Ancient China Ancient History 10. Physical Features of China.
Unit 3b: Ancient China
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Transcript of Unit 3b: Ancient China
China
Class Activity:Before you move on, examine the map
& generate 3 conclusions about the
geography of China & its impact on the people of this region
China began along the Yellow (Huang He) & Yangtze Rivers in the North China Plain; Only 10% of China is suitable for farming
The Yellow River flooding was unpredictable & was called “China’s Sorrow” because its floods
often destroyed entire villages.
Legend of Yu – control flood sense of duty
Huang He= Yellow RiverLoess= yellow silt
China was protected & isolated from outsiders by the Gobi & Talimakan Deserts in the west &
the Himalayan Mountains and the Pacific Ocean to the east (Four natural barriers)
The Chinese referred to themselves as the
“Middle Kingdom” & rarely traded with outsiders. Why?
Chinese believed that they were the center of the earth because of their isolation from other civilizations. IsolationEthnocentric xenophobia
Lasting Contributions■ Advanced Cities:
–Like other river valley civilizations, cities in China had high walls for protection
–But, Chinese buildings were made of wood rather than brick or stone
Lasting Contributions Specialized Workers:
?Unlike other river
valley civilizations, the
Chinese held peasants higher than artisans or
merchants because they
produced food.
Lasting Contributions Government:
Like Egypt, China was ruled by families called dynasties
Ruler’s justified their power by claimingMandate ofHeaven (approval of the godsgave the right to rule)
Lasting Contributions Government:
Kings could lose the Mandate of Heaven & be overthrown by a new king, called the Dynastic Cycle
Lasting Contributions Government:
China was also controlled using the ethical system, Confucianism
Confucianism focused on filial piety (respect for elders)
Confucius taught social order through 5 key relationships:1) ruler-subject 2) father-son 3) husband-wife 4) brother- brother & 5) friend-friend
These ideas were written down in The Analects
Lasting Contributions Religion:
Chinese believed in ancestor worship. They practice the belief that spirits of family ancestors should be honored & consulted.
Chinese Religion
These were animal bones and shells. Priests wrote questions on them and when they touched them with something hot, they cracked. These cracks were interpreted to find their answers.
Chinese also asked for advice from the gods. They used oracle bones.
Lasting Contributions Writing:
Like hieroglyphics, Chinese characters stood for sounds but the 10,000 characters made it hard to learn to write
Shang Dynasty2000- 1122 BC
Formation of Government Shang kings only controlled a small area Clans – a group of families who claim a common ancestor Noblewomen have rights in Shang period. Capital city at Anyang
Social Classes Develop Royalty, Nobility, and Warriors. Merchants and artisans are lower in society. Majority of people in Shang China were peasants When peasants were not in the fields, they were helping
in community projects.
Shang Dynasty2000- 1122 BC
Religious Beliefs Many gods and nature spirits – Polytheistic Shang Di- chief god Mother goddess King as a link to Shang Di
Veneration of ancestors Two forces in universe- Yin and Yang
Must be in delicate balance (harmony)Yin= earth, darkness, femaleYang= Heaven, light, male
Zhou Dynasty (1027BC-221BC) Divided their kingdom into
territoriesEach territory was governed by an
official appointed by the king The belief in the “Mandate
of Heaven” became an established practice during this dynasty.
Mandate of Heaven Mandate of Heaven:
the belief that the gods give a certain family the right to rule
The Mandate of Heaven allowed rulers to remain in power as long as they were just and effective
Divine Right to Rule
Feudalism in China
Establishing a Feudal State Feudalism- system of government in
which local lords governed their own lands but owed military service and other forms of support to the ruler.
Chinese Written Language… Zhou Dynasty Pictographs
Picture symbols or characters that represent an object
Ideographs Characters that combine two
or more pictographs to represent an idea
Calligraphy Writing turned into an elegant
art form First Books
Bound strips of wood or bamboo together
Zhou Dynasty (1027 B.C.–256 B.C.)
Achievements of the Zhou Dynasty: Spurring Economic Growth through
trade Bronze and iron helped produce more
food. Growth of new crops – soybeans Chinese began to use money Increase in population Expanded territories Discovering the Secret of Silk-Making
Producing silk from silkwormsKept the process of silk making a
secret
Zhou Dynasty (1027 B.C.–256 B.C.)
Achievements of the Zhou Dynasty: Astronomy – Calendar Book – I Ching – handbook for
predicting the future. Book – Book of Songs – poems, love
songs
Confucianism Confucius (Kongfuzi) lived from 551-
479BC – late Zhou Dynasty Emphasizes order and structure in society
Everyone knows their place and responsibility in society
Wanted people to live according to ethicsGood conduct and moral judgment
“Do not do unto others what you would not want done unto you.” (Golden Rule)
Confucianism Five Relationships1. Ruler and Subject2. Parent and Child
filial piety: children’s respect for adults3. Husband and wife4. Old and Young5. Friend and Friend
Each person has a duty to the other The person listed first is the one with more
power/respect Duty of the first person is to be kind/compassionate Duty of the second person is to be loyal/submissive Women – mothers of sons would be respected People are essentially good. Best ruler is a virtuous man who leads by example.
