Mr. Hessel: Global History II: Ancient
China Notes
Geography
River valleys and coastal plains support the bulk of the
population.
China is geographically isolated.
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In the
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east
Pacific Ocean
south
dense subtropical rain forests
southwest
the Himalayas
west
rugged mountains and plateaus
northwest
rugged mountains and plateaus
north
the Gobi desert
There is no geographical barrier in the northeast.
That is where the Chinese built the Great Wall. Because of its
isolation China develops independently and uniquely.They
referred to their kingdom as: The Middle Kingdom (because it
was the center of the universe.)
The Yellow River (Huang He)
Named because of the silt that colors the river. This silt is called
LOESS. This is what gives the Yellow River its muddy color. It
also makes the Yellow River valley fertile. The Yellow River
valley is subject to frequent floods and droughts. This river also
goes by the name The River of Sorrows.
It is in the Yellow River Valley that the earliest Neolithic farming
began. Between 5,000-3,000 BC people began settling into
permanent villages.
Shang Dynasty 1600-1122BC
The capital city was Anyang. Shang kings ruled over Northern
China. Kings ruled the capital city and the immediate
countryside. Nobles governed the outlying lands. The nobles
paid tribute, performed military service.
Chinese writing
Chinese writing (Calligraphy) develops during the Shang
Dynasty. Chinese writing is made up of pictograms and
ideograms. Pictogram: symbol representing an object.
Ideogram: symbol representing an idea or action. In Shang
times there were over 3,000 symbols. Eventually there will be
over 50,000 symbols. This writing has been in use for over
3,500 years. Difficult to learn, only the wealthy had time to
read and write.
Shang religious beliefs
Polytheistic believing in gods of nature. The Chief god was
Shang Ti. He presided over Heaven. The gods’ power was
awesome causing floods, droughts, locust plagues, etc. People
tried to influence the gods by using the spirits of their
Ancestors as go-betweens. The Ancestors would influence the
gods to bring the people either good or bad fortune. People
communicated with their Ancestors by using oracle bones.
Usually a turtle or ox bone, priest scratched questions into the
bones and then applied a heated rod to the bone. This caused it
to crack. The priest then interpreted the cracks to discover the
answer to the questions.
Classes in Shang China
King: performed religious and political duties in the capital. He
was a virtual slave to the rituals of Ancestor worship.
Nobles and Priests: were governors and owned vast amounts of
land.
Peasants: paid a portion of their harvest to the king or their
governor. They were laborers and foot soldiers.
The Shang Chinese lived in extended families, where ancestor
worship and respect for age and duty was important.
Shang Achievements
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Bronze working
 Tools, weapons, armor, religious objects
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 The lost wax method was used.
the yoke, the harness, the spoked wheel, 2-horse war
chariot
365 ¼ day calendar with 12 months.
Shang civilization spreads in many directions, east along the
Yellow River. Also in Manchuria, Mongolia, and as far as central
Asia.
Chou (Joh) Dynasty (1122-256 BC)
Wu Wang captures Anyang in 1122 BC. This is the beginning of
the Chou (Joh) Dynasty. The Chou justified their conquest by
claiming they had obtained the Mandate of Heaven
(authorization to rule from the gods).
Chou Government
The Feudal System
"Lords held land that in theory belonged to the king or other
lords. The local lords governed these lands, protected the
people who farmed them, and owed military and other services
to the to the king or other lords. Local lords often became
virtually independent."
The king ruled his capital city and the surrounding land. Nobles
governed large provinces throughout the kingdom.
The Warring States period (771-256 BC) occurs during the
Chou dynasty. The provinces became strong enough to wage
an era of constant war.
The Chinese Bureaucracy develops during the Chou dynasty.
(Bureaucracy: system of organizing government by
departments or Bureaus. Examples: finance bureau, war
department, records, etc.)
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Classes
 King
 Government officials
 peasants
 artisans and merchants
 soldiers
Chou economy
Food surpluses supported large cities. Farmers used fertilizer,
iron tools, and ox-drawn plows. There were large-scale
government irrigation projects. Metal coins were issued; this
was the beginning of the money economy in China. The gap
between the wealthiest and the poor was great at this time.
