CIVILIZATIONS OF CHINA
6th grade
POWER…
• Like many early civilizations, the earliest societies in
China formed along a river, known as the Huang-He
River, or Yellow River, around 2500 B.C. Since then,
various dynasties have been in power. Below is a
lesson discussing Chinese civilization.
Yellow River
Huang-He River
REMEMBER THIS!!! THE RIVERS WE DISCUSSED
EARLIER THIS YEAR?
HUANG-HE RIVER
•
Many important civilizations in China
developed along the Huang-He River.
• The area around this river is known as the
"cradle of agriculture" in China because it
has so much fertile land for growing crops.
• The Huang-He River is the second longest
river in China. It is referred to as the
"yellow" river because it carries silt from the
areas through which it travels, giving it
yellow-colored water.
• The Huang-He River is important for
irrigation in China.
SHANG DYNASTY
•
The Shang Dynasty ruled China from around 1600 B.C. to
1046 B.C.
• It was located along the Huang-He River.
• Under the Shang Dynasty's rule, a writing system was
established.
• The writing system was very advanced for the time period.
• The Shang Dynasty used the writing system to record their
history and their discoveries.
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
• The Great Wall, shown below, is an important
Chinese landmark made up of a series of earth
and stone fortifications in northern China.
• It was built originally to protect China's border
from invasion by tribes to the north, particularly
the Mongols.
QIN SHI HUANG
• An important ruler of China is the First Emperor, Qin Shi
Huang, sometimes known as Shi Huangdi.
• He ruled from 221 B.C. to 206 B.C. Qin Shi Huang is known
for being the first person to unite China into one country.
• Before him, China was made up of many different states
which fought each other.
• His accomplishment of defeating neighboring states and
uniting them into a single empire earned him the title of First
Emperor.
QIN SHI HUANG
• Internally, Qin Shi Huang also implemented new standards for
weights and measures, as well as establishing legalism.
• Legalism is a political philosophy that taught that government
needed to maintain order through powerful and efficient means.
• Legalists believed that rulers should rule with force because
people were naturally evil. After he died, Qin Shi Huang was
buried with 8,000 terracotta soldiers to protect him and help him
rule another empire in the afterlife.
• The soldiers of the Terracotta Army have become important
artifacts of Chinese history.
MANDATE OF HEAVEN
• The Mandate of Heaven was the Chinese belief that gods would only allow a
government to stay in power as long as it was good and moral.
• This belief was developed in the 11th century B.C. during the Zhou Dynasty.
The Zhou claimed that the gods had allowed them to defeat the Shang
Dynasty because the Shang were no longer moral.
• Dynasties that came after the Zhou also used the Mandate of Heaven to
justify their rule. The dynastic cycle was a concept related to the Mandate of
Heaven. According to the dynastic cycle, when a dynasty was no longer
moral, it would lose its authority to rule and a new dynasty would overthrow it
and replace it. Because of this belief in the dynastic cycle, the Chinese
people were used to sudden political changes.
HAN DYNASTY
•
The Han Dynasty ruled from 206 B.C. until 220 A.D. The Chinese grew in power and had
many innovations during this time.
•
The most prosperous time of the Han Dynasty was under the leadership of Emperor Wudi.
• Wudi expanded the empire as far west as Kyrgyzstan (located in central Asia) and
south to Vietnam and the Korean Peninsula through military conquests.
•
The government shared land with feudal lords as a reward for their military help.
•
The Chinese under the Han Dynasty started the civil service system, invented paper, and
started using acupuncture during this time.
•
Acupuncture is a medical treatment in which needles are inserted into certain points on
the body in order to relieve pain or illness.
CONFUCIANISM
•
Confucius was born in 551 B.C. into a noble family that had recently fled from the State
of Song in China.
•
After his father died when he was 3 years old, Confucius was raised in poverty by his
single mother.
•
His teachings were based on different levels of honesty.
•
The first level says that you should be honest because it is good for you personally.
• The second level says you should be honest out of duty or obligation.
• The third level is the deepest. This level says you should be honest because you are
thinking of the feelings of other people, like your family.
•
Confucius was forced into exile after some of his teachings angered the king.
•
He put great emphasis on the importance of study and understanding of the outside
world.
•
He wanted people to think for themselves. His ideas eventually became a basis for
government and culture in China.
TAOISM
•
Taoism is a Chinese folk religion with no exact date of origin, but it is estimated to be
from the Shang dynasty or earlier.
•
It is not a belief-centered religion, but certain characteristics can be identified. Taoism
embraced an ancient Chinese belief in balance: the concept of yin and yang.
•
Yin and yang represent the balancing aspects of nature such as the differences between
light and dark, hot and cold, and male and female.
•
There are several classes of supernatural beings that can enter into relationships with
human beings, including gods, ghosts, and ancestral spirits.
•
Sacrifices of food are important in maintaining a positive relationship with these beings.
Other rituals, such as fortune-telling, are part of Taoism.
