Ancient Chinese Civilization—4.1
Main Idea: China’s rivers, and
isolation caused by mountains and
deserts, shaped early Chinese
culture.
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The Physical Setting
Enormous size
Geographic variety
Wide variety of climatic patterns
Mountains in west, southwest, and northwest
Desert and semi-desert plateaus
North China Plain, a coastal area along the
Yellow Sea
A.K.A. Xi River?
Qinling Shandi
• mountain range that cuts from west to east
• Separates the valleys of the Huang and the
Chang (Yangtze) rivers
• Marks the border between northern and
southern China
Northern China
• Northern China receives less rain than central
and southern China
• Temperatures are more extreme in the north
• Growing season is shorter in the north
• A lot of wheat is grown in the north
Central and southern China
• Rainfall is more plentiful.
• Rice is the principal crop.
China Proper
• The Heart of China
• China Proper stretches from seacoast inland.
• Three great river systems wind through China Proper.
• The rivers are: Huang, Chang, and Xi (SHEE)
Other Political Sections have included:
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Tibet
Xinjiang (shin-jyahng)
Mongolia
Manchuria
Northern Korea
At different times, these areas have been
conquered and ruled by the Chinese.
Huang River
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2,900 miles long
Empties into the Yellow Sea
Huang River has a fertile soil called loess.
Loess gives the river a yellow tint.
Huang means “yellow”.
The Huang is also nicknamed “China’s
Sorrow” because of its floods.
Adding to the problem-• Early Chinese built dikes along the river to
control the flooding.
• The dikes slowed the river’s flow and silt built up
along the bottom.
• The river level finally reached the tops of the
dikes.
• The Chinese built higher dikes.
• Now the river flows at least 12 feet above the
surrounding land.
And more problems-• Floods on the Huang are devastating.
• The floods destroy crops and human life.
• Water can’t drain off the land and stands
until it evaporates.
• Rainfall in the region is unpredictable so
that floods alternate with drought and
famine.
Chang River
• 3,434 miles long
• Large ocean-going ships can navigate nearly
600 miles upstream.
• Smaller ships can travel about 1,700 miles
upstream.
Xi River
• 1,200 miles long
• Large ships can navigate about 1/3 of its
length.
• Forms an important commercial waterway for
China
China’s isolation
• China was isolated by great distances,
rugged mountains, and deserts, such as
the Gobi.
• As a result of its geographic isolation,
China developed its own distinct culture
Alien Contact!
• Along their northern and northwestern
borders, the Chinese had contact with
nomadic people.
• Usually they were peaceful and traded
with the Chinese.
Nomads attack!
• Sometimes the nomads attacked Chinese
settlements.
• The Chinese considered the nomadic invaders
culturally inferior and called them
“barbarians.”
A superior attitude!
• Infrequent contact with foreigners gave the
Chinese a strong sense of identity and a
superior attitude.
• The Chinese considered theirs the only
civilized land.
The Chinese Zhongguo
• Zhongguo meant “Middle Kingdom”.
• The Chinese considered their land the
“center of the world”.
The inferior outsiders
• The inferior outsiders only became fully
civilized when they learned to speak Chinese
and adopted Chinese customs
Assimilation!
• Often when invaders did overrun parts of
China, the invaders would lose their
identity over time and be absorbed into
China’s population.
Ideas for television,
movies, and video games
often come from the
creator’s knowledge of
history.
This, however, was not the Chinese
method of assimilation!
A serious case of “assimilation”
Review
What is “loess”?
Loess is a fertile yellow soil
along the Huang river.
What were dikes used for in China?
The Chinese built dikes to hold
back the floods along the Huang
River.
What are the three main rivers of
China?
Main rivers of China
•Huang (Yellow)
•Chang (Yangtze)
•Xi (Shee)
What large desert lies northwest of
China?
Gobi Desert lies
northwest of China.
What does Zhongguo mean?
• Center of the World
What area is next to China and
has been taken over by the
Chinese communists
• Tibet
How do northern and southern
regions of China differ
geographically?
Geographic differences:
• Northern China receives less rain
• Temperatures in the north are more extreme.
• The growing season in the north is shorter.
