Chinese Civilization: Origin and Development The Yuanmou Man (1.7 million years ago) The Yuanmou Man...

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Chinese Civilization: Chinese Civilization: Origin and Development Origin and Development The Yuanmou Man The Yuanmou Man (1.7 million years (1.7 million years ago) ago) The Beijing Man The Beijing Man ( 700,000-200,000 ( 700,000-200,000 years years ago) ago) Yangshao Culture Yangshao Culture (5,000-3000 BC) (5,000-3000 BC) Banpo Culture Banpo Culture Hemudu Culture Hemudu Culture (5,000 -4,000 BC) (5,000 -4,000 BC)

Transcript of Chinese Civilization: Origin and Development The Yuanmou Man (1.7 million years ago) The Yuanmou Man...

Chinese Civilization: Origin Chinese Civilization: Origin and Developmentand Development

The Yuanmou ManThe Yuanmou Man (1.7 million (1.7 million years ago)years ago)

The Beijing ManThe Beijing Man ( 700,000-200,000 ( 700,000-200,000 years years ago)ago)

Yangshao CultureYangshao Culture (5,000-3000 BC) (5,000-3000 BC) Banpo CultureBanpo Culture Hemudu CultureHemudu Culture (5,000 -4,000 BC) (5,000 -4,000 BC)

The Yuanmou ManThe Yuanmou Man

Human life has been found in Yunnan as Human life has been found in Yunnan as early as 1.7 million years ago, predating early as 1.7 million years ago, predating Beijing Man of northern China by up to Beijing Man of northern China by up to 1.5 million years. The remains of 1.5 million years. The remains of "Yuanmou Man" ("Yuanmou Man" (元谋人元谋人 ), unearthed by ), unearthed by railway engineers in the railway engineers in the 1960s1960s, have , have been determined to be the oldest in been determined to be the oldest in China. China.

By the Neolithic period, there were By the Neolithic period, there were human settlements in the area of Lake human settlements in the area of Lake Dian (Dian (滇池滇池 ). These people used stone ). These people used stone tools and constructed simple wooden tools and constructed simple wooden structures.structures.

These two teeth, These two teeth, belonging to the belonging to the same male same male adult. These are adult. These are the earliest ape-the earliest ape-man fossils that man fossils that have been found have been found in Yunnan, in Yunnan, China. China.

Beijing Beijing ManMan The Peking Man is The Peking Man is

believed to have believed to have led a communal led a communal life in caves some life in caves some 700,000 to 700,000 to 200,000 years ago, 200,000 years ago, and be using crude and be using crude stone tools for a stone tools for a living on foraging living on foraging and hunting.and hunting.

The Yangshao Culture The Yangshao Culture

Characteristics Characteristics of Neolithic Way of Life of Neolithic Way of Life

This kind of life is characterized This kind of life is characterized by reliance on farming for food, by reliance on farming for food, by the use of pottery, and by the by the use of pottery, and by the making of stone implements by making of stone implements by grinding. grinding.

The best known Neolithic sites The best known Neolithic sites remain those of the Yellow River remain those of the Yellow River valley. The first discovery was made valley. The first discovery was made in 1920 by farmers of Yangshao in 1920 by farmers of Yangshao Village in northern Henan, near the Village in northern Henan, near the great bend of the Yellow River.great bend of the Yellow River.

Typically Yangshao Culture was one Typically Yangshao Culture was one practiced by practiced by settled farmerssettled farmers, , living in villages sited in the valleys living in villages sited in the valleys of the Yellow River drainage system. of the Yellow River drainage system.

They cultivated foxtail millet, and, to They cultivated foxtail millet, and, to supplement their diet they collected wild supplement their diet they collected wild

grain and went hunting and fishing. They grain and went hunting and fishing. They had domesticated dogs and pigs and a few had domesticated dogs and pigs and a few cattle, sheep and goats, and they may cattle, sheep and goats, and they may have grown hemp and raised silkworms.have grown hemp and raised silkworms.

The best known production of Yangshao The best known production of Yangshao culture is itsculture is its ceramicsceramics and in particular and in particular the the painted potterypainted pottery used at meals and used at meals and for rituals.for rituals.