CIVIL SERVICE
•
Emperor Wudi decided China should be a Confucian state rather
than a Daoist state (the traditional Chinese philosophy which
emphasized living in harmony) and changed how people were
selected for government positions.
• Before Emperor Wudi's reign, emperors would appoint family
members or wealthy people into positions.
• Wudi wanted the most talented people to serve in government jobs
and wanted to avoid corruption.
• Under Emperor Wudi, written tests were given in order to select
people for government positions.
• Wudi's changes were based on Confucian principles and eventually
evolved into a civil service system in which only those who were
qualified could obtain a government job.
END OF QUIZ 1
• It will cover slides from 1-12
• Please review the questions and study!
• Any questions you have will be addressed
before the quiz is given!
• Good Luck!
PART 2 ANCIENT CHINA
SILK ROAD
•
The Silk Road was a trade route that
connected China to civilizations further
west. It was used to trade silk, gold, ivory,
exotic animals, and other goods.
• Even the religion of Buddhism was spread
in part because of the Silk Road.
• Buddhism had started in India but was
brought to China and other civilizations in
Asia.
• Because of the importance of trade
with Europe, the Chinese needed a
powerful empire to protect the Silk
Road.
CONQUEST OF VIETNAM
• The Chinese began to conquer
parts of Vietnam around 111
B.C. For the next 1,000 years,
the Vietnamese were ruled by
the Chinese.
• During Chinese rule, the
Vietnamese adopted many
aspects of Chinese culture.
However, they also worked to
preserve their own culture by
practicing its traditions in
secret.
TANG DYNASTY
•
The Tang Dynasty ruled from 618 A.D. until 907
A.D. Under the Tang Dynasty, China's territory
extended farther east, north, and south (including parts
of Japan, India, Malaysia, and Korea) due to military
campaigns.
• This allowed the Tang to have great influence over
cultures like Japan and Korea.
• China also began to send explorers throughout the
Indian Ocean during the Tang Dynasty.
• The Chinese were able to explore further due to
advancements in sailing technology and shipbuilding
techniques.
• The new technology made it possible for the Chinese
to begin trading with countries around the Indian
Ocean.
RELATIONS WITH JAPAN
•
From around 600 A.D. until 800 A.D.,
the Chinese and Japanese cultures
maintained a friendly relationship.
• This was partially due to the fact that
Japan sought to model their culture after
China's.
• During this time, the Chinese allowed
Japanese missions into China so that the
Japanese could absorb their culture.
• When the Chinese Tang dynasty fell in the
late 700s, the Japanese stopped sending
missions but continued to practice much of
what they had learned.
CIVILIZATION OF CHINA
During the Middle Ages, the Chinese
political structure continued to be
dynasties, ruled by emperors. The
main dynasties during this time are
the Tang, Song, Mongol, and Ming
periods.
TANG DYNASTY
• China's territory extended farther east, north,
and south (including parts of Japan, India,
Malaysia, and Korea) due to military
campaigns.
• There was more contact with India and Middle
East through trade routes during this time
period. (The Silk Road was at its height).
• Foreigners from Turkey, India, Iran, Japan,
Korea, and Malaysia lived in the Tang capital
city, bringing their cultures with them.
• Buddhism spread and was adopted by the
imperial family through trade and movement.
TANG DYNASTY CONTINUED….
• There was a shift from rule by
aristocrats to career officials.
• Scholar-officials, a body of career
officials with no territorial or functional
power base, gained status in their
communities and grew into their own
social class, connected to the imperial
court; officials were chosen from the
small group of scholars who were able
to read and write Chinese.
• The government was supported by
large class of Confucian scholars
selected through civil service tests.
SONG DYNASTY
• The Song Dynasty reunified China from the days of
the Tang Dynasty.
• China's industrial revolution began. Gunpowder was
one of the significant inventions of this era.
• Intellectuals looked to answer political and
philosophical questions of Confucius, leading to
renewed interest in Confucianism.
• There was a decline in the influence of Buddhism
because it was seen as foreign and not offering
practical guidelines to politics and other problems.
• Neo-Confucianism, a response by Confucians to the
domination of Taoism and Buddhism, began through
writings and tried to offer answers to political
problems Buddhism and Taoism could not solve.
MONGOL DYNASTY
• The Mongol Dynasty ruled over China
and stretched from Eastern Europe to
Korea.
• Genghis Khan, the first ruler in this
dynasty, was a military ruler.
• The Mongols were involved in trade in
China and re-established sea trade with
the Arabian Peninsula.
• Kublai Khan met and traded with Marco
Polo, a European explorer.
• Neo-Confucianism continued to
dominate over Buddhism and Taoism.
MING DYNASTY
• The Ming Dynasty expanded
the navy and army to include
one million troops.
• Seven naval expeditions
through the Indian Ocean and
Southeast Asia were led and
influenced trade.
• Confucian elites held the
power in government and in
commercial trade.
GREAT INNOVATIONS
•
Tea was first brought to Europe through China. The tea plant originated in Southeast Asia,
including areas of southwest China, areas in which it grew naturally. Drinking tea became very
popular in many other cultures, particularly in Europe. In the modern era, tea trade became a
major cause of the First Opium War between China and Great Britain.
