similar position in society. Early Chinesesociety had three main social classes:

• landowning aristocrats• peasant farmers• merchants

Classes in Chinese Society China’s aristo-cratic families owned large estates in earlyChina. They lived in large houses with tile

Chinese VillageChinese Village Chinese farmers lived in small villages made up of several families. They farmed fields outside the village walls.How did farmers pay for the use of the land they farmed?

roofs, courtyards, and gardens. Fine furni-ture and silk hangings filled their rooms,and their houses were surrounded by wallsto keep out bandits.

The aristocratic families did not ownlarge estates for long. Each aristocratdivided his land among his sons. As aresult, sons and grandsons owned muchless property than their fathers and grand-fathers had owned.

Aristocrats relied on farmers to grow thecrops that made them rich. About nine outof ten Chinese were farmers. They lived insimple houses inside village walls. The aris-tocrats owned the fields outside the villagewalls. In these fields, farmers in northernChina grew wheat and a grain called millet.In the south, where the climate was warmerand wetter, they were able to grow rice.

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Chinese Farming Farmers in ancient Chinahad to find ways to grow enough food to feed their large population. It was often difficult because of the dry,mountainous land.

Over centuries, farmers learned to cutterraces—flat areas, like a series of deepsteps—into the mountain slopes. Terracesmade more land available for farming andkept the soil from eroding, or wearingaway. Early farmers also used the terracesas a way to irrigate their crops. As rain fell,it flowed down from one terrace to the

To pay for the use of the land, the farmersgave part of their crop to the landowners.

Most farmers also owned a small pieceof land where they grew food for their family.A typical family ate fish, turnips, beans,wheat or rice, and millet. The farmers hadto pay taxes and work one month each year building roads and helping on otherbig government projects. In wartime, thefarmers also served as soldiers.

In Chinese society, farmers rankedabove merchants. The merchant social classincluded shopkeepers, traders, and bankers.The merchants lived in towns and providedgoods and services to the landowners.

Many merchants became quite rich, butlandowners and farmers still looked downon them. Chinese leaders believed that gov-ernment officials should not be concernedwith money. As a result, merchants werenot allowed to have government jobs.

What Was Life Like in a Chinese Family?The family was the basic building block ofChinese society. Because farming in ancientChina required many workers, people hadbig families to help them produce more andbecome wealthier. Even the young childrenof a family worked in the fields. Older sonsraised their own crops and provided foodfor their parents. Chinese families also tookcare of people in need—the aged, theyoung, and the sick.

Chinese families practiced filial piety(FIH • lee • uhl PY • uh • tee). This meant thatchildren had to respect their parents andolder relatives. Family members placed theneeds and desires of the head of the familybefore their own. The head of the familywas the oldest male, usually the father.However, a son could take on this role, andthen even his mother had to obey him.

234

Terrace farming in China

Lawrence Manning/CORBIS

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Connecting to the Past1. How did farmers in ancient China increase the amount of

productive farmland?

2. What three farming methods helped farmers in ancientChina grow more food?

next, watering the crops. This method of farming,called terrace farming, is still used in China today.

Farmers in ancient China were the first to useinsects to protect their crops from damage by otherinsects. As early as A.D. 304, Chinese farmers usedants to prevent other insects from damaging theircitrus fruit trees. They also used frogs and birds forpest control.

Head of a shovel

The ancient Chinese used bronze andiron tools like those on the right, to farm their land and harvest crops.

Plow blade

Men and women had very differentroles in early China. Men were respectedbecause they grew the crops. They went toschool, ran the government, and foughtwars. The Chinese considered these jobsmore important than thework that women did. Mostwomen raised children andmanaged the household.

Chinese women couldnot hold government posts.However, women in the royalcourt could influence govern-ment decisions. Wives ofrulers or women in the royalfamily often convinced men inpower to see things their way.

Explain Whydid the amount of land owned by each aristocrat decrease over time?

235

Chinesefemale figurine

Chinese ThinkersThree Chinese philosophies, Confucianism,

Daoism, and Legalism, grew out of a need for order.

Reading Focus If people around you were arguing

and fighting, what would you do? Read to learn about

early Chinese ideas for restoring order.

As the Zhou kingdom weakened in the500s B.C., violence became common. Duringthe Period of the Warring States, rulers sentarmies to destroy enemy states. Whole vil-lages of men, women, and children werebeheaded. Many Chinese began looking forways to restore order to society.

Between 500 B.C. and 200 B.C., Chinesethinkers developed three major theoriesabout how to create a peaceful society.These theories are called Confucianism,Daoism, and Legalism.

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Who Was Confucius? Confucius (kuhn •FYOO • shuhs) was ancient China’s first greatthinker and teacher. He wanted to end theproblems in China and bring peace to society.

