Transcript File

VISIT CHINA!
TRAVEL BROCHURE
BY ALEX GRAND
PERIOD #2
2/11/11
GEOGRAPHY
Himalaya Mountains:
The Himalayas are a range of mountains that stretch along the southwestern border of China,
separating it from Pakistan and India. The Himalayas are the world’s highest peaks, including
Mount Everest and K2. The Himalayas are a natural barrier that has separated China from
India, and kept their cultures distinct. The mountains also have religious importance, and many
of the peaks are considered sacred in Buddhism.
Tibetan Plateau:
The Tibetan Plateau is the worlds largest and highest elevated plain, about four times the size of
Texas. It stores a vast amount of ice, contains a huge number of saltwater and freshwater lakes,
and is the source of most of Asia’s major rivers. As global warming melts the glaciers of the
Tibetan Plateau, China’s water supply will be in danger (as well as India’s). For tens of
thousands of years, nomads have raised livestock on the Tibetan Plateau, and still do.
Mekong River:
The Mekong River originates in the Tibetan Plateau, runs southward through China and into
southeast Asia, and empties into the South China Sea. It is extremely difficult to navigate
because it has a great number of rapids and waterfalls, so it has historically divided the people
nearby rather than bring them together. Also, the river has been a wonderful water source and
provided fertile land for agriculture.
RELIGION
Daoism
Buddhism
* Buddhism is a religion introduced from India during the
Han Dynasty. It is based on the life and teachings of
Siddhartha Gautama who is more commonly known as the
Buddah. It teaches to attain nirvana, and devote your own
life for someone else to reach enlightenment.
Similarities:
*Both religions focus on creating
harmony and peace.
*Both religions believe that violence is
never okay.
*Both religions teach to respect all
forms of life around you.
* Daoism is a religion based on the teachings of Laozi, who
is a philosopher. It teaches that the way for humans to find
peace is by living simply, in harmony with nature. You must
also embrace the life around you. The goal is to reach
oneness with nature by using the idea, that everything is
interconnected with nature. Yin and Yang means balancing
out opposite forces.
Differences:
*Buddhist and Daoist remain separated by language, local
customs, and rituals of praise and practice.
*Daoist focus more on individual cultivation and harmony within
nature.
*Buddhist also find harmony within nature, but they focus more
on finding it through a community, and sharing recourses among
many members.
ECONOMY
* The Chinese economy evolved over time according to the way each
empire chose to allow it’s citizens to work and trade. To have a stable government, official
inspectors, tax collectors, and messengers traveled throughout the empire. The roads also
made it possible to move grain, tea, and other goods for trading purposes. At the same
time as trade was blossoming, Chinese farming became more productive, and farmers were
able to sell extra food to people in other regions. Paper and coins called cash became the
most popular items traded for goods, and a money economy developed. Trade thrived
within China, but the Chinese empires greatly limited trade with the rest of the world.
The Silk Road was used for trade
5 ACHIEVEMENTS
1) Waterways:
The waterways of China really affected the way people travel, and trade. The waterways connected different areas of
China’s vast lands, and made it so ships could travel back and forth. The Grand Canal was an astonishing achievement
for China. It made it so government officials, grain, and silk could be transported easily.
2) Paper Money:
Paper money was one of the best inventions in China’s history and the worlds history. People used to carry around
hundreds of heavy coins called cash until one day they decided to make a form of money that could be carried and not
weigh that much at all, so in the 9th century they started making paper money. Everybody such as high-class wealthy
Aristocrats started to use paper money as a trading device, and in return they would get goods. This eventually led to not
only China using paper money, but many people around the world also.
3) Spinning Wheel:
China’s greatest export was silk, and how did they make the silk? With a spinning wheel of course! The spinning wheel
was a circular machine which would be operated by one person. It was used to wind fibers of silk into thread. The
spinning wheel migrated to America with early immigrants, and is still used today.
4) Gunpowder:
Gunpowder was invented in the third century in China, and was used to develop weapons such as a cannon, catapults,
and fire arrows. By the Song Dynasty gunpowder was being used for military purposes. Later, a metal gun barrel was
invented. People all over the world use gunpowder today for their militaries and other major things.
5) Abacus:
An Abacus was a counting system that was invented in China. An Abacus was a rectangular wooden frame with parallel
rods, and seven colored beads. The device was used to easily add, subtract, multiply, and divide. People in the world still
use Abacus’s today to solve mathematical equations quickly.
TIMELINE
Han Dynasty
(206 B.C.-220 A.D.)
Sui Dynasty
(589-618 A.D.)
Tang Dynasty
(618-907 A.D.)
Yuan Dynasty
(1260-1368 A.D.)
Song Dynasty
(960-1279 A.D.)
Qing Dynasty
(1644-1912 A.D.)
Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644 A.D.)
Facts about each dynasty:
Han Dynasty: Throughout this period scholars wrote using artistic characters, and most Chinese people
follow the beliefs of Confucianism.
Sui Dynasty: The Great Wall of China was rebuilt, and began work on the Grand Canal.
Tang/Song Dynasties: Poetry and painting flourished, and people are promoted based on performance also
known as Meritocracy.
Yuan Dynasty: This time was the first of only two that the entire area of China was ruled by foreigners, or in
this time known as Mongols.
Ming Dynasty: Established boats that were ten times larger than the European ships during the same time.
Qing: The population of China tripled during this period of time to reach 430 million.