Wheat is the principal crop.
• Central and Southern China receive more
rainfall. Rice is the principal crop.
What marks the boundary
between northern and
southern China?
The Qinling Shandi marks the
boundary between northern
and southern China.
How did geography contribute
to the Chinese sense of
identity?
The Chinese developed a
superior attitude and strong
sense of identity largely due
to their geographical isolation
from other cultures.
Population Statistics
http://www.geohive.com/earth/population1.aspx
The Shang Dynasty
4.2
The Shang dynasty established a
model that affected future
governments of China.
Objectives
• To describe how Shang government and
economy were organized
• To identify characteristics and contributions of
ancient China
Xia (shah)
• The Xia were the
first inhabitants of
the Huang River
valley.
• The Xia existed at
least as early as
the Neolithic Age.
More on the Xia -• The Xia (shah) believed they were created by
the god Yu.
The Shang Dynasty
• The Shang were the first to establish a
dynasty in China.
Dynasty!
• What’s a dynasty?
• A “dynasty” is rule by a single family over
several generations.
Power through Public Works
• The Shang were involved in irrigation and
flood control and took control of the area
from the Xia.
The Shang in Control
• The Shang were able to gain territory and
influence other regions because they had their
act together: they had a complex government
and a strong military.
• The Shang were ready for anything!
Religion during the Shang
Dynasty
• The Shang believed in animism.
• What’s animism?
• The belief that spirits inhabit everything
including rocks, trees, water, etc.
• The Shang also believed in ancestor
worship.
Achievements of the Shang
Dynasty
• The Shang used kaolin (a white clay) to
make pottery.
• The Shang also developed a writing system
that used 600 pictographs—calligraphy.
• The Shang knew how to make silk.
Government in the Shang
Dynasty
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The government was a bureaucracy under
an emperor.
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What’s a bureaucracy?
Bureaucracy:
Government organized into different
levels and tasks.
Shang Agriculture
• They grew millet and rice.
• They raised pigs and chickens for meat.
• They used horses for labor.
Priest-astronomers
• Why were priest astronomers important
during the Shang dynasty?
Priest-Astronomers
• The priest astronomers helped keep the calendar
in sync with the seasons by saying when to add
days to a month or year.
• The calendar helped farmers determine when the
floods might come or when they should harvest.
• Priest astronomers were powerful.
Keep the emperor?
• The ruler was judged by the success of the
harvest.
Religion in the Shang Dynasty
• Religion in the Shang dynasty combined
animism with ancestor worship.
Animism?
• Animism was the belief that spirits inhabit
everything: trees, rocks, water, etc.
The Magic Dragon?
• People believed in an
all-powerful and
kindly dragon who
lived in the seas and
rivers and could rise
into the clouds.
In time-• This dragon became
the symbol of Chinese
rulers.
• The ruler’s wife was
symbolized by the
phoenix.
Phoenix
And More Chinese gods --•
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Wind
Sun
Clouds
Moon
Some were honored by festivals
A good party ensures a good harvest right?
• Religious festivals in the spring were held to
ensure a good crop.
• In an autumn festival people thanked the
moon god for the harvest.
The Amazing Shangdi!
• The Chinese believed Shangdi was the god
who controlled human destiny and the forces
of nature.
• Rulers often asked their ancestors to plead on
their behalf with Shangdi.
Even more importantly --• Rulers used Shangdi’s control over destiny
to justify their decisions --- it is the will of
Shangdi.
How convenient is that?
The Role of Priests
• Priests played an important role in Chinese
religion.
• Some tried to predict the future or interpret
divine messages, especially messages from the
spirits.
• How could they do that?
They used bones!
• In fact, they used oracle bones!
Language and Writing
• The Shang were among the few early peoples
to develop a system of writing.
• The Chinese spoke many dialects—variations
of a language.
• Chinese developed a system of writing that
could handle all of these dialects.
Evolution of Chinese Writing
• Pictographs: drawings of objects
• Ideographs: two parts – an idea sign and a
phonetic sign
• The signifier of the ideograph showed the
meaning of the character
• The phonetic sign told how to pronounce it.
Surprise!
• For many centuries the ability to read and
write was limited to a small number of
specialists.