During the early Neolithic During the early Neolithic period vessels were made period vessels were made using the using the coil techniquecoil technique where ropes of clay are where ropes of clay are circled on top of each other, circled on top of each other, pressed together and the pressed together and the surface smoothed over. To surface smoothed over. To obtain the elegant shape, two obtain the elegant shape, two halves were made then joined halves were made then joined together while the clay was together while the clay was still damp. still damp. A mix of fine clay A mix of fine clay and natural pigments was and natural pigments was painted onto the vessels painted onto the vessels and the entire surface was and the entire surface was gently burnished to shine gently burnished to shine the surface.the surface. This is the This is the earliest form of glazing (earliest form of glazing (上上釉釉 ). ).

Yangshao Yangshao culture of culture of Neolithic age Neolithic age period, period, Painted Painted pottery basin.pottery basin.

Yangshao culture Yangshao culture of Neolithic age of Neolithic age period, Painted period, Painted pottery basin pottery basin

Figures of birds Figures of birds and fish are and fish are representedrepresented

A matriarchal clan society featured the A matriarchal clan society featured the early phase of the New Stone Age. early phase of the New Stone Age.

The Yangshao Culture, which dates to The Yangshao Culture, which dates to 5,000 to 3,000 years BC, was the best 5,000 to 3,000 years BC, was the best representative of the matriarchal clan representative of the matriarchal clan society during its heyday.society during its heyday.

The Yangshao Culture falls into several The Yangshao Culture falls into several

types dating to different periods. One types dating to different periods. One is represented by the Banpo Ruins in is represented by the Banpo Ruins in XiXi’’an City, Shaanxi Province. an City, Shaanxi Province.

Banpo CultureBanpo Culture 半坡文化三角纹钵半坡文化三角纹钵 The best known The best known

Yangshao site is that Yangshao site is that of Banpo near Xiof Banpo near Xi’’an in an in southern Shaanxi. It southern Shaanxi. It was quite a large was quite a large village, containing village, containing perhaps one hundred perhaps one hundred houses surrounded by houses surrounded by a ditch. a ditch.

Unearthed in QiUnearthed in Qi’’an. an. This pottery is about This pottery is about 6,000 year6,000 year’’s old. s old.

Excavations done so far on the Excavations done so far on the ruins there prove that the Banpo ruins there prove that the Banpo residents were able to build residents were able to build residential buildings. residential buildings.

They led a settled life in villages They led a settled life in villages of fairly large size, used pottery of fairly large size, used pottery containers to cook food or hold containers to cook food or hold things with, and made pottery things with, and made pottery swords for cutting. swords for cutting.

In one of the pottery jars In one of the pottery jars excavated from the Banpo Ruins, excavated from the Banpo Ruins, archaeologists found cabbage, archaeologists found cabbage, leaf mustard and other seeds. leaf mustard and other seeds.

Many pottery vessels are painted Many pottery vessels are painted in red with brown or black motifs in red with brown or black motifs in shapes of human figures or in shapes of human figures or fish, and for this they are referred fish, and for this they are referred to as Cai Tao or to as Cai Tao or ““painted potterypainted pottery””..

The The Hemudu CultureHemudu Culture on the lower on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River dates to reaches of the Yangtze River dates to 5,000 BC to 4,000 BC. 5,000 BC to 4,000 BC.

Its discovery at Hemudu Village, Yuyao Its discovery at Hemudu Village, Yuyao County, Zhejiang Province, east China, is County, Zhejiang Province, east China, is equally important to studies of the New equally important to studies of the New Stone Age in China. Stone Age in China.

Pottery ware unearthed here ---bowls, Pottery ware unearthed here ---bowls, plates, basins, jars, etc.--- are plates, basins, jars, etc.--- are black in black in colorcolor and and in shape that are rarely seen in shape that are rarely seen in pottery artifactsin pottery artifacts belonging to other belonging to other primitive cultures identified in China. primitive cultures identified in China.

Hemudu CultureHemudu Culture

A wealth of stone, bone and wooden A wealth of stone, bone and wooden articles for daily use were also articles for daily use were also unearthed. unearthed.

Among these, structural parts of Among these, structural parts of looms, textile pieces made of plant looms, textile pieces made of plant fibers, painted wooden bowls and ivory fibers, painted wooden bowls and ivory carvings testify to how developed carvings testify to how developed primitive production techniques and primitive production techniques and handcraft skills had become. handcraft skills had become.

Longshan CultureLongshan Culture

About 5,000 years ago, China About 5,000 years ago, China entered entered the patriarchal clan the patriarchal clan societysociety. In the Yellow River Valley, a . In the Yellow River Valley, a typical example of this patriarchal typical example of this patriarchal clan society was the clan society was the Longshan Longshan Culture (from 3,000 years BC to Culture (from 3,000 years BC to 2,200 years BC),2,200 years BC), which was also which was also found in Zhejiang Province. found in Zhejiang Province.

