Transcript Ancient China

Early Civilization in China
China: Geography
• Tian Shan &
Himalayan Mountains
• Brutal deserts
• Thick jungles
• Pacific Ocean
What contact did China
have with other
civilizations?
• Isolated
• No direct
contact
• Pastoral
Nomads on
the steppes
• Unique
culture
developed
What are the main regions of China?
 East coast &
valleys of Huang
He (Yellow River)
& Yangzi Rivers
– Fertile
– water for irrigation
& transportation
 Outlying regions of
Xinjuang, Mongolia
• harsh
• nomads &
subsistence
farmers
• Trade & raid
What is the “River of
Sorrows”?
• Huang He River
• Loess settlesraises water level
causes flooding
Huang He = Yellow River
Chinese Dynasties
Xia Dynasty
(c.2000 BCE)
• Centered on Huang
He (River of Sorrows)
• First to irrigate
• First to cast bronze
• Used oracle bones to
tell the future
• created wheeled
vehicle
• Xia rule based on
virtue & merit not
connections
• Valued education
Shang Dynasty
• 1650 BCE,
Shang people
took control of
north China
along Huang He
• Dominated
region until
1027 BCE
• Chinese
civilization
began
Shang Religious Beliefs
•
•
•
•
•
•
Polytheistic/animistic
Shang Di
King connected to Shang
Di
Prayed to ancestors for
good fortune
Sacrifices of food, etc.
Yin & Yang
– Yin linked to Earth &
Moon- darknessfemale force
– Yang- Heaven- lightmale forces
– Well-being of
Universe depended
on balance
Shang Religion: Rituals
• Cult of Shang Di
• Nature deities & human spirits controlled nature
• Human worship, human & animal sacrifice,
proper rituals, magical exercises
• When king died, servants, slaves etc. sacrificed
• Deities gave favors – children, relief from natural
calamities, good harvests
• Divination, ritual dance, fertility rites
• Shamans/priests
• No concern for ethical conduct
Ancestor worship
• Human souls departed their bodies at
death for a netherworld
• Reside for six generations then absorbed
by nature
• In netherworld they had power of fertility
and healing
• Intermediaries between gods of nature &
families
Shang tools & weapons
Battle axe
Deer antler hoe
dagger
Bronze Ritual Vessels
Oracle
Bones: Chinese Writing
• Bones, turtle shells
addressed questions to
the gods/spirits
• Official writing dates back
4,000 years
• Tens of thousands of
characters representing
words and ideas
• Calligraphy is an art form
• Helped to unify the
country
Oracle Bone Script
Oracle Bones
Solar eclipse
Social Classes (Society)
• King & royal
family
• Warriors
• Artisans
• Merchants
• Peasants
Shang Art
• Designed for military
and religious needs
• advanced technique
for casting bronze
weapons and stylized
vessels
Shang Government (Politics)
• Large palaces/rich tombs
• Military Kings
• Powerful-owned small
amount of land
• Large public works
projects
• Women could lead
• Nobles/princes were
heads of clans or family
groups-controlled most of
the land
• Similar to Sumerian citystates
Economy
• peasants preformed all
economic functions of society
– farmed crops
• Many farmers also knew how
to cultivate the silkworm• Artisans manufactured
weapons, ritual vessels,
jewelry etc.
•
Cowrie shells used as currency
Zhou Dynasty
• 1027 BCE – 256 BCE
• Came from westoverthrew the Shang
• “Mandate of Heaven”
– Divine right to rule
– Used to justify the
dynastic cycle
– Good government =
Heaven was happy
– Rulers weak/corrupt =
Heaven withdrew support
– Catastrophes were
opportunities for new
leadership
Mandate of Heaven
• Right to rule is granted by Heaven
• There is only one Heaven therefore there
can be only one ruler
• Right to rule is based on virtue of the ruler
• Right to rule is not limited to one dynasty
Mandate of Heaven: Principles into Action
• Gives ruler prestige & religious importance
• Gives ruler supreme power
• Allows new ruler to gain power quickly if people
believe he has 'Mandate of Heaven'
• Ruler's power must be kept in check by “virtue”
• Justifies rebellion as long as it’s successful
Dynastic Cycle
• Expanded idea of Mandate of Heaven to
explain the dynastic cycle, or the rise &
fall of dynasties.
• As long as dynasty provided good
government, it enjoyed Mandate of
Heaven
How are Mandate of Heaven & Dynastic
Cycle Related?
Start here
Emperor is
defeated !!
Rebels find
strong leader and
Rebel against
Emperior.
Poor lose
respect for govt.
They rebel.
A new
dynasty
comes to power.
The emperor
improves government.
The
Dynastic
Cycle
Droughts,
floods,
famines occur.
Govt.
corruption.
People’s lives
improved;
taxes reduced.
Problems begin
(extensive wars,
invasions, etc.)
Economic problems,
high taxes
Zhou: Feudal System
• Decentralized administration
• Used princes & relatives to rule regions
• Weak central government & rise of
regional powers
• Local lords governed their own lands but
owed military service & support to ruler
• After about 771 BCE feudal lords had real
power
Economy
•
•
•
•
•
•
Iron tools
New crops-soybeans
Irrigation techniques
Money (copper coins) = easier trade
New roads, canals
Population increased and prosperity
increased
Achievements
• Calendar-365 ½ days
• By 1000 BCE, silk
thread: sericulture
• Bronze metallurgy