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Ancient China

Ancient China. Ancient China Geography. Neolithic Age civilization was established along a river – the HUANG HE or Yellow River in northern China. The river and the land (called LOESS ) around it has a yellow color to it – from the dust blown there from the west.

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Ancient China

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  1. Ancient China

  2. Ancient China Geography Neolithic Age civilization was established along a river – the HUANG HE or Yellow River in northern China. The river and the land (called LOESS) around it has a yellow color to it – from the dust blown there from the west. The Huang He floods – often very destructively – causing the river to be called “China’s Sorrow.” Built dikes to control flooding Floods left fertile soil only 12% of China can be used for agriculture, mountains and deserts cover most land surface Physical features isolated China from the rest of the world= mountains and deserts

  3. China Geography • Chang Jiang or Yangtze longer than Huang He • Empties in Yellow Sea • Both rivers provide rich soil

  4. Isolation of China • Himalaya closes China SW • Kunlun Shan and Tian Shan mountains Western border • Gobi desert east of mountains

  5. Huang He

  6. In the beginning there was nothing in the universe except a formless chaos. However this chaos coalesced into a cosmic egg for about 18,000 years. Within it, the perfectly opposed principles of Yin and Yang became balanced and Pangu emerged (or woke up) from the egg. Pangu is usually depicted as a primitive, hairy giant with horns on his head and clad in furs. Pangu set about the task of creating the world: he separated Yin from Yang with a swing of his giant axe, creating the Earth (murky Yin) and the Sky (clear Yang). To keep them separated, Pangu stood between them and pushed up the Sky. This task took 18,000 years; with each day the sky grew ten feet (3 meters) higher, the Earth ten feet wider, and Pangu ten feet taller. In some versions of the story, Pangu is aided in this task by the four most prominent beasts, namely the Turtle, the Qilin, the Phoenix, and the Dragon. • After the 18,000 years had elapsed, Pangu was laid to rest. His breath became the wind; his voice the thunder; left eye the sun and right eye the moon; his body became the mountains and extremes of the world; his blood formed rivers; his muscles the fertile lands; his facial hair the stars and milky way; his fur the bushes and forests; his bones the valuable minerals; his bone marrows sacred diamonds; his sweat fell as rain; and the fleas on his fur carried by the wind became the fish and animals throughout the land. Nüwa the Goddess then used the mud of the water bed to form the shape of humans. These humans were very smart since they were individually crafted. Nüwa then became bored of individually making every human so she started putting a rope in the water bed and letting the drops of mud that fell from it become new humans. These small drops became new humans, not as smart as the first. The first writer to record the myth of Pangu was Xu Zheng (徐整) during the Three Kingdoms (三國) period.

  7. Pan Gu the Creator: Born From The Egg of Chaos

  8. Shang Dynasty Pan Gu founded China, giant hatched from egg of chaos First bronze age dynasty = Xia No records of Xia Legend states Yu, man-god, drove out serpents and dragons out and founded Xia along Huang He Shang replaced Xia(1750-1122bc) credited as 1st dynasty (had writing system and first civilization) Shang = farming society who was ruled by aristocracy= wealthy landowners King ruled over a system of territories, strong central government Ancestor worship through oracle bones

  9. Later Warlords chosen by kings to govern territories with his own army

  10. Shang Dynasty

  11. Shang Dynasty Priest heated bones until they cracked and then interpreted their meanings Chinese believed strongly in life after death Ancestor worship = belief that spirits of ancestors could bring good or bad fortune by communicating with nature gods Most of Shang = peasants/ there small groups of artisans and merchants

  12. Shang Writing • First Chinese Dynasty to create writing system • Pictographs = characters stand for objects • Ideographs= join 2 or more pictographs to form an idea

  13. Chinese Writing=Characters No alphabet in China It is a system where symbols represent concepts Should know at least 3,000 character to be able to understand newspapers 6,000 characters are essential in every day use Dictionary could have 40,000-50,000 characters

  14. Zhou Dynasty

  15. Zhou Dynasty Lasted 800 years 1045 bc to 256 bc Longest lasting Chinese dynasty Over threw Shang Founder of Zhou Dynasty= Wu Wang King claimed to have the Mandate of Heaven where the king was the link between heaven and earth( King right to rule comes from the gods) King was expected to rule wisely in order to keep the gods pleased in order to prevent disasters = dao Kings set up government in bureaucracy style Bureaucracy= appointed officials responsible for different areas of government

  16. Zhou Dynasty • King could do what he needed to keep order in the universe • Peasants worked on lands owned by their lords • Zhou trade silk, salt, iron, cloth, and luxury items

  17. Zhou Dynasty For centuries Zhou was ruled by wise rulers Kingdom was divided into several small territories Civil war between territories broke out became known as “Period of the Warring States Chinese developed new war methods = cavalry, chariots, and crossbow Filial Piety = refers to the duty of family members to subordinate to the male head of the family & older generations = important confucian concept The family not the individuals was the most important unit in Chinese society. Family was ruled by the father. Father arranged marriages and decided on the amount of education his sons would get Women were subordinate to men