• They usually served the emperor as clerks,
scribes, and teachers.
Scribes
• Recorded special events
• Composed literary works
• Wrote from top to bottom beginning on the right
side of the page
Calligraphy
• Eventually the writing
evolved into an art
form called
“calligraphy.”
• Artists used the same
kind of brush for
calligraphy as for
painting.
Fall of the Shang
• Herders from the Gobi Desert and Tian
Shan foothills began to edge toward the
rich river valley c. 1200 B.C.
• They began to settle along the borders.
• During the 1100s B.C. the Shang almost
continually battled these warlike
neighboring states.
Doomed!
• The extended military efforts exhausted the
Shang rulers.
• The last Shang king (Di-Xin) could not protect
the kingdom’s northwest borders. (The real
reason the Shang dynasty fell.)
Enter the Zhou!
• c. 1050 B.C. the Zhou formed an alliance with
nearby tribes and overthrew the dynasty.
• It ended about 700-800 years of Shang rule.
And . . .
• The Zhou justified their takeover by saying
that the Shang rulers had become corrupt and
unfit to rule.
• This explanation for the overthrow of one
dynasty (or government) has been used
throughout China’s history. (patterns of living
--- a part of culture)
Review!
Who were the first inhabitants of
the Huang River valley?
The Xia were the first inhabitants
of the Huang River valley.
Who were the first to establish a
dynasty?
The Shang were the first to
establish a dynasty.
What is a dynasty?
A dynasty is rule by a single
family.
What projects were the Shang
involved in that gave them
control over the people?
Irrigation and flood-control
projects
What did the Shang religion
involve?
Shang Religion
• Animism
• Ancestor worship
What is animism?
Animism is a belief that spirits
inhabit everything: trees, rocks,
water, etc.
What were two achievements of
the Shang Dynasty?
Achievements of the Shang Dynasty
• Using kaolin (a white clay) to make pottery
• Developing a writing system --calligraphy
What kind of government did the
Shang have?
Shang government included
• Emperor
• bureaucracy
What is a bureaucracy?
A bureaucracy is a government
organized into different levels
and tasks.
Why were priest-astronomers
important during the Shang
Dynasty?
Priest-astronomers helped keep
the calendar in sync with the
seasons of the year by saying
when to add days to a month or
year.
Why was it important to keep
the calendars accurate?
The calendar helped farmers
determine when floods might
come or when they should
harvest.
What decided if they would keep
an emperor?
To keep the emperor, the harvest
had to be successful.
What became a symbol of
Chinese emperors?
The dragon became a symbol of
Chinese emperors.
Who was Shangdi?
Shangdi was the god of:
human destiny
and the
forces of nature.
What were oracle bones?
Oracle bones were used by
priests to foretell the future and
interpret divine message.
What finally happened to the
Shang?
The Shang, plagued by border
wars, were finally defeated by
an alliance of the Zhou with
nearby tribes.
“Wherever You Go
Go With All Your Heart.”
-- Confucius
The Zhou, Qin, and Han
Dynasties
Three major dynasties—the Zhou,
the Qin, and the Han—built China
into a powerful country.
Zhou Dynasty 1050-256 B.C.
• The Zhou dynasty had no centralized form of
government. Instead ruled territories whose
leaders swore loyalty to the ruler and promised
military service and tribute
The Mandate of Heaven
• The Chinese believed that the god of
Heaven determined who should rule—
“Mandate of Heaven”.
• Rebels used the “Mandate of Heaven” to
justify overthrowing a previous ruler
Zhou and the Invaders
• Zhou were often attacked by outsiders and
local leaders often fought amongst
themselves
Good-bye, Zhou!
• The Zhou lost real power by the 700s but
continued weakly until 256 B.C.
Qin Dynasty 221 to 206 B.C.
• Qin rule only lasted 15 years.
• The Western name for “China” comes from
the Qin.
Qin Autocracy
• The Qin established an autocracy in which
the emperor held total power.
Don’t criticize the Qin!
• The Qin suppressed and executed scholars
who criticized the government.
• At one point, Qin had some
people who criticized him,
buried alive.