LongshanLongshan cultureculture. BC .2800-. BC .2800-15001500

Hongshan Culture Hongshan Culture (about 3,500 years BC)(about 3,500 years BC)

The Hongshan Culture ( about The Hongshan Culture ( about 3,500 years BC) on the outskirts 3,500 years BC) on the outskirts of Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia of Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is unique Autonomous Region, is unique among those primitive cultures among those primitive cultures found so far in China. found so far in China.

Carved Chinese Carved Chinese Hong ShanHong Shan CultureCulture Gink Gink (( 怪人怪人 ))

A large altar, a fairy temple and A large altar, a fairy temple and a tomb of piled up rocks are the a tomb of piled up rocks are the most salient features of most salient features of Hongshan CultureHongshan Culture. .

Carved Chinese Hongshan Culture Carved Chinese Hongshan Culture BirdBird

Early DynastiesEarly Dynasties YaoYao was said to have devised agrarian was said to have devised agrarian

calendars. calendars.

ShunShun: a model ruler who continued Yao: a model ruler who continued Yao’’s s practice and chose a paragon, a man named practice and chose a paragon, a man named Yu. Yu.

It was at this point Chinese history It was at this point Chinese history begins to supplement the begins to supplement the archaeological recordarchaeological record, because , because YuYu was was believed to have founded a dynasty called believed to have founded a dynasty called Xia (Xia ( 夏夏 , about 2205-1766 BC), about 2205-1766 BC)

The Xia Dynasty (The Xia Dynasty (about 22-17 about 22-17

BCBC)) In about 21st century BC, Xia Dynasty, In about 21st century BC, Xia Dynasty,

ChinaChina’’s first monarchical power, came s first monarchical power, came into being in the western part of what into being in the western part of what is now Henan Province and the is now Henan Province and the southern part of what is now Shanxi southern part of what is now Shanxi Province. Province.

Classical history works show that the Classical history works show that the Xia people built water control projects Xia people built water control projects and worked out a calendar for farm and worked out a calendar for farm work in different seasons of the year.work in different seasons of the year.

The Shang Dynasty (about The Shang Dynasty (about 16th 16th –– 11th BC) 11th BC)

Shang Dynasty came into being in the Shang Dynasty came into being in the northern part of the Yellow River northern part of the Yellow River Valley, and had moved its capital Valley, and had moved its capital several times before it settled in several times before it settled in YinYin or what is or what is AnyangAnyang of Henan Province. of Henan Province.

In In AnyangAnyang, archeologists have found , archeologists have found the foundations of scores of Shang the foundations of scores of Shang rulers.rulers.

IdeographsIdeographs cut on cut on tortoise shells or tortoise shells or animal bones animal bones unearthed from the unearthed from the YinYin ruins. Those ruins. Those oracle bone oracle bone inscriptions known inscriptions known as Jiaguwen (as Jiaguwen (甲古甲古文文 ), are in fact ), are in fact Chinese characters Chinese characters in the most primitive in the most primitive form known to us.form known to us.

Bronze smelting techniques of the Bronze smelting techniques of the Shang period were fairly sophisticated . Shang period were fairly sophisticated . Meat, grain and wine vessels used by Meat, grain and wine vessels used by Shang rulers at sacrificial sites were all Shang rulers at sacrificial sites were all made of bronze.made of bronze.

In the Shang and succeeding dynasties, In the Shang and succeeding dynasties, there was a wide spread use of there was a wide spread use of bronze bronze vesselsvessels in court ceremonies, banquets in court ceremonies, banquets and burials, etc. In other words, bronze and burials, etc. In other words, bronze vessels were no longer used just as vessels were no longer used just as containers. They symbolized the power containers. They symbolized the power and positions of their owners.and positions of their owners.

Shang Bronze Shang Bronze PitcherPitcher

Shang Bronze Shang Bronze Ritual VesselsRitual Vessels

Shang Cauldron Shang Cauldron

Bronze Ding from Bronze Ding from the Shang Dynastythe Shang Dynasty

Cooking TripodCooking Tripod

The Zhou DynastyThe Zhou Dynasty (11th century -256 BC) (11th century -256 BC)

Western Zhou Dynasty Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 771 BC) (1046 BC - 771 BC)

Eastern Zhou Dynasty Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC - 256 BC) (770 BC - 256 BC) Spring and Autumn Period Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) (770 BC - 476 BC)

Warring States Warring States (475 BC - 221 BC) (475 BC - 221 BC)