Effects of Confucianism
Analects: book of all Confucius’s teachings, writings, and sayings
During Han dynasty, his teachings provided the basis for the civil service exam
His teaching shaped Chinese society until the early 1900’s.
Spreads to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam (1/3 of world’s population influenced by Confucian ideas)
Daoism Based on the teachings of Laozi in 500s BC The Way of the Dao: Book of Daoism’s teachings Rejected formal social structures and specific
roles in society (different from Confucianism) Viewed government as unnatural and caused
many problems “ The government that governs best, governs
least “ Stressed the individual living in harmony with
nature
Daoism
Dao: universal force that guides all things
Believe people should renounce worldly goods and turn to nature and the Dao
To be in harmony, yin and yang (two opposing forces present in all nature) must be in balance
The Fall of the Zhou Dynasty After 800 years, the Zhou dynasty
declines and falls Individual territories and officials
rebelled against the Zhou family
Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty (221 BC-206BC)
Shi Huangdi (1st Emperor) wiped out the Zhou and conquered northern China
Spent 20 years conquering warring nations and unified China
Created a strong, authoritarian central government under his control
Abolished feudal state Forced nobles to live at his capital/takes their lands and gives to the
peasants. Replaced feudal state with 36 military districts Created a single monetary system (standard weights and
measures) Built roads, bridges, and canals connecting the empire
together Built the Great Wall of China (to keep invaders out)
Constantly rebuilt and expanded. Created censorate:
Inspectors/spies sent to report on local officials (make sure they are doing what the emperor wants)
Jailed, tortured, and killed those who opposed his rule. Burned all books that went against what he wanted
How Did Shi Huangdi Unite China? How Did Shi Huangdi Unite China?
Legalism under Shi Huangdi “The nature of man is evil. His goodness
is acquired.” Only way to achieve order was to pass
strict laws and punishments for crimes “The ruler alone possesses power.” He tortured, killed, and enslaved those
who opposed his rule (i.e. feudal nobles and Confucian scholars).
Official Policy of the Qin Dynasty
Fall of the Qin Dynasty
People were upset withCensorship of speechHarsh taxesForced labor projects
Emperor died in 210 BC and his dynasty fell four years later
Peasant leader emerges that starts a new dynasty.
Han DynastyLiu Bang defeated Xiang Yu and restored order and justice by lowering taxes, easing Legalist policies, and appointing Confucian scholars as advisors.
Emperor Wudi
Han Dynasty (207BC-220AD) Han Dynasty was
China’s Golden Age This time period was
called the Pax Sinica: a 400 year period of peace and prosperity
Former Han=1st 200 years.
Later Han= 2nd 200 years.
Wives of emperor would inherit throne after Liu Bang Empress Lu
The rule of Wudi considered peak of dynasty
Emperor Wudi Makes Improvements Emperor Wudi Makes Improvements Strengthened government and economy Set up imperial university of Xian
Textbooks on botany, zoology, and chemistry Soldiers, traders, and settlers slowly
spread Chinese influence across the area. Organizes government monopoly of iron
and salt. Expands China to great size.
Wudi’s Rule of the Han Dynasty Established a civil service
examination for public posts Civil servants – officials in government Had to pass a test in order to work for
the government Gain job based on ability (merit) rather
than birth Women could not take these exams;
excluded from government jobs
The Silk Road A series of trade routes linking China and Rome Connected the eastern world with the western
world The trade route is named after China’s most
famous trade item: silk Trade route stretched 4,000 miles long!!! 139 BC Wudi sent Zhang Quian on an
expedition 13 years later he came back telling tales
of the Roman Empire
Wudi’s Rule of the Han Dynasty 139 BC Wudi sent Zhang Quian on an expedition 13 years later he came back telling tales of the
Roman Empire Wudi then began a series of trade routes known as
the Silk Road
Cultural Diffusion and the Silk Road The Silk Road is an example of cultural
diffusion Cultural Diffusion: the exchange of goods,
ideas, and customs between different groups of people
Each group had something to offer that the other group wanted but didn’t have
What goods were being exchanged?China: silk, spices, tea, porcelainRome: wool, linen, glass, precious stones
Ideas such as Buddhism and Christianity were also exchanged along the Silk Road
The Han Golden Age Achievements
• Invented seismograph to measure earthquakes.• Also invented: paper, wheelbarrow, suspension bridges,
fishing reel and rudder• Chinese physicians diagnosed diseases, developed
anesthetics, and experimented with herbal medicines.• Acupuncture – doctor inserts needles into the skin at
specific points to relieve pain or treat various illnesses. • The wooden buildings of temples and palaces no longer exist.• Buddhism became popular due to cultural diffusion• Monasteries become important centers of learning and the
arts