The Qin Dynasty:
•Guarded against
invasion by building
defensive walls along
the border—would
eventually become the
Great Wall of China
•Great Wall –1,500
miles long during Qin
dynasty
•Used forced labor to
build
Qin’s Tomb
• In 1974 Qin’s tomb was found. It was
completely untouched by vandalism or grave
robbers.
• It contained 6,000 life-size terra cotta soldiers,
all of whom had different faces.
More on the Qin
• The gap widened between the
ruler and the mass of the people.
• Rebellion came in 206 B.C.
• Liu Bang started the Han Dynasty
Liu Bang the Bad Boy
• Han was born into a peasant family, but he
didn’t like farm work. Not his father’s favorite
son, he was living the rogue’s life.
• After he grew up, he became a patrol officer
in his county.
Liu Bang the Outlaw
• At one point he was responsible for
transporting a group of prisoners. During
the trip, some of the prisoners escaped.
• Liu Bang released the rest of the prisoners
and fled himself.
• He joined a band of outlaws and became
their leader.
• On one of his raids, a magistrate was so
impressed with his leadership skills that he
gave Liu Bang his daughter in marriage.
Liu the Emperor
• Liu Bang overthrew the Qin emperor and
established the Han dynasty. (He liked the
name better.)
• He encouraged Confucian thought rather than
the harsh Legalist laws of his predecessor.
Han Dynasty
• Han dynasty took its name from “King of Han” –the
name Liu Bang took
• 206 B.C.-220 A.D.—ruled for 400 years
• People of China still call themselves the “People of
Han”
• Longest-ruling Han emperor was Liu Ch’e, also known
as Wu Ti
• The Han ruled over an area larger than the Roman
Empire
More on the Han
• The Han had a centralized government.
• The Han introduced a civil service system
based on merit exams that remained until
the early 1900s A.D.
The Han and the Leveling System
• Leveling system—economic policy which used
price controls to balance the effects of farm
surpluses and shortages—stored surplus grain
for use during lean years
The Han and the Silk Road
• Silk Road—lots of trade with the Greeks
and Romans
More on the Silk Road
• The Silk Road was a trade route that stretched
from China across central Asia to the
Mediterranean
• Camel caravans carried jade, silk, and other
valuable Chinese goods.
• The goods were sold to wealthy Greeks and
Romans.
• The caravans returned to China with gold, silver,
and wool.
During the Han dynasty-• China’s population grew to about 50 million.
• Luxury goods could be found in the capital
city, including paper, a Chinese invention.
Paper?
• Paper was a Chinese invention that spread
from China to the Western world.
After Liu Ch’e-• None of his successors had his leadership
ability, but the Han dynasty continued to rule
China until 220 A.D. (with the exception of
one brief interruption)
• Nomadic peoples swept across China causing
many Han subjects to move south.
The End of the Han
• After the fall of the Han dynasty—nomadic
tribes invaded.
• The people of Han moved south ahead of
them.
Not until-• In 581 A.D. a Chinese general unified China once again.
Review
What type of government did the
Zhou have?
Not centralized. Feudalistic. With
land being given in exchange for
loyalty and military service.
How did they believe rule was
determined?
God determined the ruler
through the Mandate of
Heaven.
What conflicts did the Zhou face?
The Zhou fought nomadic
invaders and local leaders within
their own people.
Until what date did the Zhou rule?
The Zhou ruled until 256 B.C.
How long did the Qin dynasty
last?
The Qin dynasty lasted 15 years.
Where does the western name for
China come from?
The western name for China
comes from the Qin.
Who held total power in the Qin
dynasty?
The emperor held total power in
the Qin dynasty.
What is this form of government
called?
Autocracy is a form of
government in which the leader
holds total power.
What did the Qin government do to
scholars who criticized the
government?
The Qin government executed
scholars who criticized the
government.
Who started the Han dynasty?
Liu Bang started the Han dynasty.
(He ruled from 206 B.C. to 195 B.C.
for a total of?)
11 years
How long did the Han dynasty
last?
The Han dynasty lasted for 400
years.
Who was Liu Ch’e?
Liu Ch’e was the longest ruling
Han emperor.