•
The manufacture of paper was developed in China by a court official. He was the first person
to make paper from wood pulp, the modern method of making paper.
•
Wood-block printing allowed multiple images or text to be printed by carefully arranged
wooden blocks. It had a major influence on the development of the modern printing press.
•
The compass was invented by Chinese scientists to allow them to navigate water and land.
The compass is still used today in a variety of forms.
•
Gunpowder was the first chemical explosive in recorded history and was first discovered in
the 9th century by Chinese alchemists. There are many theories of how gunpowder eventually
made its way to Europe, but many historians believe that it was traded along the Silk Road.
Gunpowder was first used in fireworks, but later it was used for military purposes. In the West,
it changed the face of warfare.
CIVILIZATIONS OF CHINA…
• China experienced many changes in its
society during the reign of the Ming
Dynasty. This era was characterized by a
stable food supply and great inventions.
Chinese culture spread throughout the
world during this time.
YUAN DYNASTY
• The Yuan Dynasty was established in China in
1279 by the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan.
• The Yuan Dynasty controlled China until 1368
when Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Mongol
emperor.
• Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor and took the
name Hong Wu. He named his dynasty Ming,
which means "brilliant."
MING DYNASTY
• The Ming Dynasty became the ruling power in China
in 1368 after Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Yuan
Dynasty.
• Many reforms were introduced, including the reform of
the civil service system.
• The civil service system, which required people to
pass tests in order to obtain a government job, had
existed in China since it was first created by the
ancient Tang and Song Dynasties.
• This system, however, had become corrupt and
ineffective. During the Ming Dynasty, the government
implemented a new testing system with tests that
were much more difficult than those used in previous
dynasties.
END OF PART 2
•
Quiz tomorrow!
•
Study!
•
Look over the suggested questions I gave you!
•
Good luck!
MING DYNASTY-ECONOMY AND CULTURE
Economy
• An increase in agricultural production was a result of the stability of the Ming
period.
• Increased production meant more food.
• The population went up, and fewer people were needed to work in the fields
because of a surplus of food.
•
This led to increased trade because people had more time to produce items
and could sell those items in cities. Some people decided to become artisans
and made items like silk cloth, textiles, and porcelain.
Culture
• The Great Wall of China was built at different stages throughout China's history.
•
In an attempt to restore Chinese culture, the Ming rebuilt the Great Wall and
built the Forbidden City as a memento of the emperor's power.
•
Much of the wall that is in existence today was built during the Ming Dynasty.
INVENTIONS…ETC…
• Woodblock printing, first invented in the Han
Dynasty, made it possible for more people to
have access to books. This led to an increase in
the literacy rate during the Ming Dynasty.
• A fragile ceramic known as porcelain is thought
to have been first invented in China.
•
The Ming Dynasty is well known for creating
beautiful white and blue patterned porcelain.
• Ming porcelain was very popular in many
places throughout the world.
• The strong trade and military systems of the
Ming enabled Ming architecture techniques to
spread and influence societies in east and
southeast Asia.
RELIGION
• The government of the Ming Dynasty officially followed
the philosophical and ethical teachings of Confucius.
He believed in both personal and governmental
morality, as well as the importance of study. His goal
was to see peace and prosperity bestowed upon the
people.
• Confucianism was the official religion of China during
the Ming Dynasty and focused its beliefs around
honesty.
Exploration
• Early Ming emperors desired to spread Chinese culture
around the world. Foreign trade was one way Chinese culture
began to reach others.
• A man by the name of Zheng He was sent on seven
expeditions by the Ming Dynasty between 1405 and 1433.
Zheng He sailed throughout the Indian Ocean and reached
the eastern coast of Africa. Zheng He traded Chinese goods
and demanded tribute from foreign leaders.
• Although these voyages had spread Chinese culture and
increased trade opportunities, they were also quite expensive.
In 1433, the voyages ended as the government decided to
invest more money in domestic projects and to become more
isolationist.
ISOLATIONISM
• In the 1400s, Ming leadership decided to
practice isolationism, by avoiding contact
with other nations. In an effort to separate
China from foreign influence, the Ming
dismantled the Chinese fleet, banned
foreign trade, and refused to admit
foreigners into China.
• During this period of isolationism, the
development and innovation of new ideas
slowed down significantly within China.
• One benefit of isolationism was the revival
of a pure practice of Chinese culture and
traditions.
QING DYNASTY
• The Manchus conquered the Ming Dynasty after the government had been
weakened by a drastically growing population and a series of ineffective
emperors.
• The Manchus established the Qing Dynasty in 1644. The Ming Dynasty was the
last dynasty to be ruled by ethnic Hans; the Qing Dynasty was ruled by the
Manchus.
• The Manchus ruled China from 1644 until 1911.
• Although they were not Chinese, they adopted many Chinese customs and
traditions in order to gain approval of the Chinese people they were ruling.