Transcript Ancient China

Ancient China
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Was made up of over
200 small kingdoms
First united by
Emperor Ch ‘in
Covers an area of
3,691,500 sq. miles.
3rd largest country in
the world.
Worlds largest pop.
over 3 billion people.
Confucius
Was a philosopher in Ancient China (his real
name was Kong Qui) born around 551 B.C.
 Taught that “what you do not wish for
yourself, do not do to others.”
 Said that 5 relationships were key to a
stable society. Ruler/Subject,
Father/Son, Husband/Wife,
Older Brother/Younger Brother,
and Friend/Friend.
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Stressed virtue which is shown by how
people act, not what they say.
 His teachings became known
as Confucianism.
 Confucianism
applied to all
areas of Chinese
life until the
1930’s.
 Started 1st tests
(meritocracy) rather than aristocracy.
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Family Life!
Dads were the boss! They told everything
to do, even who you would marry (they
could also sell you into slavery…yikes!).
 After Dad, the oldest son was the boss.
 You didn’t call your brother/sister by name
but by title “oldest brother”, “#2 brother”,
and “younger brother”, etc.
 Focused on RESPECT.
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Family life (cont.)
Most Chinese lived in 3 room houses. One
main room in the middle, with the parents
bedroom on the left and all the children
sharing the bedroom on the right.
 Ideally grandparents, parents, and kids
would all live in the same house.
 The wealthy built elaborate houses with
courtyards.
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Important Rivers
Yellow River-located in Northern China. Is
the most important river in China. Floods
frequently due to silt which also explains
how it received its name. Also called the
“River of Sorrow.”
 Yangtze River-located in Southern China.
It is the 3rd longest river in the world (over
3,900 miles long). Contains the worlds
largest dam (3 Gorges Dam).
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The Grand Canal
Built between 604-610 by the Sui Dynasty
(although it connected several older
canals begun by previous Dynasties)
 Connected several of China’s most
important cities (Beijing & Hangzhou). As
well as the Yangtze & Yellow Rivers.
 Boosted the economy (since goods could
travel more easily).
 Helped to unify China
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The Grand Canal (cont.)
It’s over 1100 miles long (1114 to be
exact).
 Like The Great Wall is was built by
conscripted peasants.
(over ½ of them died
during construction)
 Can you name another
famous canal?
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The Great Wall
Build by China’s 1st Emperor
Qin Shi Huangdi
 Combined several older
walls.
 Was completed in 11 years,
221-210 b.c.
 Built to keep out the
“Northern Barbarians.”
 Stretched 2,600 miles.
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The Great Wall (cont.)
Built by over 1 million people, mostly
peasants and people that couldn’t pay
their taxes (conscripted workers).
 Made the emperor very unpopular.
 Modern “Great Wall” was built by the Ming
Dynasty between 1368-1644 a.d. and
improved upon the original wall.
Stretched 3,997 miles.
 Made the Ming’s very unpopular.
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Chinese Inventions
• Paper (it was used for clothes at
first, then for writing…seriously).
• Printing with carved wooden blocks
(called moveable type printing).
• Gunpowder…then Fireworks! (watch
out Great Wall)
• Porcelain (that’s why it’s called
China)
Silk
Discovered by Queen Si
Ling-Chi perhaps around
6000 b.c.
 Made from the cocoons of
Silkworms (poor silkworms).
 Silk was reserved for only
the Emperor but gradually
its use spread to the elite.
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Silk (continued)
The beautiful & delicate thread soon
began to be demanded all around the
Ancient World (think Egypt, the Middle
East, and even Europe).
 It was a Chinese secret. If you tried to
sneak Silkworms out of China you could
be executed…gulp.
 Silkworms only ate Mulberry leaves so it
was very hard to smuggle out silkworms.
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Which leads us to the Silk Road!
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The Silk Road was neither made out of silk
or a road…discuss.
The Silk Road (cont.)
was really a series of trade routes that
traded almost everything: precious stones,
spices, textiles, and even dogs.
 Used continuously for almost 2,000 years.
 Spread culture & religion.
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& We can’t forget Festivals!
Chinese New Year (follows the lunar
calendar which is based on the moon).
 Usually falls in January or February.
 The Chinese shoot fireworks to scare away
misfortune.
 The Chinese Zodiac goes in a 12 year
cycle. It contains the rooster, dog, pig,
rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse,
sheep and monkey.
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On Chinese New Year families get together
and have a large meal.
 Children receive little red envelopes with $
inside (oh-yeah).
 You clean your house and decorate it with
pieces of red paper
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(before New Years,
otherwise you may
sweep out your good
luck).