Confucius believed that people neededto have a sense of duty. Duty meant that aperson must put the needs of family andcommunity before his or her own needs.Each person owed a duty to another per-son. Parents owed their children love, andchildren owed their parents honor.Husbands owed their wives support, and

EnglishNumber

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0

1

3

2

4

5

6

EnglishNumber

ChineseNumber

7

9

100

10,000

8

10

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[(4 100) (5 10) (6)]

Chinese Numbering SystemChinese Numbering System

The Chinese system of numbering is basedon units of 10. It uses characters torepresent 0 through 9 and the powers of 10 (10, 100, 1,000, and so forth).1. How would you write the number 328

using the Chinese numbering system? 2. Analyze What is the English number for

?

wives owed their husbands obedience.Above all, rulers had to set good examples.If a king ruled for the common good, hissubjects would respect him and societywould prosper.

Confucius believed that if each persondid his or her duty, society as a wholewould do well. He also urged people to begood and to seek knowledge:

There are those who act withoutknowing; I will have none of this.To hear a lot, choose the good, and follow it, to see a lot and learn to recognize it: this is next to knowledge.

—Confucius, Analects

To Confucius, the best way to behavewas similar to an idea known as the GoldenRule: “Do unto others as you would haveothers do unto you.” Confucius urged peo-ple to “measure the feelings of others byone’s own,” for “within the four seas allmen are brothers.”

Confucius traveled through China tryingto persuade government leaders to followhis ideas. Confucianism (kuhn • FYOO • shuh •NIH • zuhm) taught that all men with a talentfor governing should take part in govern-ment. Of course, this idea was not popularwith aristocrats, and few leaders listened.

Over time, Confucius won many follow-ers who honored him as a great teacher.They wrote down his sayings and carriedhis message. After Confucius died in 479 B.C.,his sayings spread throughout China.

Abacuses, like this one,were used by the Chinese tosolve math problems. Theseancient calculators held

stones on wooden pegs, which would be moved upand down to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

Chen Yixin/ChinaStock

232-239 C7S2-824133 3/9/04 9:49 AM Page 236

CONFUCIUS551–479 B.C.

Historians believe that the great thinker and

teacher Confucius was born in the small state of

Lu and named Kong Qui. His parents were poor,

although his family had probably been wealthy

at one time. One record says that Confucius

was only three years old when his father died.

His mother may have also died when he was

young, because another record describes

Confucius as an orphan.

Even as a teenager, Confucius was a talented

scholar with strong, fixed beliefs. He devoted

himself to learning and mastered literature,

history, music, and arithmetic. He served as an

apprentice to a bookkeeper and a stable manager

but really wanted to obtain a government

position. When he was 19, Confucius married

and soon had a son and a daughter.

Confucius finally obtained a government job

and wanted to use his position to improve

society. He wanted everyone to return to the

beliefs and rituals of their ancestors, because

he felt that would teach them how to live

together peacefully. Government officials in

Lu were not interested in his ideas, so at age 30

Confucius left politics and began his teaching

career. He devoted the rest of his life to improving

society through learning and teaching. Confucius

did not write down any of his ideas, but his

followers put together a book of his sayings

called the Lun Yü (Analects).

237

Confucius

“What you do not want“What you do not wantdone to yourself, do notdone to yourself, do notdo to others.”do to others.”

—Confucius—Confucius

Give an example of how the above quote from

Confucius might help society today.

Vanni/Art Resource, NY

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What Is Daoism? Daoism (DOW • IH • zuhm)is another Chinese philosophy that pro-motes a peaceful society. Daoism (alsocalled Taoism) is based on the teachings of Laozi (LOWD • ZOO). Laozi, or the OldMaster, lived around the same time asConfucius. Scholars do not know if Laoziwas a real person. However, the ideas credited to him became popular between500 B.C. and 300 B.C.

The ideas of Daoism are written in DaoDe Jing (The Way of the Dao). LikeConfucianism, Daoism tells people how tobehave. Daoists believed that peopleshould give up worldly desires. Theyshould turn to nature and the Dao—the

Founder

ConfucianismConfucianism

Confucius

Many Chinese today accept his idea of duty to family. His ideas helped open up government jobs to people with talent.

DaoismDaoism

Main Ideas

Influence on Modern Life

People should put the needs of their family and community first.

Laozi

Daoism teaches the importance of nature and encourages people to treat nature with respect and reverence.

People should give up worldly desires in favor of nature and the Dao.

Society needs a system of harsh laws and strict punishment.

LegalismLegalism

Hanfeizi

Legalists developed laws that became an important part of Chinese history.

Chinese PhilosophersChinese Philosophers

Some legends state that Laozi rode his waterbuffalo westward into a great desert anddisappeared after writing Dao De Jing. When did the ideas of Daoism become popular?

