ANCIENT
CHINA
PREHISTORIC
CHINA
Neolithic
12,000-2000 bce
Yangshao Culture
5000-2500 bce
Hongshan Culture
4700- 2900 bce
Lung-shan Culture
2500-1000 bce
Xia Dynasty
21st –16th c. bce
Paleolithic China:
Peking Man
 Fossils
found in 1920’s -30’s -- date to
500,000 bce
 Classified
as HOMO ERECTUS
Neolithic China
ca. 12,000-2000 bce
Neolithic China
ca. 12,000-2000 bce
 Neolithic
period began ca. 12,000 bce in
China, but good evidence dates back only to
4,000 bce
 Agriculture concentrated near Yellow River:
millet was main crop
 Silk production began even before the
Neolithic period.
 Clustered dwellings suggest importance of
kinship
9000 year-old flutes
These 9,000-year-old Chinese flutes are believed to
be the oldest known playable instruments.
They're made from the forelimbs of a rare crane.
Yangshao Culture
5000-2500 bce
 Their
handcrafted,
Painted Pottery
occasionally bears a
single incised sign that
may be a forerunner of
Chinese writing
 Domesticated
and the pig
the dog
Lung-shan Culture
ca.2500-1000 bce
 Black
Pottery
 Practiced
worship
ancestor
 Domesticated
sheep and ox
pig, dog,
 Early
Chinese describe
jade as embodying five
virtues:
 Benevolence
is typified by
its luster that is bright
and warm
 Integrity
by its
translucency
 Wisdom
by its sonorous
ring when struck
 Courage
by its hardness
 Steadfastness
durability
by its
Jade
Neolithic Jade
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Modern jade includes nephrite and jadeite: only
nephrite used in Neolithic times
Ranges widely in color, from pale to dark green,
from white to yellow, from brown to black.
Extremely hard, so very difficult to work. It
cannot be carved, but must be ground by a
material harder than itself
The Neolithic tools of choice were probably a gut
saw and bamboo drill together with an abrasive in
the form of river sand or sludge.
Earliest pieces date ca. 7000 bce
Hongshan Jade
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Jade coiled pig-dragon,
Hongshan Culture
(c. 4700-2920 B.C.)
Far to the northeast,
in the Manchurian
hills, archaeologists
have uncovered traces
of a ceremonial center
associated with the
Hongshan culture
(4700-2920 B.C.).
Jade objects found in
tombs
Liangzhu Jade Congs
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Found almost exclusively
in burial contexts,
indicating ritual and
religious significance
Unique form of a circle
within a square suggests
some cosmological
significance.
Perhaps the circle
symbolizes heaven, and
the square symbolizes
earth
Chinese Creation Myth
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In the beginning there was nothing in the except a
formless chaos.
The chaos coalesced into a cosmic egg for about
18,000 years.
Within it, the perfectly opposed principles of Yin
and Yang became balanced and Pangu emerged from
the egg.
Pangu set about the task of creating the world: he
separated Yin from Yang with a swing of his giant
axe, creating the Earth (murky Yin) and
the Sky (clear Yang).
To keep them separated, Pangu stood between them
and pushed up the Sky.
Pangu
Chinese Creation Myth
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After the 18,000 years had elapsed, Pangu was laid to rest.
His breath became the wind; his voice the thunder; left eye
the sun and right eye the moon; his body became
the mountains and extremes of the world; his blood formed
rivers; his muscles the fertile lands;
His facial hair the stars and milky way; his fur the bushes
and forests; his bones the valuable minerals; his bone
marrows sacred diamonds; his sweat fell as rain; and the
fleas on his fur carried by the wind became the fish and
animals throughout the land.
Nüwa
Nüwa is the
goddess who is
credited with the
creation of mankind
and the
maintenance of the
heavens
 Half-woman, halfdragon