What was Liu Ch’e’s other name?
Liu Ch’e’s other name was Wu Ti.
Why do we care what Liu Ch’e’s
other name was?
I have no idea.
How large an area did the Han rule
over?
The Han ruled an area larger than
the Roman empire.
What type of government did
the Han have?
Emperor at the head of the
government. Centralized
government with merit system
for determining government
employees.
What was the merit system?
People who wanted to work for
the government had to take an
exam. Those with the highest
scores were the most likely to get
the jobs.
How had government employees
been selected previously?
People were selected by who
their familes were and how they
were “connected.” It was a
matter of “who do you know.”
What was the leveling system?
Setting price controls on grain
and storing surplus grain so that
farmers did not suffer rising and
falling prices.
What was the Silk Road?
The Silk Road was a caravan
route across central Asia to the
Mediterranean.
With whom did the Chinese trade
at the other end of the Silk Road?
The Chinese traded with the
Greeks and Romans.
What Chinese invention
changed the Western world?
Paper. The Chinese invented
paper.
When did the Han dynasty fall
and what happened afterward?
The Han dynasty fell in 220 A.D.
and the Han people fled south in
advance of nomadic invaders.
“Learning without thinking is
useless. Thinking without learning is
dangerous.”
Confucius
Chinese philosophers and teachers sought ways to
understand the universe and the human condition.
Philosophies of Ancient China
Objectives:
To examine Confucianism and Daoism in
Chinese society
To describe the influence of
Legalism and Buddhism on Chinese
history
Dualism
• Dualism believed there was a “two-sidedness
to nature”.
• The world results from the balance between
two forces.
Yin and Yang
• Yin: the dark, passive, feminine side
• Yang: bright, active, masculine side
Dualism
• Dualism led to the belief that there would be a
balance to extremes: for example, the Qin
(harsh government) would be balanced by the
Han (moderate government)
Confucius 571 B.C.-479 B.C.
“Be not ashamed of mistakes
and thus make them crimes.”
Confucius
His works and teachings were
collected in a work called the
Analects.
See a person's means …
Observe his motives. Examine
that in which he rests. How
can a person conceal his
character?
What is virtue?
“Virtue, according to Confucius,
involved correct behavior toward
others.” textbook quote
The Analects
Confucius
• Confucius sought to end the political
disorder of his time.
Confucius
• Confucius was not a religious prophet.
• He was concerned about political and social
unrest and how moral and ethical leadership
can solve those problems.
What did Confucius believe about
government and its leaders?
• He believed government and its leaders
should be “virtuous.”
• He believed they should be honest and
honorable toward those they lead.
• He believed they should have the welfare
and interest of their people as their
greatest interest.
Concepts of Confucianism
• Importance of family
• Respect for one’s elders (mothers, fathers,
etc.)
• Reverence for the past and one’s ancestors
Confucius believed that every person
should accept his or her role in
society and should perform the
duties of that role.
Mencius
• Mencius came after Confucius and followed
his teachings.
• Mencius taught that people were basically
good and that—
Mencius the Dangerous?
• Mencius taught that people had a
right to overthrow governments that
were weak or harsh!
Laozi
• Founded the philosophy of Daoism
• Dao means “The Way”
Teachings of Laozi
• Laozi saw Dao as an indescribable force that
governed the universe and all nature.
Laozi taught -• Laozi taught that people should withdraw from
the world and contemplate nature so that they
could understand Dao and live in harmony with it.
• He taught that people should not strive for
material wealth.
• He taught that people should live humbly, quietly,
and thoughtfully.
Does any of that sound familiar?
Did you know that “Dagobah” is Sanskrit for “Stupa”?
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
What Laozi didn’t teach ---
• Unlike Confucius, Laozi did not teach
politics.
Daoism became only second to
Confucianism as an influence in
Chinese life.
Legalism
• Legalism concerned itself with politics
• Legalists believed in power and in harsh laws
rather than virtue.
Crummy People
• Legalists believed people were selfish and
untrustworthy by nature.
• Peace and prosperity were only possible if
people were threatened with harsh laws.
Legalism Applied
• Cheng of the Qin dynasty followed the ideas
of Legalism and created a great empire, but it
didn’t last long.
