Transcript China - Melillo Middle School

Edited by: Mrs. Crystal Polo (Melillo M.S. 2014)
GEOGRAPHY
China is one of many countries that are part of the largest
continent on Earth: Asia
 China is geographically divided into 2 parts: Outer China=
sparsely settled region of high mountains, plateaus, steppes, &
deserts; Agricultural China= 95% of Chinese people live here
 China’s population= one billion people (the largest national
group in the world)
 Two-thirds of the Chinese people are farmers, but only 4% of
China’s land can be cultivated.
 China has various types of land features & climates including
plains, mountains (Mt. Everest), & deserts
 Different types of industries in the country like: nomadic
herding, manufacturing & trade, commercial & subsistence
farming, & in some areas no industries
 Monsoons (winds that blow across the region) plague the
country
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GEOGRAPHY
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Japan is located in Asia
Japan is made up of over 3,000 islands; most are
mountainous and many are volcanic
Located east of China in the Pacific Ocean
Created from earthquakes forcing the earth to rise
and form in the middle of water
Much of the land is mountainous
Close to 150 million people living on the island= one
of the most densely populated countries in the world
The city of Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area in
the world, over 30 million people live there.
Typhoons (similar to hurricanes) hit this country hard
GEOGRAPHY
Most of the people from these countries
(and in this region) make their money from
cash crops (crop raised for money on the
world market)
 Cash crops found throughout the two
countries include: hydroelectric power, iron,
copper, gold, silver, coal, petroleum, lead,
nickel, tungsten, and tin
 Aquaculture (sea farming) has also been a
major source of economic opportunity and
survival throughout this region’s history
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GEOGRAPHY
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The major cities in these countries ar often
located in the same area as major ports.
This is the entry for all goods coming in and
out of the country
From the second century BC to the end of the
fourteenth century AD, a great trade route
originated from China to the Roman Empire in
the Mediterranean Sea. This ancient route, the
Silk Road, not only circulated goods, but also
exchanged the splendid cultures of China,
India, Persia, Arabia, Greece, and Rome.
The Silk Road finally closed its routes of
passage in the 14th century.
GEOGRAPHY
Rice Farmer’s Farmhouse:
Okutsu Town, Okayama
Terrace Farming of Rice
The Japanese Farm the Sea
Tokyo
Fish Market
HISTORY
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China is the only ancient civilization that still exists
today. For much of its history, China has had very
little to do with the world. This was due to their
location as well as the sheer size of their country.
The Great Wall of China was built to keep outsiders
out. It was specifically built to keep out the Mongols
who were fierce warriors who had mastered the
riding of horses in battle.
The Chinese were very proud of their culture and
they were governed by emperors.
China’s history is divided into dynasties that are a
series of rulers from the same family line. Because of
some of the rulers, some Chinese migrated to Korea
which gives Korea a flavor of Chinese traditions and
customs.
HISTORY
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Dynasties: Ancient China was governed by a ruling
class of warrior nobles headed by a king.
Ruling families are referred to as dynasties. The
Shang Dynasty (1766 BC) was the first verifiable
dynasty and ruled China for 600 years.
The Shang dynasty was overthrown by Zhou who
established a dynasty & introduced the idea of the
“Mandate of Heaven”.
The Han dynasty centralized the Chinese
government & established a bureaucracy which
included eighteen different ranks of civil service jobs
that civilians obtained by taking competitive
examinations.
HISTORY
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Chinese Writing= earliest examples found on oracle bones
Shang rulers consulted gods through the use of oracle
bones, animal bones, & tortoise shells on which priests
scratched questions for the gods.
Priest applied a hot poker to the bones which cracked &
then interpreted the cracks to see how the gods answered
the question.
Not alphabetic like English, uses symbols for words called
characters; each character stands for an idea, not a sound
The characters are read vertically in columns (down and
up)
The written language is not linked to the spoken language,
so people all over China could learn the same system of
writing, even if they spoke different languages.
HISTORY
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Japan is an island and also experienced isolation from the
rest of the world.
Japan was organized around clans or families that shared
a common ancestor.
Over time, China would lead the world in inventions and
discoveries. These ideas and discoveries would spread
through the process of cultural diffusion to countries like
Japan.
The teachings of Confucius would help to spread the
religion of Buddhism to the other areas of the world, again
like Japan.
Eventually the Far East had pressure from other countries
to open their doors to trade.
Different areas of the world wanted to control the Far East
because of the wealth they had in natural resources.