Nüwa and the Creation of Man
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When Nüwa looked down upon the earth for the first time, she saw
that it was full of life but empty of creatures.
She took handfuls of yellow clay from the banks of the rivers and
molded beings from them. She found that the clay was not strong
enough to remain erect, so she reinforced it with carefully woven
ropes spread throughout their bodies.
Once she had created all the animals of the world and begun work
on mankind, Nüwa became tired and no longer wished to form each
one individually; instead, she dipped a great rope in the mud and
began flicking it, causing drops of the clay to spin off and form
humans on their own.
These were the common people of the world, and those she had
created with her own hands became the nobles.
San Huang (Three August Ones)
ca. 3000-2700 bce
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A succession of legendary sageemperors taught the ancient
Chinese to communicate and to
find sustenance, clothing, and
shelter.
Fu Xi, the first legendary
Emperor, taught many arts, such
as the use of fishing nets, the
breeding of silk worms, and the
taming of wild animals. He
invented music, the casting of
oracles and the one hundred
Chinese family names.
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Suiren taught
how to build a
fire and to
cook food.
Shennong,
"Divine
Farmer," also
known as
the Emperor
of the Five
Grains, taught
the practices
of agriculture
and the use of
herbal drugs
and
acupuncture.
San Huang
Wu Di (Five Emperors)
2700-2200 bce

Legendary, morally perfect sagekings – inventors and giver of gifts to
mankind. According to Sima Qian’s
Shi Ji or The Records of the Grand
Historian:
Huang-di, The Yellow Emperor
 Zhuanxu
 Ku
 Yao
 Shun

Xia Dynasty
21st-16th c. bce
 First
Xia Dynasty
21st-16th c. bce
prehistoric dynasty:
descendants of Lung-Shan
culture
 Urban sites, bronze
implements, and tombs point
to the existence of Xia
civilization in the same
locations cited in ancient
Chinese texts
 Evolutionary stage between
the late Neolithic cultures
and the urban civilization of
the Shang dynasty.
HISTORIC
DYNASTIES
Earliest Dynasties
ANCIENT
Xia Dynasty
21st-16th c. bce
Shang Dynasty
16th-11th c. bce
first writing
CHINA
Zhou (Chou) Dynasty
1027 bc-221 bc
Confucianism
Taoism
Shang Dynasty
16th-11th c. bce
Shang Dynasty
 Central Yellow River Valley
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Oldest examples of Chinese writing
Hunters and farmers
Brilliant bronze culture
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casting of intricate ritual vessels
tools
Cities
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Cheng Chow (16th c. bc)
Anyang (C. 1384-1111 bc)
Shang Social Organization
 City-states
Shang Tang - the first ruling
king of the Shang dynasty
under the
nominal rule of a high king
 Proto-feudalism.
 The area under the
jurisdiction of the king
quite probably was small,
perhaps not more than 100200 miles in any direction
from Anyang.
 Traces of a family ruling
system and of ancestorworship are discernible.
 Rigidly patriarchal society.
Writing: Oracle Bones
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Oracle bones used for
divination.
A question was written on the
bone, which was then fired and
a T shaped crack was produced
to be interpreted; the
interpretation was then
written on the bone.
After the predicted event
occurred, the date of the
occurrence was also written on
the bone.
Astronomy and Calendar
Oracle bone with record of
solar eclipse
Ox bone inscribed with a table
of the Heavenly Stems and
Earthly Branches
Zhongqi
Shang Bronzes
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Ritual bronze
vessels
Range from the
very small and
light to very
large
Bronze vessels
are called
"zhongqi" or
heavy vessels in
Chinese.
4 Elements of Zhongqi
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Taotie
Middle Shang Li , 14th or 13th century BCE
Sophisticated bronze
technology
Li-qi: ritual art -- used
for worship, not
utilitarian
Restricted decoration
and shape
Shang bronze types
were copied and
reused later in Chinese
history, even into the
nineteenth century
Taotie
This pattern appears
on nearly all Shang
bronzes, and has
been interpreted as a
vague suggestion of
an animal's head. The
animal is unclear, as
are many of the
elements of the
decoration, so it is
called zoomorphic:
shaped like an animal.
Bronze Ritual Wine Vessels
13th-12th c. bce
Shang Religion
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Ornament of the late Shang, 7 cm high
The figurine shows the costume and
headdress usually worn by people in the
Shang Dynasty
The Shang worshipped
the "Shang Ti," a
supreme god over
lesser gods
Highly ritualized,
ancestor worship
Sacrifice to the gods
and the ancestors
When a king died,
hundreds of slaves and
prisoners were often
sacrificed and buried
with him.
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Woman Warrior:
Fu Hao
The tomb of Fu Hao is the
only royal Shang tomb to have
been found unlooted.
The floor level housed the
royal corpse and most of the
utensils and implements
buried with her.
Below the corpse was a small
pit holding the remains of 6
dogs, and the skeletons of 16
humans.
Fu Hao was mentioned in
oracle bone inscriptions as the
consort of King Wu Ding and a
general who participated in
several campaigns.
13th c. bce
Shang Tomb of Fu Hao
Excavating Fu Hao's tomb
Objects from Fu Hao’s tomb
Bronze
Wine vessel
Jade tiger
Ivory cup
ZHOU (CHOU) DYNASTY
1027 bc-221 bc
Periods of Zhou Dynasty
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771 bce -- Zhou invaded by barbarians allied with
rebel lords; king killed. Capital moved eastward to
Luoyang in Henan Province
Western Zhou: 1027-771 bce
Eastern Zhou 770-221 bce
 770-476 bce: Spring and Autumn Period
 475-221 bce: Warring States Period
Zhou (Chou)
Dynasty
 Introduced