Three philosophies developed in early China.1. Which philosophy encourages followers to

concentrate on duty and humanity? 2. Conclude Which of these philosophies do

you think would be most popular in theworld today? Explain.

(tl)Robert Frerck/Odyssey Productions, (tc)ChinaStock, (tr)Dennis Cox, (b)Giraudon/Art Resource, NY

232-239 C7S2-824133 3/9/04 9:52 AM Page 238

Reading SummaryReview the • Early Chinese society had three

main social classes: aristocrats,farmers, and merchants. The family was the basis of Chinesesociety.

• During a time of disorder, threenew philosophies developed inChina: Confucianism, Daoism,and Legalism.

1. Describe the concept of filialpiety.

2. Why did many aristocrats favorthe philosophy of Legalism?

Critical Thinking3. Compare Draw a table to

compare the three main classesof ancient Chinese society.

4. Contrast How did Daoism differ from Confucianism?

5. Writing Questions Supposeyou could interview Confuciusabout his concept of duty.Write five questions you mightask him about the subject.Include possible responses.

6. Expository Writing Do youthink any of the Chinesephilosophies studied in thissection are reflected in oursociety today? Write an essayexplaining your answer.

What Did You Learn?



Aristocrats Farmers Merchants

Chinese Society

force that guides all things. To show how tofollow the Dao, Daoists used examplesfrom nature:

Higher good is like water: the good in water benefits all, and does so without contention. It rests where people dislike to be, so it is close to the Way. Where it dwells becomes

good ground; profound is the good in its heart, Benevolent the good it bestows.

—Laozi, Tao Te Ching

In some ways, Daoism is the opposite ofConfucianism. Followers of Confuciustaught that people should work hard toimprove the world. Daoism called on people to give up their concerns about the world. It said they should seek innerpeace and live in harmony with nature.Many Chinese followed both Confucianismand Daoism.

What Is Legalism? A third group ofthinkers disagreed with the idea that honor-able men in government could bring peace tosociety. Instead, they argued for a system oflaws. People called their thinking Legalism(LEE • guh • LIH • zuhm), or the “School of Law.”

A scholar named Hanfeizi (HAN • fay •DZOO) developed the teachings of Legalismduring the 200s B.C. Unlike Confucius orLaozi, Hanfeizi taught that humans werenaturally evil. He believed that they neededharsh laws and stiff punishments to forcethem to do their duty. His followersbelieved that a strong ruler was needed tokeep order in society.

Many aristocrats liked Legalism becauseit favored force and power, and did notrequire rulers to show kindness or under-standing. Its ideas led to the cruel laws andpunishments often used to control Chinesefarmers.

Explain Why did Hanfeizibelieve that people needed laws and punishments?

232-239 C7S2-824133 7/15/04 4:13 PM Page 239


TThe he QQin in andand

HHan an DDynastiesynasties

What’s the Connection?Each of China’s early dynasties

was led by rulers who were verydifferent. In this section, you will see how the Qin and Han dynastiesdiffered because of their rulers.

Focusing on the • Qin Shihuangdi used harsh methods

to unify and defend China. (page 241)

• Developments during the Handynasty improved life for all Chinese.(page 244)

• The Silk Road carried Chinese goodsas far as Greece and Rome. (page 246)

• Unrest in China helped Buddhism to spread. (page 248)

Locating PlacesGuangzhou (GWAHNG•JOH)Silk Road

Luoyang (loo•WOH•YAHNG)

Meeting PeopleQin Shihuangdi (CHIHN SHEE•hwahng•dee)Liu Bang (lee•OO BAHNG)Han Wudi (HAHN WOO•DEE)

Building Your Vocabularyacupuncture (A•kyuh•PUHNGK•chuhr)

Reading StrategyDetermining Cause and EffectComplete a diagram like the one below showing the inventions of theHan dynasty and the resulting impacton society.


202 B.C. Liu Bang foundsHan dynasty

c. A.D. 100 Silk Roadestablished

A.D. 190Rebel armiesattack Han capital

200 B.C. A.D. 1 A.D. 200200 B.C. A.D. 1 A.D. 200

Invention Effect

Changan

240-248 C7S3-824133 3/9/04 11:48 PM Page 240


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SouthChina

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SouthChina

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Qin and Han Empires 221 221 B..C.–.–A..D. 220. 220

Emperor Qin Shihuangdi Qin Shihuangdi used harsh methods to

unify and defend China.

Reading Focus Imagine your city or state without

any roads. How would people get from one place to

another? Read to find out how a Chinese ruler used

roads and canals to unite China.

