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Ancient China
Song Playing:
“Dragon Chanting In
The Vast Sea”
Ancient China
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Introduction
Historical Places
Dynasties
Inventions
Religion/Philosophy
Song Playing: “Dragon
Chanting In The Vast
Sea”
Introduction
Welcome to Ancient China. China has been a nation for over
5,000 years. Compare that to the United States which has
only been around for about 230 years. Imagine how hard it
must be to be a Chinese history student. China’s culture and
history have influenced the entire world and with over one
billion people, China continues to be a world power. Come
with me as we explore ancient China and its innovations,
ancient dynasties, philosophy and historic places.
Home
Song Playing:
“Dragon Chanting In
The Vast Sea”
Historical Places
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The Great Wall of China
The Forbidden City
Qin’s Terra Cotta Soldiers
The Silk Road
Home
Interactive Map
Back to Historical Places
The Silk Road is the most well-known trading route of ancient Chinese civilization. Trade in silk
grew under the Han Dynasty ( 202 BC - AD 220) in the first and second centuries AD.
Originally, the Chinese traded silk internally, within the empire. Caravans from the empire's
interior would carry silk to the western edges of the region. Often small Central Asian tribes
would attack these caravans hoping to capture the traders' valuable commodities. As a result,
the Han Dynasty extended its military defenses further into Central Asia from 135 to 90 BC in
order to protect these caravans.
Chan Ch'ien, the first known Chinese traveler to make contact with the Central Asian tribes,
later came up with the idea to expand the silk trade to include these lesser tribes and therefore
forge alliances with these Central Asian nomads. Because of this idea, the Silk Road was born.
The route grew with the rise of the Roman Empire because the Chinese initially gave silk to the
Roman-Asian governments as gifts.
The 7000 mile route spanned China, Central Asia, Northern India, and the Parthian and Roman
Empires. It connected the Yellow River Valley to the Mediterranean Sea and passed through
places such as Chinese cities Kansu and Sinkiang and present-day countries Iran, Iraq and
Syria.
Qin’s Terra Cotta Warriors
Song Playing:
“Battle Music
For Emperor
Qin’s Army”
More than 30 years ago, in 1974, Chinese farmers were
digging a well in central China when they discovered an important
archaeological site. They discovered fragments from the burial
grounds of a Chinese emperor, Shi Huangdi (Shee-hwang-dee).
His name is also spelled Shihuangdi.
•Qin was the name of the part of China he ruled. He had his
army of more than one million soldiers conquer the entire
country in 221 B.C. He united all the little kingdoms he
conquered and became an emperor. An emperor is the
supreme ruler of an empire.
Like most Chinese, he believed in taking the real world with him when he
died. He wanted his tomb to be spectacular, and he certainly would need an
army to protect him when he died. Therefore, he ordered a terra cotta
(clay) army be built. He ordered that the terra cotta soldiers be set up in
formation with their backs to him. The terra cotta soldiers and horses
would stand guard in order to protect him from attack.
As many as 700,000 people worked for more than thirty years
to make the 7,000 - 8,000 soldiers, horses and chariots. When
they were first made more than 2,000 years ago, the soldiers
were brightly painted and held real weapons. While molds were
used to make the bodies, no two soldiers were alike. They had
different hair styles, shoes, expressions and uniforms
Click here for more photos
Back to Historical Places
Dynasties
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Shang Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Home
Song Playing: “Moored
By A River On An
Autumn Night”
Inventions
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Bronze
Silk
Paper
– video: paper and printing
– video: paper
Kite
– The Kite Maker
Porcelain (china)
Firecrackers/Gun Powder
Writing
– Calligraphy
– Write Your Name in Chinese
Seismograph
Food
Home
Religion/ Philosophy
• Confucianism
– movie
• Taoism
– movie
• Buddhism
– movie
Home
Song Playing:
“Lofty Mountains
And Flowing
Waters”