organized agriculture
Feudal society
 Land
grants in return for support in war and
loyalty
 Ruler: Tian or “Son of Heaven
 Principal of societal relationships illustrated in
the Book of Songs and the Book of Rituals
 Confucianism
and Taoism introduced
Zhou Jade: Ornamental
Zhou Jade: Ritual
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The appearance of jade-piece
masks and jade burial suits
signalled changes in funeral
customs
Belief that jade could protect
the corpse from decay, thereby
providing the spirit with a
"living" home.
The pieces of this jade mask
were sewn on a silk veil to define
the facial features of the
deceased.
Zhou Bronzes
 Not
as intricate or
elaborate as Shang
bronzes
 Often utilized
animal shapes and
motifs
Zhou bronze tigers
Musical Instruments
Bian zhong was the
main ritual
instrument played
at sacrificial
activities or feasts
of aristocrats in
the Western Zhou
Dynasty.
Percussion instrument of
Western Zhou, height 38.5-48 cm
Confucius
K’ung fu-tzu or Kongfuzi
551-479 bce
 Son of aristocrat,
raised in poverty
 Itinerant teacher
 Sayings collected
in The Analects
 Possibly edited
The Book of Songs

Confucian Canon of Texts
The Book of Songs
 The Book of Documents (Shang Shu)
 The Book of Changes ( I Ching)
 rituals
 Ch’un-ch’ iu: a chronicle
 The Analects
 By study and self-cultivation, individuals
can merge their instinctive beings and
their social beings.

Followers of Confucius
Confucianism
Importance of traditional values: selfcontrol, filial piety, propriety, ritual
 Individual virtue leads to societal virtue
 Contextual morality -- guided by
circumstances of a particular problem
 Obedience contingent upon benevolence
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Confucian Values
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Li: propriety, ceremony, civility. 4 basic rules of human
conduct: courtesy, politeness, good manners, respect
(reverence for age)
Jen (Ren): respect for self and others:”Do not do to
others what you do not want done to you.” Charity and
courtesy
Te: virtue, the power of moral example as in a strong
leader who guides by example or in the forces of nature
Wen: the arts of peace: music, poetry, art -- conducive
to harmony and order and a model of excellence.
Traditional Chinese art always strives for beauty.
The Six Relationships
Obedience in The Six Relationships is contingent
upon the superior members observing their duty to
be benevolent and caring.
Ruler
Teacher
Subject
Student
Older
Friend
Younger
Friend
In society, the
ancient
principles of
Confucius
formed the basis
of this order,
giving the
Chinese a value
system of stable
harmony
Lao Tzu or Lao Zi
“Old Sage” or “OldMaster”
Born c. 604 bce
 Author of Tao te Ching or
Taodejing: The Way and
Its Power
 Legendary life:
 Lao Tzu means "old sage“
or "old boy“
 Native of Ch'ü-jen, in
the Honan Province.