You have read about the problems inChina from about 400 B.C. to 200 B.C. Therulers of powerful local states fought oneanother and ignored the Zhou kings. Oneof these states was called Qin. Its rulertook over neighboring states one by one.In 221 B.C. the Qin ruler declared himselfQin Shihuangdi (CHIHN SHEE • hwahng • dee),

which means “the First Qin Emperor.” TheQin ruler made changes in China’s govern-ment that would last for 2,000 years.

A Powerful Ruler Qin based his rule onthe ideas of Legalism. He had everyonewho opposed him punished or killed.Books opposing his views were publiclyburned. Qin made the central governmentstronger than ever before. He appointedgovernment officials, called censors, to makesure government officials did their jobs.

Second in power to the central govern-ment were provinces and counties. UnderZhou kings, officials who ran these areaspassed on their posts to sons or relatives.Under Qin, only he could fill these posts.

During both the Qin and Handynasties, China’s empire expanded.1. Which geographical areas did

both empires include? 2. Which empire expanded farthest

west?


Qin empireGreat Wall in Qin periodHan empire Great Wall in Han period

KEY

240-248 C7S3-824133 7/15/04 4:41 PM Page 241

Qin Shihuangdi unified China. He cre-ated one currency, or type of money, to be used throughout the empire. He alsoordered the building of roads and a hugecanal. The canal connected the Chang Jiangin central China to what is today the city ofGuangzhou (GWAHNG • JOH) in southernChina. He used the canal to ship supplies tohis troops in far-off territories.

The Great Wall Northern China was bor-dered by the vast Gobi. Nomads, peoplewho move from place to place with herds ofanimals, lived in the Gobi. The Chineseknew them as the Xiongnu (SYEHN•NOO).The Xiongnu were masters at fighting onhorseback. They often attacked Chinesefarms and villages. Several Chinese rulers inthe north built walls to keep out the Xiongnu.

Qin Shihuangdi forced farmers to leavetheir fields and work on connecting andstrengthening the walls. The result was theGreat Wall of China, built with stone, sand,and piled rubble. However, Qin did notbuild the wall that we know today. It wasbuilt 1,500 years later.

Why Did People Rebel? Many Chineseviewed Qin Shihuangdi as a cruel leader.Aristocrats were angry because he reducedtheir power. Scholars hated him for burningtheir writings. Farmers hated him for forc-ing them to build roads and the Great Wall.Four years after the emperor died in 210 B.C.,the people overthrew his dynasty. Civil warfollowed, and a new dynasty soon arose.

Explain Why did Qin facelittle opposition during most of his reign?

This artwork shows the Great Wall manyyears after the reign of Qin Shihuangdi.Most of the wall built by Qin was made of

stone and rubble, and was located northof the Great Wall we see today. Little

remains of Qin’s wall. Who was thewall meant to keep out?

240-248 C7S3-824133 8/9/04 10:13 PM Page 242

QIN SHIHUANGDIc. 259–210 B.C.

At the age 13, Ying Zheng became the leader of

the Chinese state of Qin. The state was already very

powerful because of Zheng’s father, the previous ruler.

Its government and military were well organized. With

the help of his generals, young Zheng defeated Qin’s six

rival states. By 221 B.C., he had united all of the Chinese

states under his rule. To mark a new beginning for China

and to show his supremacy, Zheng gave himself the title

Qin Shihuangdi—“The First Qin Emperor.”

Qin Shihuangdi energetically went to work organizing

his country. He divided the land into 36 districts, each

with its own governor and a representative who reported

directly to him. He made laws and taxes uniform

throughout the country. He also standardized weights

and measurements. Throughout China, the emperor had

his achievements inscribed on stone tablets.

Qin Shihuangdi did strengthen and organize China,

but many people disliked him because of his harsh laws

and punishments. Many people also disliked how he spent lavish amounts of money

to build palaces and a gigantic tomb for

himself. He had an entire lifelike army—

over 6,000 soldiers and horses—built of clay

and placed in the tomb.

Three attempts to kill the emperor were

made during the last years of his life. Qin

Shihuangdi grew fearful and searched for a

magic potion that would give him everlasting

life. He died while on a trip in eastern China.

243

Why do you think modern historians disagree

in their evaluation of Qin Shihuangdi’s

leadership?

Part of the terra-cotta army found in

Qin Shihuangdi’s tomb

“I have brought order “I have brought order

to the mass of beings.”to the mass of beings.”—Qin Shihuangdi—Qin Shihuangdi

Qin Shihuangdi

(t)ChinaStock, (b)Robert Harding Picture Library

240-248 C7S3-824133 3/21/04 10:14 AM 3

The Han DynastyDevelopments during the Han dynasty

improved life for all Chinese.

Reading Focus How much time do you spend study-ing for tests? Find out why some Chinese people spentyears studying for one special test.

