Ancient China

Geography & Shang Dynasty

The development of civilization in early China was aided by features like long rivers, fertile soils, temperate climates, and isolated valleys.

●China’s first civilizations developed in river valleys

●Two major rivers supplied water for earliest civilizations

●Chang Jiang, also called Yangzi

●Huang He, or Yellow River●Both flow east from Plateau

of Tibet to Yellow Sea

Rivers, Soils, Climates●Annual floods deposited rich

soil, loess, on flood plains●Valley of Huang He

particularly fertile due to loess●Fine dusty soil●Carried into China by desert

winds

Loess

China’s Geography

Yellow River Civilization● China’s two major

rivers are the Yangtze and the Hwang He. Both empty into the Pacific Ocean draining China’s heavily populated fertile plains.

● The earliest Chinese civilizations were found along the Hwang He (Yellow) river which suffers violent flooding each year. It’s nickname is China’s sorrow.

Isolation●Combination of rivers for irrigation, fertile soil for planting allowed Chinese to

thrive, as did China’s relative isolation●Mountains, hills, desert protected China from invasion●Himalaya Mountains separate southern China from India, rest of southern

Asia; vast Gobi Desert prevented reaching China from west

Crops

●Most of eastern China covered with fertile soils; some regions better suited than others for growing certain crops

●Southern China—warm, receives plenty of rainfall, excellent region for growing rice

●Further north—climate cooler, drier; suitable for grains, wheat, millet

●Archaeological discoveries suggest Chinese civilization began in Huang He valley

●People started growing crops there 9,000 years ago

Beginnings of Civilization

China’s Geography

Shang: 1523-1028 BCE

According to ancient Chinese records, the Shang dynasty formed around 1766 BC, although many archaeologists believe it actually began somewhat later than that.

●China ruled by strong monarchy

●At capital city, Anyang, kings surrounded by court

●Rituals performed to strengthen kingdom, keep safe

Government and Society

●King’s governors ruled distant parts of kingdom

●King also had large army at disposal

●Prevented rebellions, fought outside opponents

Order

●Shang China largely agricultural

●Most tended crops in fields

●Farmers called on to fight in army, work on building projects—tombs, palaces, walls

Agricultural Society

The Shang Dynasty

Leisure●Ruling elite had free time to

pursue leisure activities, hunting for sport

●Wealthy enjoyed collecting expensive bronze, jade objects

Afterlife●Tombs held remains of

sacrificed prisoners of war●Believed in afterlife where ruler

would need riches, servants

Artifacts

●Much of what is known comes from studying royal tombs

●Contained valuable items made of bronze, jade

Ancestor Worship●Shang offered gifts to

deceased ancestors to keep them happy in afterlife

●Steam from ritual meals nourished ancestors’ spirits

Shang Culture

Oracle Bones

As part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for advice

●Sought advice through use of oracle bones●Inscribed bits of animal bone, turtle shell●Living person asked question of ancestor●Hot piece of metal applied to oracle bone resulting in cracks on

bone’s surface●Specially trained priests interpreted meaning of cracks to learn

answer

Oracle Bones

Writing●Development of Chinese writing closely tied to use of oracle bones●Earliest examples of Chinese writing, questions written on bones themselves●Early Shang texts used picture symbols to represent objects, ideas

End of Dynasty ●Shang ruled for more than 600 years, until about 1100 BC●Ruling China’s growing population proved too much for Shang●Armies from nearby tribe, Zhou, invaded, established new ruling dynasty

Bronze ●Shang religion led to great advances in working with bronze●Highly decorative bronze vessels, objects created for religious rituals●Also built huge structures like tombs; created calendar, first money systems

Shang Achievements and Decline