A Balancing Act -• The Han dynasty balanced Legalism with
Confucianism and lasted much longer. Han
dynasty lasted four hundred years.
Buddhism in China
• Buddhism was brought to China by
missionaries from India.
• Buddhism also taught compassion and
charity, values overlooked in other
philosophies.
• Buddhist teachings did not attempt to
correct political or social disorder. They just
brought comfort during a turbulent time.
The Fall of the Han –
• The later years of the Han dynasty were full of
violence and destruction so the Chinese found
security in the Buddhist teachings.
The Rise of Buddhism-• Buddha’s teachings gained support because
they provided comfort during the unrest at
the end of the Han dynasty.
In summary-• Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism
provided moral and ethical guides to right
living.
• Legalism provided a strong foundation for
Chinese government.
Review
What religion became popular
during turbulent times?
Buddhism
Which philosopher sought to end
political chaos?
• Confucius
Name for the two-sidedness of
nature-• Dualism
Belief that the way to harmony is
an understanding of nature-• Daoism
What was “Legalism”?
• Legalism was the belief that people were by
nature selfish and untrustworthy and needed
harsh laws to control them.
What were the Analects?
• The Analects were the writings of Confucius.
What is the name for the dark,
passive force?
• Yin is the dark, passive force.
What is “yang”?
• Yang is the name given to the bright, active
force.
What are the three tenets of
Confucianism?
• Importance of family
• Respect for elders
• Reverence for the past
Who was Laozi?
• Laozi founded Daoism.
What was the most important social
structure in ancient China?
• The family
What was used to predict
earthquakes?
• The seismograph
What healing process did the Chinese
invent?
• Acupuncture
What did the Chinese invent to tell
time?
Sundial
Chinese Life and Culture
The family, farming, and educational
pursuits for government officials
marked daily life in China.
Objectives
• To identify major characteristics and
contributions of Ancient China
• To compare social practices of ancient
civilizations to those of today
Important Points of the Section
• The family, not the individual, was the important
factor in Chinese society.
• Families were patriarchal (Dad ruled!!).
• Women had fewer rights than men and could not
own property.
• Chinese society taught great respect for mothers and
mothers-in-law, but a woman without children was
not held in high esteem.
The Economy
• Most Chinese were small farmers.
• Trade and commerce grew quickly during the
Qin dynasty.
• The Qin standardized currency and the system
of weights and measures.
“Small Farmer”
Trade also increased during the Han dynasty as the
Silk Road connected China with the
Mediterranean.
Arts and Sciences
• Chinese relied on five texts to train scholars
and civil servants.
• The five texts became known as the Five
Classics.
• The Five Classics came into use during the
Zhou dynasty.
The Five Classics
• The Book of History—contains speeches and
documents about government.
• The Book of Changes—the art of predicting the
future.
• The Spring and Autumn Annals--record of events
in the city-state of Lu
• The Book of Rites--deals with manners and
ceremonies
• The Book of Poetry--contains more than 300
songs about life, love, and politics
These five books along with the
Analects became the basis for
education in China.
Science and Technology
• 1. In 28 B.C. Chinese astronomers first observed sunspots.
• 2. Chinese built the first seismograph.
• 3. Chinese invented paper (made from old fishing nets,
hemp, old rags, and tree bark)
-By the A.D. 700s it had spread throughout Central
Asia and the Middle East where it replaced papyrus.
4. Made discoveries in chemistry: dyes for cloth and
glazing for pottery
5. Developed acupuncture
6. Also invented the sundial, water clock, and the process
of printing
The seismograph
was used to
record
earthquakes.
Small metal balls
would fall from
the dragons’
mouths into the
mouths of the
frogs.
Dark spots,
some as large as
50,000
miles in
diameter move
across the
surface
of the sun.
Sunspots
Chinese Water Clock
• The Su Sung clock tower,
over 30 feet tall,
possessed a bronze
power-driven armillarysphere for observations,
an automatically rotating
celestial globe, and five
front panels with doors
that permitted the
viewing of changing
manikins which rang bells
or gongs, and held tablets
indicating the hour or
other special times of the
day. Wikipedia