In 202 B.C. Liu Bang (lee • OO BAHNG)founded the Han dynasty. Liu Bang, whowas once a peasant, became a militaryleader and defeated his rivals. He declaredhimself Han Gaozu—“Exalted Emperor ofHan.” Although Han Gaozu threw out theharsh policies of the Qin dynasty, he contin-ued to use censors and also divided theempire into provinces and counties.

What Was the Civil Service? The Hanreached its peak under the leadership ofHan Wudi (HAHN WOO •DEE), which means“Martial Emperor of Han.” He ruled from

141 B.C. to 87 B.C. Because Wudi wanted tal-ented people to fill government posts, jobseekers had to take long, difficult tests toqualify for openings in the bureaucracy.Those with the highest scores got the jobs.

In time, Wudi’s tests became the civilservice examinations. This system forchoosing officials remained part of Chinesecivilization for 2,000 years. The system wassupposed to help anyone with the rightskills get a job with the government.However, it actually favored the rich. Onlywealthy families could afford to educatetheir sons for the difficult exams.

Students preparing for these testslearned law, history, and the teachings ofConfucius. They began to memorize theworks of Confucius at age seven. Studentswere not allowed to do physical labor or toplay most sports. They could go fishing,however, because it was considered the

sport of scholars. After many yearsof schooling, the students took theircivil service examinations. Only onein five passed. Those who failedtaught school, took jobs as assistantsto officials, or were supported bytheir families.

The Chinese Empire Grows A largebureaucracy was needed to rule the rapidly growing empire. Thepopulation had grown from about 20 million under Han Gaozu to morethan 60 million under Han Wudi.

Because farmers had to dividetheir lands among more and moresons, the average farmer owned only about one acre of land. With solittle land, farm families could notraise enough to live. As a result,many sold their land to aristocratsand became tenant farmers. Tenantfarmers work on land that is owned


This painting shows students taking a civil serviceexamination. Why did the civil service systemfavor rich job seekers?

Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

240-248 C7S3-824133 3/10/04 5:52 PM Page 244


by someone else and pay rent in crops. The aristocrats now owned thousands ofacres. They hired armies to force morefarmers into selling their land and workingas tenants.

China’s empire grew in size as well as inpopulation. Han armies added lands to thesouth and pushed Chinese borders west-ward. The Han dynasty also made thecountry more secure. Wudi’s armies droveback the Xiongnu—the nomads to thenorth. After Wudi’s death, the Chineselived in peace for almost 150 years.

An Era of Inventions New inventions during the Han dynasty helped Chineseworkers produce more than ever. Millersused newly invented waterwheels to grindmore grain, and miners used new iron drill bits to mine more salt. Ironworkersinvented steel. Paper, another Han inven-tion, was used by government officials torecord a growing amount of information.

Chinese medicine also improved underthe Han. Doctors discovered that certainfoods prevented disease. They used herbsto cure illnesses and eased pain by sticking

Papermaking today is a hugeinternational industry. Most paper is

made in paper mills by machines, butthe basic process is the same. Instead

of tree bark, rags, and hemp, most papertoday is made from wood pulp. Why do you

think some modern artists continue to makepaper using pulp and a frame?

PapermakingPapermaking

The Chinese were the first people to makepaper. The oldest piece of paper found in Chinadates from the first century B.C. Papermakerssoaked tree bark, hemp, and rags in waterand pounded it into pulp. They lowered a bamboo screen into a vat of the pulpand then lifted it out. It held a thin sheet of pulp which dried into a singlesheet of paper.

A modern artist demonstrates an ancient way of making paper.

Modern papermaking

(l)Ontario Science Centre, (r)Dean Conger/CORBIS

240-248 C7S3-824133 3/10/04 12:06 AM Page 245

��

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SPICESSPICES

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The Silk RoadThe Silk Road carried Chinese goods as

far as Greece and Rome.

Reading Focus Many of the things we buy today aremade in China. How do these goods get to the UnitedStates? Read to learn how goods made in China longago made it all the way to Europe.

Chinese merchants made a lot of moneyby shipping expensive goods to other coun-tries. Silk was the most valuable trade prod-uct. Some of it went by ship to Southeast

Trading in the Ancient World

thin needles into patients’ skin. This treat-ment is known as acupuncture (A • kyuh •PUHNGK • chuhr).

The Chinese also invented the rudderand a new way to move the sails of ships.These changes allowed ships to sail into thewind for the first time. Chinese merchantships could now travel to the islands ofSoutheast Asia and into the Indian Ocean.As a result, China established trade as faraway as India and the Mediterranean Sea.

Explain How did China’sempire increase in size during the Han dynasty?

