• Analyze the impact of geography on the success
of the empire of Ancient China
• Identify the three main dynasties of Ancient
China
• Cite and explain each of the key advancements
of the three main dynasties of Ancient China
• Monsoons impact the climate
• Isolated from other cultures by:
– Gobi Desert in the North
– The Himalayan Mountains to the West and South
– Bodies of water to the East:
• Yellow Sea, South China Sea, Pacific Ocean
• Known as the “Middle kingdom”
– believed they were in the middle of the world, surrounded
by natural barriers on all sides
• Yangtze River is the longest river in
Asia and third longest in the world
• Huang or Yellow River is the second
longest river in China
– Loess – sedimentary soil that is formed by
the accumulation of wind-blown silt (creates
yellow-brown soil)
– China’s Sorrow – River brought life, but
also destructive floods
• To control flooding, the Chinese built dikes
(protective walls to hold back water)
or
Yellow
Shanghai
• 13 dynastic periods,
Spanning 4,000 years
• Mandate of Heaven:
a traditional Chinese
philosophical concept
concerning the
legitimacy of rulers
– Similar to “divine right
of kings”
– Heaven would bless
the authority of a just
rule
•
•
•
•
(Shang Dynasty)
Qin Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
• The Shang Dynasty - established by King
Tang
– Built China’s first cities
– Irrigation and farming
– Known for their bronze work
– Developed the first Chinese writing system
• Oracle Bones; earliest known example of Chinese
writing
– Created a social pyramid
• Diviners would submit questions to deities:
future weather, crop planting, the fortunes of
members of the royal family, military
endeavors, etc.
• Questions were carved onto the bone or shell
in oracle bone script using a sharp tool.
• Intense heat applied with a metal rod until the
bone or shell cracked due to thermal
expansion.
• Diviner would then interpret the pattern of
cracks and write the prognostication upon the
piece as well.
Emperor
Military
Nobles
Priests
Merchants
Farmers
The Shang Dynasty
• The Shang Dynasty was overthrown by the
Zhou Dynasty
• Zhou Dynasty collapsed and China entered a
period of chaos known as the “Warring States”
period
• Shi Huangdi merged kingdoms to unify China; first
true emperor
– To protect China from nomadic invaders along northern
border, ordered construction of the Great Wall of China,
but did not complete project.
– Abided by philosophy of Legalism
• People are evil at their core, and the state is more important
than the individual
– Created “Terra Cotta Army” at burial necropolis
• Legalism is based on three principles:
1. Fa 法 - The law code must be clearly written
and made public.
2. Shu 術 - Special tactics and "secrets" are to
be employed by the ruler to make sure others
don't take over control of the state.
3. Shi 勢 - It is the position of the ruler, not the
ruler himself or herself, that holds the power.
Qin Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
Hey guys!
The Terra Cotta Army
Qin Shi Huang Di's Mausoleum Mound. This is the stairway up the
mound. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is about 1 mile
from here.
• Dynasty lasts 400 years…sets template for Chinese
rule
• Liu Pang – overthrew the Qin Dynasty and became
emperor (202 BC)
– Not a heavy-handed ruler (abandons Legalism for
Confucianism…we’ll discuss next week!)
– Establishes imperial university
• Wu Ti – Liu Pang’s great grandson and Emperor
–
–
–
–
Ruled from age 15-65 as the “Warrior Emperor”
Expanded empire
Created a public school system (for boys only)
Began the construction of the Silk Road to the west (finished by the
Ming Dynasty)
• Connected Asia with the Mediterranean
and European world, as well as parts of
North Africa
• Extends 4,000 miles long
• In addition to silk, many other goods were
traded, as well as various technologies,
religions and philosophies
• China’s Golden Age
– Greatest age for Chinese poetry
– Buddhism reaches its peak (our next world religion)
• Also Taoism and Confucianism
– Men granted equal allotments of land in
exchange for taxes
– Did not have to be a noble to hold a high position;
government exams
– Borders expand from Korea to central Asia
(present day Afghanistan)
• Kingdom eventually dissolves into 10 different
kingdoms
– Feuds within the government, assassination plots, etc.
leave the empire vulnerable to invasion.