Three Schools of thought in
Ancient China
Three schools of thought (philosophies) emerge during the
Chou Dynasty. They are Confucianism, Taoism (Daoism), and
Legalism.
Confucianism
Confucius (Kung Fu Tzu) was born about 551 BC in
northeastern China. He was born during the Warring States
period. He became a scholar and a minor government official.
He desired a return o more peaceful and harmonious times. To
do this he developed a code of conduct based on high moral
standards. His ideas slowly won acceptance. Confucius wanted
an organized society. He felt a good society was one that
preserved peace and order among individuals and between
people and their government. His code stressed these four
virtues: Loyalty, courtesy, hard work, and kindness. If these
were practiced the result would be peace and harmony. He also
emphasized the five relationships.
Ruler and Subject
Parent and Child
Husband and Wife
Older Brother and Younger Brother
Friend to Friend
If everyone obeyed the duties and obligations of these
relationships the result would be an orderly balanced society
would be the result. They also stressed FILIAL PIETY, which is
respect for your parents and elders.
The teachings of Confucius were concerned with life on earth.
The Chinese religion and Confucianism are compatible.
Eventually Chinese Law will be based on the principles of
Confucius. Confucianism becomes the heart of Chinese
traditions.
Taoism (Daoism)
Founded by Lao Tzu around 600 BC. His teachings are found in
the book the Tao Te Ching. The goal in life is to be tuned to the
Tao. The Tao means The Way it is described as a universal
force that cannot be defined, only felt. The Tao is also the way
or road you take to reach your goal. Harmony was reached
through contemplation. Taoist studied nature and stressed the
simplicity of all things. The studying of nature led the Chinese
to greater technological advances.
Legalism
Developed by Han Fei Tzu. A stable society could only be
created by a strict, efficient government. The ruler should have
absolute power. There should be unquestioning obedience to
authority. Legalists did not believe that people were capable of
loyalty, honesty, or trust. It was only the threat of harsh
punishment that would ensure order.
The Unification of China
Ch’in Dynasty (221-210 BC)
The Ch’in Dynasty begins with the rule of Shih Huang Ti (1 st
Emperor). He ruthlessly centralized power. He imposed unity on
China. He ruled through the philosophy of Legalism. He
eliminated opponents by execution if necessary.
During his reign he built roads, dug the Grand Canal connecting
the Yellow and the Yangtze Rivers, and issued coins. He began
construction of the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall is 1,400
miles long. His empire collapsed shortly after his death.
He was buried with an army of life-size terracotta soldiers.
The Han Dynasty (210 BC-220AD)
This great dynast expanded the borders of China. This dynasty
ruled through the philosophy of Confucianism. Wu Ti (140 –87
BC) was the greatest emperor of the Han Dynasty. His name
means the warrior emperor. He drove back the Huns back into
Central Asia. He established a peace that would last 200 years.
Han soldiers patrolled the empire and the important trade
routes. The large empire created a need for well-trained
government officials. The civil service exam requirements gave
rise to an efficient educational system.
The Civil Service Exam was needed to get a job in the
bureaucracy. They took years of study to pass. They were
based on the works of Confucius. There were local, provincial,
and national tests. Some of these tests took 3 days. The finals
were in front of the emperor. The Civil Service Exam provided
stability to China through the many dynastic changes.
Chinese Art and Science
By 100 AD the Chinese had a dictionary of over 10,000
characters.
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Inventions
 Paper, wheelbarrow, watermill, silk loom, written
histories, accurate calendar
The Silk Trade
Silk comes from the cocoon of the silkworm. It is light, easy to
carry, and very expensive. The trade route to the west was
called the Silk Road. Chinese Silk was bought and sold in
Rome!!
Through trade Buddhism entered China. It was very comforting
to the peasants because it recognized that suffering was a part
of life and it offered hope.
The Han Empire will collapse because of weak leadership, and a
failing economy. Civil wars and invasion will destroy the Han
Dynasty.