KEY

SPICESSPICES

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SPICES

SPICES

SPICES

SPICES

SPICESBlack pepper

Cardamom

Cinnamon

Cloves

Copper

Cotton cloth

Frankincense/Myrrh

Gold

Ginger

Grains

Horns/Tusks

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Nutmeg

Oils

Papyrus

Pearls

Sandalwood

Semipreciousstones

Silk

Teakwood

Silk Road

Other traderoutes

The Silk Road allowed the transportof expensive goods all the way fromChina to the Middle East and beyond.1. What were some trade goods

produced by China?2. What regions were near or along

the route of the Silk Road?

240-248 C7S3-824133 3/10/04 6:32 PM Page 246

When

SHANGSHANG

1750–1045 B.C.

Developed social classes that included farmers, merchants, aristocrats, and royal family

ZHOUZHOU

Important Leaders

Main Ideas andAccomplishments

Influences on Chinese Culture

Numerous kings with large armies and control over the land; ruled from capital city of Anyang

Influenced Chinese religion and culture; created Chinese written language

1045–256 B.C.

Longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history; established Mandate of Heaven

Wu Qin Shihuangdi

Developed irrigation and flood-control systems to help farmers grow more crops

QINQIN

221–206 B.C.

Strengthened central government; created single monetary system

Introduced use of censors to check on government officials; Qin built the first Great Wall to keep out invaders

Liu Bang

HANHAN

202 B.C.–A.D. 220

Population and landmass grew under Han; opened China to trade and commerce by building Silk Road

Created government’s civil service examination; major inventions: steel, paper, acupuncture, advanced sea travel

Four Chinese DynastiesFour Chinese Dynasties

The four dynasties of early China wereseparated by brief periods of unrest.1. Under which dynasty was a single monetary

system put in place?2. Evaluate Which dynasty do you think

contributed the most to Chinese culture? Why?


Asia. However, most went overland on theSilk Road. This large network of traderoutes stretched 4,000 miles (6,436 km) fromwestern China to southwest Asia.

Merchants began using the Silk Roadbetween 200 B.C. and A.D. 100. Han Wudisent out a general named Zhang Qian(JAHNG CHYEHN) to explore areas west ofChina. After 13 years, Zhang returned toChina with amazing stories.

He told of a mighty empire to the westwith large cities full of people “who cuttheir hair short, wear embroidered clothes,and ride in very small chariots.” Zhang was

describing the Roman Empire. His storiessparked China’s interest in the West andtrade on the Silk Road increased. Merchantsused camels to carry their goods acrossdeserts and mountains to central Asia.From there Arabs carried the goods to theMediterranean Sea.

The trip over the Silk Road was expen-sive because it was difficult and dangerous.Merchants had to pay taxes to many king-doms as they moved the goods east andwest. For this reason, they carried onlyhigh-priced goods such as silk, spices, tea,and porcelain.

Conclude Why were onlyexpensive goods carried on the Silk Road?

(l)The Art Archive/National Palace Museum Taiwan, (others)The Art Archive/British Library

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Reading SummaryReview the • The short-lived Qin dynasty

helped to unify China.

• During the Han dynasty, peoplebegan taking tests for govern-ment jobs. New inventions,such as the waterwheel andpaper, were created.

• The Silk Road was an importanttrade route that linked China tothe West.

• As the Han dynasty lost power,many Chinese became followersof Buddhism.

1. Why did Qin Shihuangdi havethe Great Wall built?

2. What were civil service exami-nations and why were theycreated?

Critical Thinking3. Cause and Effect Draw a

diagram to show the factorsthat caused the Han dynastyto fall.

4. Geography Skills What bar-riers did merchants who usedthe Silk Road have to cross?

5. Explain How did QinShihuangdi make China’s cen-tral government stronger?

6. Analyze Why did the Qindynasty fall?

7. Descriptive Writing ZhangQian wrote that Romans hadshort hair, wore embroideredclothes, and rode in chariots.Name three things that hemight have written about peo-ple in the United States afterseeing them for the first time.

What Did You Learn?



Major Changes in ChinaUnrest in China helped Buddhism to

spread.

Reading Focus What do you do when you feel fright-

ened or unsafe? Read to find out how those feelings

triggered the spread of Buddhism from India to China.

As you read in Chapter 6, Buddhismbegan in India, but it soon spread to othercountries as well. Merchants and teachersfrom India brought Buddhism to Chinaduring the A.D. 100s. At first, only a few merchants and scholars were interested in the new religion. In time, however,Buddhism became very popular. One of themost important reasons that the Chinesepeople began to believe in Buddhism wasthe fall of the Han dynasty.

The Han emperors after Wudi wereweak and foolish. As a result, the centralgovernment lost respect and power. At the

same time, as you read earlier, the aristocratsbegan grabbing more land and wealth.Dishonest officials and greedy aristocratscaused unrest among the farmers.