HISTORY
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Japan developed and exploited Formosa or the
island of Taiwan. It was the target of heavy American
bombing during World War II, and at the close of the
war the island was restored to China.
Eventually, China is going to go through a civil war in
the late 1940s. Mao Zedong is going to assert a
communist government over China and Chiang Kaishek is going to retreat to the island of Taiwan and
set up an opposition government.
The UN seat representing all of China was held by
the Nationalists for over two decades before being
lost in October 1971, when the People’s Republic of
China was admitted and Taiwan was forced to
abdicate its seat to Beijing.
HISTORY
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Taiwan and China signed a landmark free-trade
agreement in June 2010 that lifted or reduced
hundreds of tariffs for both sides.
Officials from both Taiwan and China described the
deal as the most important achievement since the
1949 civil war. Taiwan seemed poised to benefit
more economically from the deal than China, and
China saw apolitical benefit as the agreement brings
the two closer together.
Many areas of the Far East have resorted to a form
of government and economics known as
communism.
Recent times have shown that communism as a form
of economic control is flawed and they have moved
towards a more free enterprise system.
Ginza Ruins After The Great Kanto
Earthquake -- Tokyo, 1923
Over 100,000 dead!
Kobe Earthquake -- January 17, 1995
► 7.2 Richter scale
► 5,500 deaths
Earthquake – March 11, 2011
►
7.4 Richter scale
►
estimated 25,000
deaths
BASIC INSTITUTIONS
Government & Economy:
 Capital of China= Beijing
 Communism is used in China today
 In the beginning they had people split into communes or
large farming communities= did not work
 In an effort to balance the relationship between land and
people, China adopted a “one-couple, one-child” policy in
the 1980’s.
 China has the largest population in the world and growing.
 In Asian culture, it is very important to have a male heir,
therefore many Chinese girls were being abandoned or
given up for adoption because they really wanted a son not a
daughter, If you had more than one child, you had to pay
heavy penalties to the Chinese government.
BASIC INSTITUTIONS
Government & Economy:
 1989 Massacre in Tiananmen Square- Several hundred
civilians had been shot dead by the Chinese army during a
bloody military operation to crush a democratic protest in
Peking’s (Beijing) Tiananmen Square. Tanks rumbled
through the capital’s streets late on June 3rd as the army
moved into the square from several directions, randomly
firing on unarmed protesters. Demonstrators, mainly
students, had occupied the square for seven weeks, refusing
to move until their demands for democratic reform were met.
Meanwhile reports emerged of troops searching the main
Peking university campus for ringleaders, beating and killing
those they suspect of coordinating the protests. This abuse
of power was criticized by nations around the world.
 China has had many issues of human rights abuses. It is
because of actions like this that many nations are limiting the
power of their government.
BASIC INSTITUTIONS
Government & Economy:
 China is currently converting to a more open economy
allowing for some free enterprise. People are now able to
own and operate their own businesses.
 However, the Chinese government is still al totalitarian
government; even though people have freedom in economic
choices, their political voice is still kept in check through
physical means.
 Even though China is communist, their leader has the title of
President ruling the executive branch; they also have a court
system similar to Russia and Europe, and a legislative
branch with appointed officials
 GDP per capita of $9,100
 Officially, China is considered a developing country (more
developing to developed)
BASIC INSTITUTIONS
Government & Economy:
 Capital of Japan= Tokyo
 Japan’s government has a constitutional monarchy.
 Their leader has the title of emperor who along with an
appointed prime minister are in charge of the executive
branch; a legislative branch with representatives for the
people; a judicial branch similar in court system design to the
US
 Their government offers subsidies to help struggling
industries.
 Japan’s government also offers incentives for new ideas and
inventions.
 Japan is a leading economic powerhouse because they are
technologically able to produce cheaper than the US.