  18. Zhou Tools and Trade • Developed: • Irrigation and flood control systems • Use iron plows instead of wooden • Population expanded to 50 million people • Important trade item= silk • Silk product found in Greece

  19. Fall of Zhou Dynasty • Local rulers stop obeying Zhou kings • Set up on states • 403 B.C. war broke out • Next 200 yrs. Known as Period of Warring states • 221 B.C. Ruler of Qin wins and unites China

  20. “Period of the Warring States” • During fighting for control of China foot soldiers( peasants) were used Advancement in Military: • Crossbow • Horse harness • Qin won control of China

  21. Life in China • Three main classes: • Landowning aristocrats • Peasant farmers and Artisans= pay taxes, 1 month a year public service, soldiers during war time • Merchants= lower than farmer (shop keepers, bankers, & traders) but could become nobles • Grew millet, wheat= north • Rice in south • Terraces farming= farming on mounting slopes= level off mountain slopes= stop erosion and let water drip on lower terrace = irrigation

  22. Life in China • Men consider more important than women because of jobs they held • Most women managed household=raised children • Women in royal court had influence in government

  23. Patterns of Chinese History Dynastic cycle: First stage- founding of dynasty. Next was the period of peace, expansion and great power. Then a period of regression marked the beginning of the decline. Then when decline reached a low point chaos and rebellion broke out and the dynasty collapsed Cultural Evolution: development of culture over the centuries. During some stages of the dynastic cycle, the pace of cultural evolution quickened, in other stages it slowed.

  24. Zhou Military Advances

  25. Confucius/Confucianism Confucius=Great Chinese philosopher, born in the state of Lu/ 500’s b.c. Father was district commander of Lu/died three years after Confucius birth Family was left in poverty Confucius still received fine education due to friends of his father Married at the age of 19, one son, 2 daughters

  26. Confucius Immediately after marriage he was forced to do small jobs for money due to poverty Mother died in 527 b.c./went through a period of mourning and decided to become a teacher traveled about instructing small amounts of his disciples came up with many theories and taught people the power of example

  27. Teachings of Confucianism • Respect everybody • Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself • People have roles in relationships=respect elders=Filial Piety • Be a good example • Rulers treat people fairly; people will treat other people fairly • Know your place in society and family • Confucius ideas led to people taking civil service tests to serve in government • Ended gov. jobs passed from father to son

  28. Confucianism • Not popular with aristocrats • Few leaders listened • Over time many followed his teachings • Considered great teacher • Died in 479 B.C. • Teaching spread throughout China

  29. Confucius

  30. Confucius’ Tomb

  31. 1] The Master said: "Love makes a spot beautiful: who chooses not to dwell in love, has he got wisdom?" [2] The Master said: "Loveless men cannot bear need long, they cannot bear fortune long. Loving hearts find peace in love; clever heads find profit in it." [3] The Master said: "Love can alone love others, or hate others." [4] The Master said: "A heart set on love will do no wrong." [5] The Master said: "Wealth and honors are what men desire; but abide not in them by help of wrong. Lowliness and want are hated of men; but forsake them not by help of wrong.

  32. Daoism System of ideas based on the teachings of Laozi= old master Laozi was understudy of Confucius Ideas were popular in the 4th & 5th century Teachings are not concerned with the universe but instead of the action of people Way to follow the Dao is by inaction and not action=Just live and let things happen to you People should act spontaneously and let nature take its course Give up worldly desires and turn to nature Do not need many possessions enough to get by

  33. Laozi

  34. Legalism Proposed the idea that human beings were evil by nature Only way to get humans on the right path was with stiff penalties and tough laws Believed it was important to have a strong ruler who imposed harsh rules A ruler was not to be compassionate towards his subjects Goal was to force people to be obedient through fear Aristocrats liked it

  35. Naturalism Dualism of nature -yin/yang - balance is inevitable Combined Dao simplicity and Confucian formalism

  36. Qin Dynasty

  37. Qin Dynasty Established by Qin Shihuangdi in 221 bc Shihuangdi means first emperor Adopted Legalism Opponents of regime were imprisoned or executed, burned books, executed scholars Built Great Wall for protection - keep out Xiongnu cavalry Qin unified Chinese world by creating monetary/ weight systems and a road system Extended empire into modern day Vietnam

  38. The word China originates from the word Qin

  39. Qin Dynasty • Shihuandi appointed gov. officials: censors= watched over gov. officals • Gov. officials over provinces & counties • Ended gov. officials being passed from father to son. • An early form of the compass was invented using lodestones (iron and oxide mineral)

  40. End of Qin Dynasty • Shihuangdi= cruel leader • Scholars hated b/c he burnt writings • Aristocrats hated him b/c reduced their power • Peasants hated him b/c he forced them build rds. And Great Wall • Terra Cotta warriors = most significant artistic discovery, replicas of Qin Shi huangdi’s imperial guard to accompany him to the next world

  41. Qin Shi Huangdi

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