Wars, rebellions, and plots against theemperor put an end to the Han dynasty. In A.D. 190 a rebel army attacked the Han capital, Luoyang (loo • WOH • YAHNG). ByA.D. 220, China had plunged into civil war.To make the situation worse, the northernnomads invaded the country.

The collapse of the government and the beginning of the civil war frightenedmany Chinese. They felt unsafe. Buddhistideas helped people cope with the stressand their fear. Even the followers of other religions found Buddhism attractive.Followers of Confucius and Daoistsadmired Buddhist ideas. By the 400s,Buddhism had become popular in China.

Identify What groups inChina were the first to adopt Buddhism?

Han Dynasty Falls

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Life in Ancient China

China’s First Civilizations

Section

Section

Vocabularydynastyaristocratpictographideographbureaucracy mandateDao

Vocabularysocial class filial pietyConfucianismDaoismLegalism

Focusing on the • Rivers, mountains, and deserts helped

shape China’s civilization. (page 225)

• Rulers known as the Shang becamepowerful because they controlled landand had strong armies. (page 226)

• Chinese rulers claimed that theMandate of Heaven gave them theright to rule. (page 229)

Focusing on the • Chinese society had three main social

classes: landowning aristocrats, farmers,and merchants. (page 233)

• Three Chinese philosophies,Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, grew out of a need for order. (page 235)


Section

Vocabularyacupuncture

Focusing on the • Qin Shihuangdi used harsh methods to unify and defend China. (page 241)

• Developments during the Han dynasty improved life for all Chinese.(page 244)

• The Silk Road carried Chinese goods as far as Greece and Rome. (page 246)

• Unrest in China helped Buddhism to spread. (page 248)

The Qin and Han Dynasties

Laozi

Bronze bowl and ladle from Zhou dynasty

(t)file photo, (b)Giraudon/Art Resource, NY

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Text Structure Headings and Punctuation19. Read each of the headings below. Three

could be subheads in a chapter aboutancient China. Which one would most likely be the main head?

a. The Ideas of Confuciusb. Daoist Beliefsc. Chinese Philosophyd. Hanfeizi

20. What would be a good main head for thesesubheads: Papermaking, Civil ServiceExaminations, Acupuncture?

e. The Rise of the Zhou Dynastyf. Inventions of the Qin Dynastyg. Developments of the Han Dynastyh. Life in the Shang Dynasty

To review this skill, see pages 222–223.

Review VocabularyMatch the words with the definitions below. ___ 1. dynasty___ 2. aristocrat___ 3. bureaucracy___ 4. mandate___ 5. social class___ 6. filial piety___ 7. acupuncture___ 8. Daoism___ 9. Confucianism

a. right to commandb. line of rulers in the same familyc. upper class whose wealth is based

on landd. The ideas of ___ included a duty to

participate in government.e. appointed government officialsf. head of family honored by other

membersg. medical treatment using thin needlesh. people with a similar position in societyi. The teachings of Laozi are the basis

of ___.

Review Main IdeasSection 1 • China’s First Civilizations10. What geographical features shaped

China’s civilizations? 11. Why did the Shang rulers become

powerful?Section 2 • Life in Ancient China12. What were the three main classes in

Chinese society?13. Identify three Chinese philosophies and

the reason they emerged.

Section 3 • The Qin and Han Dynasties14. How did developments during the Han

dynasty affect the Chinese people?15. What was the purpose of the Silk Road?

Critical Thinking16. Contrast How is the ancient Chinese

writing system different from cuneiformand hieroglyphic writing?

17. Describe How did Shang artisans createbronze urns?

18. Analyze How is Daoism the opposite ofConfucianism in some ways?


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400 mi.0

N

S

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120°E

40°N

EastChinaSea

Luoyang

Anyang

AnalyzeAnalyze

The main ideas of Daoism are explainedin a book titled Dao De Jing (The Wayof the Dao). This passage describes theDaoist position against violence.“When leading by the way of the Tao [Dao],abominate [hate] the use of force, for itcauses resistance, and loss of strength. . . .

Achieve results but not through violence, forit is against the natural way, and damagesboth others’ and one’s own true self. . . .

The wise leader achieves results, but doesnot glory in them . . . and does not boastof them.

He knows that boasting is not the naturalway, and that he who goes against thatway, will fail in his endeavours.”

—“A Caveat Against Violence,”The Tao Te Ching, Stan Rosenthal, trans.

28. According to Daoist thought, what isthe result of using force or violence?

29. What do you think the following statement means?“The wise leader achieves results, but does not glory in them.”



400 mi.0

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120°E

40°N

Luoyang

Anyang

Zhou & Qin Empires

Geography SkillsStudy the map below and answer the follow-ing questions.21. Human/Environment Interaction Which

dynasty controlled the most land? 22. Location In what direction did the Qin

dynasty expand the most? 23. Analyze How do you think the East China

Sea affected expansion?