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GDP per capita of $35,900
Japan is considered a developed country
BASIC INSTITUTIONS
Religion & Education:
 China is officially listed as an atheist nation, however the
most popular religions practiced include: Daoist (Taoist),
Buddhism, Christianity, and Muslim
 Japan on the other hand shows most people belonging to
2 or more religions at once; such religions include:
Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other
7.8%
 Literacy Rate (China) 15 years old > is 95.1%; most
students on average attend school for 12 years+ of formal
education
 Literacy Rate (Japan) 15 years old> is 99%; most
students on average attend school for 15 years+ of formal
education with a portion of their national budget for
education
CULTURE
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Life expectancy for China= 74.99 years; for
Japan= 84.19 years
Ethnic groups: China has Han Chinese 91.5%,
Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uighur, Tujia, Yi,
Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean,
and other nationalities 8.5%
Ethnic groups: Japan has Japanese 98.5%,
Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%
China has multiple languages actively spoken
throughout the country, unlike Japan where
the official language is Japanese
CULTURE
Duties of Chinese citizens:
 1) to safeguard the unification of the country and the
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unity of all its nationalities;
2) to abide by the Constitution and the law, keep
state secrets, protect public property, observe labor
discipline and public order and respect social ethics;
3) to safeguard the security, honor and interests of
the People's Republic of China;
4) to defend the motherland, resist aggression,
perform military service, and join the militia in
accordance with the law;
5) to pay taxes in accordance with the law, and
6) to practice family planning
CULTURE
Characteristics of the Traditional Asian Family
 Hierarchical in structure, with males and older individuals occupying a higher status
 Gender Differences between Asian male and Asian female
○ Males=highly valued Asian families want sons b/c males are important and they
carry on the family name (lineage). The role of the male is to provide for the
family. Primary duty is to be a good son; obligations to be a good husband and
father come second to duty as son.
○ Females=valued less than males, less important role in family The role of the
female is to be passive and to adhere to husband's family, be subservient to the
male, perform domestic chores, and bear children.
 Respect for ancestors and elderly
 Loyalty to authority figures
 One-way communication: adults speak to children
 Collectivism---Family & Group Focus---Interdependence
○ Children learn early in life that the family is central & the primary unit. Behavior
of individual members is a reflection on the entire family
○ Discipline--shame and guilt used to control and train children
○ Emphasize loyalty and honor to the family and avoidance of shame and
embarrassment to the family. Family problems are hidden from public and
handled within the family. Outstanding achievement: source of great pride for
child and entire family. Mental illness is shameful and represents family failure
CULTURE: Dragons
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In ancient China, the people firmly
believed that dragons were real and
powerful. The dragon was the sign of the
emperors.
Over time, “The Dragon” became a
nickname for China.
In ancient China, dragons were thought
to be wise, caring, and a bit mischievous.
They did not breathe fire. They had
personalities. They had magical powers.
They could appear and disappear
whenever they wanted.
They could turn into beasts if they were
angry.
Dragons in ancient China
were a composite (a mix) of
parts from different animals.
These mythical creatures had Dragons’ jobs in
a camel head,
ancient China were to
a snake neck,
act as guardians.
fish scales,
eagle claws,
ox ears, tiger paws,
deer horns,
and whiskers.
Legend says …. Wood dragons
are brown.
They guard the forest. They
are imaginative and curious,
and come up with brilliant
new ideas.
They are not as selfish as
the other dragons. They
share well.
Legend says …. Fire dragons are red.
They guard the wind, fire,
lightning and sky.
These dragons are
the most
outgoing and shorttempered.
Legend says … Earth dragons are green.
They guard the earth, the
crops, and the mountains.
They know the value
of cooperation.
Legend says …. Metal dragons are gold.
They guard metals and
precious gems. These
dragons succeed
because they refuse to
accept failure.
They have little caring
for the feeling of others.
These dragons are
quite selfish.
Legend says …. Water dragons are blue.
They guard rivers,
rain, wells, and water.
They get along well
with people.
They know how
to accept defeat
and how to
rebuild.
Since the ancient Chinese firmly believed
that dragons were real and had special magical
powers, dragons were an important part of
ancient Chinese daily life.
 They were blamed for a great deal
that went wrong, and credited with
things that went right.
Dragons were (and still are) a
fun ancient Chinese invention!
CULTURE: Architecture
CULTURE: Architecture
One of Japan’s famous types of
buildings are pagodas. Japan is
mostly volcanic rock, so most of
the pagodas are wood. Pagodas
are built to withstand both
earthquakes and island storms.
Pagodas always feature curved
roofs. Built in 616 A.D. the Pagoda
at Horyuji is the oldest wooden
structure in the world.
CULTURE: Sculpture
Japanese sculpture tend to be
highly “stylized”. The subject
shown in the artwork usually fits
with its surroundings. A Zen
Buddhist temple will feature
statues of the Buddha, while a
castle will be “protected” by
statues of guard dogs, samurai
and guardian deities.
CULTURE: Story Scrolls
The illustrations stressed
realism and action. The scenes
are read, or unrolled, from right
to left. “The Burning of the
Sanjo Palace” is nearly 23 feet
long. It tells the story of a night
attack on the palace in 1159
A.D. in which the emperor was
taken prisoner.
CULTURE: Story Scrolls
Burning of the Sanjo Palace