Transcript Ancient China - Bibb County Schools

ANCIENT CHINA
REACH 2013-2014
Windows to the World:
Ancient River Civilizations
Location & Geography
• China is located on the
continent of Asia.
• It is surrounded by the
Gobi & Taklimakan
Deserts to the north and
west, the Himalayan
Mountains to the west and
south, and the Yellow Sea,
East China Sea and South
China Sea to the east and
south.
Archaeology
• In 1974, the tomb of
Emperor Qin was
discovered.
• The tomb contained
8,000 life-sized clay
(terra cotta) soldiers
and horses each with
different faces.
• The soldiers were
guarding the
emperor’s tomb.
Agriculture
• Farmers along the Huang
He River grew millet.
• Farmers along the Yangtze
River grew rice and this
also spread to the Huang
He.
• Wheat and vegetables
were grown by farmers.
• Silk worms were raised
and their cocoons were
used to make silk.
Social Hierarchy
• China was ruled by a series of dynasties.
• Chinese society was like a ladder. The highest ranking people
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were the emperors and the royal family.
Next came the civil servants who were government workers
that served the royal family. They were highly respected
because they could read and write.
Below them were the peasants and artisans. They were also
respected; peasants because they raised food for China, and
artisans because they used their skills to make weapons, tools,
silk cloth, and bronze, jade and clay works of art.
Next, near the bottom, came the merchants. Even though
many merchants were wealthy (traders and shopkeepers) they
were not respected because they made their wealth from
trading goods produced by others – not made with their own
hands.
On the bottom of this social ladder were the entertainers,
soldiers and servants. They had little hope of climbing up the
social ladder.
Economics
• In Ancient China shells
and silk cloth were used
for money.
• During the Qin Dynasty,
bronze coins were used.
• Goods were exchanged,
bought and sold along the
Silk Road.
Beliefs
• The Chinese believed that their
emperors communicated with the
gods by using oracle bones.
• Ancestors were worshipped and
elders were very much respected.
• Confucius born in 551 BC, was
the best known thinker in Ancient
China. He taught peace, and
harmony, and the importance of
respecting and being obedient to
elders and rulers.
Beliefs
• The beliefs of Daoism began in
Ancient China.
• The founder, Lao Zi believed in
balance in nature. He taught people
to live simple lives in harmony with
nature symbolized by the yin and
yang.
• The yin (darker half of symbol =
earth, female, dark and wet) and the
yang (lighter half = heavenly, male,
light and dry).
• Happiness requires an equal balance
between the yin and the yang.
• The Silk Road was a series of
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trade routes that connected
Ancient China with India, the
Middle East and the Roman
Empire.
Chinese merchants grew very
wealthy selling silks, spices, tea
and Chinese crafts.
Chinese merchants received
gold, silver, glass, wool, pearls
and furs.
Caravans were formed to travel
along the silk road because of
the many dangers.
Few merchants traveled the
entire length of the Silk Road.
Instead, goods were sold from
one trader to another until they
reached their destination.
Trade
Trade – Marco Polo
• In 1271, Marco Polo traveled on the Silk Road
from Venice, Italy to China.
• He served as an important official in China for
almost 20 years.
• When he returned to Italy, he wrote Description
of the World, which taught Europeans about the
advanced civilization of China.
Writing
• Chinese writing called calligraphy is made up
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of more than 40,000 characters.
The characters represent words and sounds.
Each character is written using special brushes
and ink and must be written in the proper order.
The first Chinese writing was done on
oracle bones.
Master calligraphers were and still are highly
respected and considered
to be great artists.
Art
• Calligraphy, poetry, and painting were known as the “three
perfections.”
• The combination of these three arts was considered the highest
form of art.
• The three perfections were usually combined with a landscape
painting having beautiful calligraphy running down one side.
• From the Song Dynasty (960 CE) on, the practice of the three
perfections was considered to be the greatest accomplishment
of an educated person.
Technology
• Some of the world’s greatest inventions came
from China.
• Emperors encouraged the development of
science and technology.
Culture
• The Chinese people worked long, hard days
from dawn to dusk. The Chinese calendar had
several national festivals.
• The largest and most important festival was
and is the New Year or Spring Festival,
marking the beginning of spring.
• The New Year Festival lasts 15 days and
began as a spring festival before the farmers
did their spring planting.
• This festival is a time to pay debts, settle
quarrels, and make a fresh start to the new
year.
• The Chinese year 4708 began on February
14, 2010.
New Year’s Celebration
Days 1 & 2
• Special activities are held during this
celebration including many fireworks to
frighten away evil spirits.
• The first two days are times to put on new
clothes and visit with family and friends
exchanging gifts of cake, oranges and candy.
New Years –Days 3 & 4
• The third day, people sweep their houses to clean out
the old and let in health and happiness.
• The fourth day is when daughters visit their parents .
• The fourth day is also the day for dragon and lion
dancers to parade through the streets. The dragons
are made of silk, paper, and bamboo carried by young
men who dance as they go through the streets.
Chinese New Year –Day 15
• On the 15th day, the Chinese mark the end of the New
Year’s Festival with the Lantern Festival.
• In Ancient China the 15th day represented the
increasing daylight and warmth after the cold winter.
• The Chinese people hang glowing lanterns in temples
and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the
light of the full moon.
• The lanterns were usually works of art,
painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac
signs and scenes from history or legends.
Chinese Calendar & Zodiac
• Chinese legend says that in ancient times,
Buddha asked all of the animals to meet him
on Chinese New Year.
• Twelve animals came, and Buddha named a
year after each one.
• He announced that the people born in each
animal’s year would have some of that
animal’s personality.
• Those born in 2010, The Tiger’s Year, are
natural leaders, and excel as actors, writers,
and managers. They are authoritative,
courageous, emotional, and intense.
Chinese Calendar
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1998 Tiger – Brave & sensitive
1999 Rabbit – Luckiest of all. Talented, loving, but shy
2000 Dragon – Proud, energetic, good health
2001 Snake – Wise and good-looking, but has a bad temper
2002 Horse – Popular and good-looking, but impatient
2003 Ram – Elegant and creative, but shy
2004 Monkey – Smart and funny, but easily confused
2005 Rooster – Honest and adventurous, but selfish
2006 Dog – Loyal and honest but stubborn and selfish
2007 Boar or Pig – Honorable and brave
2008 Rat – Honest, ambitious and a big spender
2009 Ox – Bright, patient, and inspires others
Culture
• In China, red is considered a lucky color that
represents joy and good fortune.
• During the New Years Spring Festival, friends give
gifts wrapped in red paper and children receive money
in red envelopes from their relatives.
Bibliography
• Clip art and graphics were used in accordance with
the rules and regulations set forth by Microsoft Word
and from http://chinese.phillipmartin.info/index.htm
• Cotterell, Arthur. Ancient China Eyewitness Books.
New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 2005.
• Hartman, Holly. "Infoplease.com." Chinese New
Year:2010. 2007. Family Education Network. 25
February 2010
<http://www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear1.ht
ml>.
• Scher, Linda. "From Top to Bottom, Celebrating the
Chinese Year." Kids Discover 2007: 4-17.