Chapter 3 section 3 continued

Religious Beliefs Shangi Di and a mother goddess brought plants and animals to earth. believed Gods such as Shangi Di would not respond to pleas from mortals only spirits of the greatest mortals could speak to Shangi Di Kings and nobles would pray to their ancestors to pray to Shangi Di Ancestors became very important to Chinese religion (link to the gods)

Yin and Yang Chinese believed the universe reflected a delicate balance between two forces, Ying and Yang -Ying was linked to Earth, darkness, and female forces -Yang stood for heaven light and male forces **a well balanced universe depended on the Ying and Yang being in harmony, not competition**

System of Writing Used both pictographs and ideographs (signs that expressed thoughts or ideas) oldest examples of Chinese writing are found on oracle bones on animal bones or turtle shells, Shang priests wrote questions to the Gods or spirit of an ancestor. required a yes or no answer heated the bone or shell until it cracked, then studied the crack to determine the answer to their question.

Calligraphy fine handwriting turned into an elegant art form -Written language promoted unity (everyone throughout China could communicate)