China’s Travel Brochure

1. China’s Travel Brochure By Joelle Ragland

2. Geographic Features • The Himalayan mountains, South of the plateau of Tibet, extends through six countries and is 1,500 miles long. These mountains act as a natural barrier against India, and other southern countries. Highest peak mountain • The Yellow river that begins in the plateau of Tibet and travels northeast of China was put to use for lots of things. This river was used to water crops through irrigation systems. Also it created another way for traders to transport there goods to the northeastern side. This river eventually dumped into the Yellow sea. • The Taklimakan Dessert located South of the Tibetan Plateau did great things for China. It acted as a barrier that helped isolated China from West Asia.

3. Political Structure • How did people get there jobs??? Well they took a test to figure out who was a good candidate for public government. In order to past the exam you would have to study for it, which meant traveling to special schools in the capitol. Most of the aristocrats held the government jobs because they were the only ones who could afford to study for the test. • The government structure was a system based on meritocracy. A meritocracy is when people are chosen to work and promoted on the based of their performance. • The Chinese were the first ones to make a system like this. When the Tang and Song Dynasty ruled, civil servants and whoever did there job good were promoted and people who did there job badly were demoted or fired. • Later on the emperor started getting more power over the meritocracy system. With more power to the emporer, the aristocrats had less power and there were less of them holding government positions.

4. Religion • Buddhism was one religion most Chinese believed in. Buddhismis a religion base on the life and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also know as the Buddha which means enlightened one. This religion was brought to China in 200 ad by monks and traders who traveled to China from India and central Asia along the Silk Road. His teachings inform you that all life is about suffering and pain, and it is caused by wanting, desiring, wanting wealth, fame, and power. You must stop your desires by following the Middle Way. Buddha also talks about reincarnation, which is dying and having the soul be born into a new body. The Buddha wants you to achieve nirvana,{wanting nothing.} Once you attain nirvana you break the cycle of being reborn, and finally reach enlightenment. But you don’t stop there ,now your mission is to try an help other Buddhist to reach enlightenment. • Confucianismis a system of beliefs based on the teachings of Kong Fu Zi also known as Confucius. Confucius developed a practical philosophy for life in government which focused on proper conduct respect for elders, education, and government service. This was believed to create a peaceful stable society. He based his ideas off of respect and hardwork. Confucious taught that you must be respectful to all your level of elders like women (Wife ) to men (Husband), young to old and parent to child. Even the emporer has to respect his people to get respect back.

5. Religion Part 2 • Daoism was also another big religion that the Chinese believed in. Daoism is connected more with nature and life. Laozi taught that the goal of life was to achieve oneness with the Dao, a universal force connected to nature that cannot be defined only expirienced and felt. Daoism stresses that the best way to find peace is by living simply in harmony with nature. He said that nature doesn’t strive for fame, power, or knowledge, so we should be like nature. Doasist do not belive in strong govt. or following societal rules and laws. It teaches that harmony comes from balancing the opposite forces with nature Yin and Yang.

6. Achievements that we still see today • The Great Wall of China was a great acheivment that we still see and use today. There were some pros and cons of building the wall but I think it was worth it. The great thing about the wall is that the empire had great protection agaisnt the nomads and barbarians. It kept the farmers farming and it kept them from joinin the nomads. The emporer had less threats and was safer. The wall became a tourist atrraction and the worlds largest cemetary. In the process of building the wall, millions of people died, and poor people became even poorer. They also broke up families, so they could have men build the wall agaisnst there will. The workers were put in harsh working and living conditions and the the caravans filled with food kept on being attacked before they could eat the food. • Coal and iron production is something we also see still today. In the 4th Century b.c.e the Chinese discovered the use of coal which they called black earth or “fuel”. Soon the Chinese began to manufacture steel. With both iron and steel they made military weapons, and armor, farming tools, bridges, and temples.

7. Achievements That we still see today 3.Roads and Relay hostels improved communication and trade throughout the vast land of China. By the 700’s which offered horses and food for travelers had been built along the main travel routes of China. Relay Hostels provided a place for government officials to stay during the night on a long journey. This both made an easier way to travel through China, and increased trade by providing ways for the merchants to sell their items. 4.The Abacus was developed by Chinese scholars. The counting device, also known as suanpan was perfected in the 1400’s. The abacus made adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing much easier like the calculator. Except it was a wooden rectangular frame with parallel rods that had seven beads on it.

8. Achievements we still see today 5.Paper money was invented in the 9th century, and was originally called the flying monkey. Because metal money or cash was to heavy to carry they made paper money. Cash usually contained 100 metal coins connected to a ring. This new paper money became the item most used when exchanging goods, which developed a money economy.

9. Dynasties