Just as the Chinese sought
harmony in society, they
sought harmony in nature
through the philosophy of
Taoism: following the way
of nature
Taoist Canon
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Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) : Written supposedly
by Lao Zi (81 chapters often divided into two
parts)
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Book of Dao : Chapter 1-37
Book of De : Chapter 38-81
Zhuang Zi (Chuang Tzu) : Written supposedly by
Zhuang Zi (inner chapters) and others (misc and
outer chapters)
Hua Hu Jing: Unknown author (81 chapters)
Lie Zi: Written supposedly by Lie Zi (111 chapters)
TAOISM
 Tao:
the ultimate reality behind existence,
a transcendant essence.
 Highly individualistic and mystical
character
 Existential skepticism
 Wu-wei: spontaneity -- to discern and
follow the natural forces -- to follow and
shape the natural flow of events, not to
struggle against nature

"Both heaven and earth endure a long time. The
cause of their endurance is their indifference to
long life. Thus the wise man, indifferent to
himself, is the greatest among men."
Yin and Yang
 Negative
and positive principles of the
universe.
 One cannot exist without the other, and
they often represent opposites in relations
to each other.
 As there is more and more Yang,
eventually, Yin will appear and replace this
increase. Similarly in the opposite
direction, Yang will appear to replace the
increase in Yin
YIN
YANG
 Negative
 Positive
 Female
 Male
 Dark
 Light
 Evil
 Good
 Earth
 Heaven
The yin - soft, female elements- complement
the yang - hard, male elements - without
contradiction
Lao Tzu: “There is
nothing weaker than
water but none is
superior to it in
overcoming the
hard…Weakness
overcomes strength and
gentleness overcomes
rigidity”
Three Jewels
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Compassion - leads to courage
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Moderation - leads to generosity
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Humility - leads to leadership
The Mandate of Heaven
 The moral order of the Universe: right
and wrong
 Fate: Life and death are beyond our
control.
 The right to rule is based upon knowing
and observing the moral order of the
Universe
 The judgement of history: losing the
Mandate of Heaven results in loss of
power.
THE MANDATE OF
HEAVEN
The Emperor, as
father to his people,
commanded
obedience as long as
he ruled with wisdom
and justice
Warring States Period
475-221 bce
Qin (Chin) Dynasty
221 bce -206 bce
 First
unified the country
by subjugating the
Warring States
 Established central
bureaucracy
 Legalism supplanted
Confucianism: scholars
persecuted and books
burned
 Standardized writing,
currency, weights and
measures
Qin Shihuangdi
Qin Building Projects
Used
forced
labor of
convicts and
peasants
Roads and canals
Palaces
Connected
fortification
walls to build
5000 kilometer
Great Wall
Mausoleum of Qin Emperor
ShiHuangdi
(First Emperor)
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Qin ShiHuangdi’s
Mausoleum was discovered
in 1974 by farmers digging
a well.
The 13 year-old emperor
had ordered 800,000
workers to build his tomb.
Terra Cotta Army
Rebellions broke out after
Emperor’s death in 210 bce:
dynasty overthrown after
only 15 years of rule
PREHISTORIC
CHINA
Neolithic
12,000-2000 bce
Yangshao Culture
5000-2500 bce
Hongshan Culture
4700- 2900 bce
Lung-shan Culture
2500-1000 bce
Xia Dynasty
21st –16th c. bce
Earliest Dynasties
ANCIENT
Xia Dynasty
21st-16th c. bce
Shang Dynasty
16th-11th c. bce
first writing
CHINA
Zhou Dynasty
1027 bc-221 bc
Confucianism
Taoism
CLASSICAL
Dynasties
Qin (Chin) Dynasty
221 bc-206 bc
origin of name of China
CHINA
The Han Empire
206 bce-220 ce