Ancient China
I. Introduction:
• China has high mountains in the west,
its rivers flow east, thus China was
isolated from western culture.
• Chinese
civilization
begins along
the
Huang He
(Yellow)
River.
• Due to
unpredictable
flooding the
river was
know as the
River of
Sorrow.
• China was known as “Chung-kuo”
(Central Kingdom), and this term
reflects the Chinese opinion of the world.
• The Chinese saw their country as the
center of the world. The most advanced
civilization.
•Thus, the Chinese turns their backs to
the West and faces East, geographically
culturally and politically.
Ancient
China map
II. Lungshan & Yangshao:
(Neolithic cities)
Achievements:
1.Developed the potters wheel.
2.Developed baked bricks for
houses.
3.Harvested silk.
4.Developed irrigation systems.
Hsia dynasty: Mythological rulers of
ancient China
Pan Gu (P’an-ku) Creator of the universe
Fuxi (Fu-his) taught the people to hunt
& fish.
Shennong (Shen-nung) taught
the people agriculture.
Huangdi (Huang-ti) taught the
people silk-making.
Yu taught large scale irrigation &
flood control.
III. Shang Dynasty: First
dynasty in China from 1700-1000
B.C.E.
Yin; the capital of Shang Dynasty.
Founded ca. 1384 B.C.E.
Achievements:
•
•
•
•
•
Oracle Bones
Shamanism
Writing System
Bronze ware
Sericulture
Oracle bone; Divination was practiced by
heating tortoise shells till they cracked,
then studying the cracks. The prediction
was written on the shell.
Shamanism;
Shang Religion
was based on
ideas of
ancestor
worship, as
well as a belief
in nature gods,
demons and
magic.
Ancestor worship; the belief that
your dead relatives control and guide
your destiny. Thus respect and honor
for them
is
necessary.
• Rulers were buried with their court
and wives in large tombs.
Writing; The Shang Dynasty
developed a writing system around
1766 B.C.E.
Bronze; The Shang dynasty had one of
the most sophisticated methods for
smelting bronze. Their bronze was
extremely
artistic.
Shang Bronze
Sericulture;
The Shang
dynasty was
the first to
actively
cultivate silk.
Political Power:
The king’s power was
based on:
•Land Ownership.
Land and peasants
were given to the
nobility as payment
for military service.
Thus Hunting was a favorite pass time
of the Shang nobility since they did not
have to work.
•Monopoly of Bronze weapons &
manufacturing. Death was the penalty
for making
bronze
without
royal
permission.
•War Chariot, giving the kings army
an advantage on the plains of china.
• The religious authority of the king.
It was believed that rulers received
their authority from the gods. It was
called “The Mandate of Heaven.”
As dynasties weakened and new
leaders arose, the Chinese believed
that the gods were removing their
mandate and giving it to another.
The Shang Economy;
•Built irrigation canals for crops
•Cowry shells were used as money.
•Long distance trade for copper, tin,
lead, and salt
•Farming was based on peasant/serf
labor.
Society:
•Women were
subservient to
men in Chinese
culture.
•Common
people had very
few rights, and
did all the work.
IV. Chou (Zhou) Dynasty
1100s-200s BCE
• This was a time of Feudalism
(Decentralized) government with
competing warlords.
• There were few great accomplishments in
science, art and literature, but China
excelled in philosophy as great Sages (wise
men) tried to bring about Unity, Peace &
Prosperity.
The End!