Transcript Early Civilizations in China

Early
Civilizations in
China
The Geography of China
• The most isolated of the ancient
civilizations
• Believed China was the center of the
Earth and the sole source of civilization
Geographic Barriers
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High mountain ranges to the West and
Southwest (Tien Shan and Himalayas)
Thick jungles in the Southeast divide
China from Southeast Asia
Gobi Desert in the North
Pacific Ocean to the East
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Most contact with outside world was made
with nomadic invaders who were usually
absorbed in Chinese civilization
Main Regions
• The heartland lay along the Huang He
(Yellow River) and the Yangzi
– Provided water for irrigation and trade
• Outlying regions are Xinjiang, Mongolia,
and Manchuria
– Xinjiang and Mongolia have harsh climates
and rugged terrain
River of Sorrows
• Chinese History began in the Huang He
valley
• Got it’s name from the loess (fine
windblown yellow soil)
– As loess settles to the bottom of the river,
it causes the water level to rise so there
was constant building and repair of the
dams to keep the river from flooding the
land
Huang He (Yellow River)
China Under the Shang
• About 1650 BC, people called the Shang
gained control of northern China along
the Huang He
– The Shang dynasty dominated the region
until 1027 BC
– During this time Chinese civilization first
took shape
Government
• Large palaces and rich tombs were built
for rulers
• Walled capital city – Anyang
• Noble women had considerable status
– Fu Hao (wife of Shang king) owned land and
led an army against invaders
• Loyal princes and nobles governed most
of the land
Social Classes
• Royal families and warriors at the top
• Artisans and merchants were 2nd class
• Peasants were at the bottom
– They clustered together in farming villages
Religious Beliefs
• They prayed to many gods and nature spirits
– Chief god was Shang Di and a mother goddess
– Only the greatest mortals such as a king could
reach the gods
• Great ancestors were given sacrifices in
hopes of talking to the gods
• Believed the universe reflected a delicate
balance between two forces, Yin and Yang
– Yin was linked to Earth, darkness, and female
forces
– Yang stood for Heaven, light, and male forces
System of Writing
• Consulting the ancestors
– Writing on oracle bones (animal bones or
turtle shells)
• Shang priests wrote questions addressed to the
gods or spirit of an ancestor
– The bones were heated until they cracked,
the pattern provided the answer
System of Writing
• A difficult study
– Written Chinese began about 4,000 years
ago
– Each of the 10,000 characters represents
a word or idea
– It fostered unity across the land and some
form of communication
Zhou Dynasty
• In 1027 BC the Zhou dynasty overthrew
the Shang and lasted until 256 BC
Mandate of Heaven
• They believed in divine right to rule
• Used to explain the Dynastic Cycle –
rise and fall of dynasties
Feudal State
• Supporters were given control over
regions
• Feudalism – a system of government in
which local lords governed their own
lands but owed military service and
other support to the ruler
Zhou Dynasty
• China grew economically at this time
• Led to an increase in population
Chinese Achievements
• Silk making
• The first books