Read to Write24. Expository Writing Imagine you are

planning a trip on the Silk Road and youneed someone to go with you. Write awant ad describing the type of person you need. Explain what will be expected of that person on the trip.

25. Using Your Choose one personthat you included in your foldable. Write alist of 10 questions that you would ask thatperson in an interview. Exchange lists witha partner and play the role of the personbeing interviewed.

Using Technology26. Internet Research The Chinese built the

Great Wall of China to protect themselves.Use the Internet and your local library toresearch ways other countries have pro-tected themselves from enemies. Describeat least two examples to your classmates.

Building Citizenship Skills27. Plan a Debate With your class, plan and

participate in a three-way debate. Divideinto three teams. One team will representthe Legalists, one will represent followersof Confucius, and one will representDaoists. As a team, research each philoso-phy. Record key points on note cards foreasy reference. Begin the debate by askingthe question “Which philosophy is bestreflected in a democratic society such asthat of the United States?”

Self-Check Quiz To help prepare for theChapter Test, visit jat.glencoe.com

Zhou empire Qin empireKEY

249-251 C7CRA-824133 3/10/04 12:29 AM Page 251


Where did thesecivilizationsdevelop?

• On Mediterraneanislands and the BalkanPeninsula

• In the Indus River valley • In the Huang He valley

• Homer, c. 750 B.C.

• Pericles, c. 495–429 B.C.

• Socrates, c. 470–399 B.C.

• Alexander the Great,c. 356–323 B.C.

• Wu Wang, ruled c. 1045–1043 B.C.

• Confucius,551–479 B.C.

• Qin Shihuangdi,ruled 221–210 B.C.

• Liu Bang, ruled 202–195 B.C.

• Early Greeks lived on estates nearwalled palaces

• Later Greeks lived in a polis and in nearbyfarms and villages

• Many lived in farmingvillages and towns nearmajor rivers

• Some lived in very largecities

• Landowning aristocratslived in large houses withgardens and courtyards

• Most people were farmersliving in simple housesin villages or cities

Who were someimportantpeople in thesecivilizations?

Where did most of thepeople live?

Compare the civilizationsthat you have read about byreviewing the informationbelow. Can you see how thepeople of these civilizationshelped to build the world welive in today?

252

AncientGreece

AncientGreece

Chapters 4 & 5

Early IndiaEarlyIndia

Chap ter 6

EarlyChinaEarly China

Chap ter 7

• Siddhartha Gautama,c. 563–483 B.C.

• Chandragupta Maurya,ruled c. 321–298 B.C.

• Asoka, ruled c. 273–232 B.C.

Chapters 4 & 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Comparing CivilizationsComparing Civilizations

(l)Scala/Art Resource, NY, (c)Ancient Art & Architecture Collection, (r)Burstein Collection/CORBIS

252-253 UR2-824133 8/3/04 5:11 PM Page 252

What was theirgovernmentlike?

What werethese people’sbeliefs?

Whatcontributionsdid they make?

What was theirlanguage andwriting like?

• Greeks worshiped manygods and goddesses andbelieved in fate

• Hinduism: complexreligion with many gods representing aneternal spirit

• Buddhism:enlightenment availableto anyone

• Confucianism: dutydirects your life

• Daoism: people shouldtry to be in harmonywith nature

• Legalism: people needharsh laws to be good

• Worship of ancestors

• Early Greeks were ruledby kings

• Later, some Greeksdeveloped governmentsrun by citizens • The warrior class ran the

government, usuallyruled by a king

• A king or emperor ruledthe country

• Aristocrats ran theprovinces

• Greek: used characters to form letters andwords

• Sanskrit: used charactersto form letters andwords

• Chinese: symbols thatrepresent objects werecombined to representideas

• Introduced democracy

• Architecture was copiedby others

• Developed the idea oftheater and drama

• Made advances inmedicine, mathematics,science, and literature

• Developed two majorreligions • Invented paper and

gunpowder

• Cultivated silk

How do thesecontributionsaffect me? Canyou add any?

• We have a democraticgovernment in theUnited States

• Modern plays, movies,and television showshave their roots in Greek theater

• ”0” is now a part of ournumber system

• Many people stillpractice Buddhism andHinduism

• The papermaking processallows us to create books,newspapers, and otherpaper products

• Gunpowder and silk arestill in use

253

AncientGreece

AncientGreece

Chapters 4 & 5

Early IndiaEarlyIndia

Chap ter 6

EarlyChinaEarly China

Chap ter 7

(tl)Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY, (c)Victoria & Albert Museum, London/Art Resource, NY, (bl)Ronald Sheridan/Ancient Art & Architecture Collection, (br)The British Museum, London/Bridgeman Art Library

252-253 UR2-824133 3/28/04 10:35 AM Page 253

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