Chapter 5: Early Society in East Asia

Geography of China

Satellite View of China

China’s Provinces

China—Asia’s Superpower

China vs. the U. S. in Size China United States

Comparing China & the U. S. United States Size 3.7 million square miles 3.6 million square miles Main physical barrier Himalayas Rockies Main River Yangtze / East - West Mississippi / North – South Population East Coast Connectivity problems North - South East - West

Pacific “Rim of Fire”

Bodies of Water Amur River Sea of Japan Yellow Sea Huang-He River Yangtze River Xi River Pacific Ocean South China Sea

China’s Climate Zones

Precipitation in China

Arable Land

“Brown” China vs. “Green” China Wheat Dominant Pasture and Oasis Rice Dominant Double-crop rice

China as % of World Population

The Population of China thousands

The Polluted Yellow River! VOCABULARY Loess

The Yellow River Huang He 2,920 Miles: Tibet to the Yellow Sea Deposits (loess) fertile, light colored soil No need for metal tools for generous harvests Periodic flooding: “China’s sorrow”

Prehistoric Society: Yangshao 5000-3000 BCE Middle region of the Yellow River valley Banpo Village Found in 1952 Painted pottery Bone tools Population increase necessitated organized authority

The Earliest Dynasties Xia C. 2200 BCE Legend -> Founded by Yu Organized through village network Hereditary monarchy Flood control Rise of cities, bureaucracy, & bronze weapons

Bronze Age Empires

Shang Dynasty - 1766-1122 BCE Bronze metallurgy State monopoly of copper & tin ores. Horse-drawn chariots, other wheeled vehicles Large armies – 3,000 – 13,000 strong Demand of agricultural tribute Political organization: network of fortified cities, loyal to center 1000 cities Capital moved six times Impressive architecture at Ao (33 x 66 wall), Yin Other regional kingdoms coexist: Sanxingdui

Shang Dynasty Burial Practices Hierarchical social structure Live burials alongside deceased member of ruling class Sacrificial victims, mostly slaves Wives, servants, friends, hunting companions Later replaced by statuary, often monumental

Shang Religion Animism – The belief that spirits inhabit everything. Ancestor Worship Shang Di – A god who controlled the forces of nature Oracle Bones

Oracle Bones

Oracle Bones and Early Chinese Writing Used for communicating with spirit world, determining future Question written on animal bones, turtle shells Then heated over fire, cracks examined for omens Early archaeological evidence of Chinese writing Evolution of Chinese script Pictograph to ideograph

Oracle Bone from Shang Dynasty

The Evolution of Chinese Writing During Pictographs Semantic-Phonetics

Zhou Literature The reflections of Confucius Book of Changes Manual for divination Book of History (Zhou propaganda) Book of Etiquette (Book of Rites) Book of Songs (…of Poetry or …of Odes) Little survived Often written on perishable bamboo strips Many destroyed by Emperor of Qin dynasty in 221 BCE

Ceremonial Dagger – 1028 BCE Axe Scepter – 1100 BCE - Jade Ceremonial Dagger – 1028 BCE

Shang Urn

Shang Bronzes

Ritual Wine Vessel – Bronze, 13c BCE

Western Zhou:1027-771 BCE

Zhou Dynasty, 1122-256 BCE No law codes: rule by decree “Mandate of Heaven” Aggregation of villages opposed to Shang leadership Decentralization of authority Lacked organization efficiency Development of cheap iron weaponry ends Shang monopoly on Bronze Early money economy

Zhou Coins - Bronze

“T’ian Ming” The Mandate of Heaven The leader must lead by ability and virtue. The dynasty's leadership must be justified by succeeding generations. The mandate could be revoked by negligence and abuse; the will of the people was important.

The Dynastic Cycle Start here A new dynasty comes to power. “Son of Heaven” The emperor reforms the govt. & makes it more efficient. Start here Emperor is defeated !! Lives of common people improved; taxes reduced; farming encouraged. The Dynastic Cycle Rebel bands find strong leader who unites them. Attack the emperor. Problems begin (extensive wars, invasions, etc.) Poor lose respect for govt. They join rebels & attack landlords. Taxes increase; men forced to work for army. Farming neglected. Droughts, floods, famines occur. Govt. increases spending; corruption.

Duke of Shao, quoted in The Chinese Heritage Heaven, unpitying, has sent down ruin on the Shang. The Shang has lost the Mandate, and we, the Zhou have received it. I dare not say that our fortune would continue to prosper, even though I believe that heaven favors those who are sincere in their intentions. I dare not say, either that it would end in certain disaster… The Mandate of Heaven is not easy to gain. It will be lost when men fail to live up to the reverent and illustrious virtues of our forefathers. Duke of Shao, quoted in The Chinese Heritage

Early Ideology Yin and Yang Yin: female, dark, weak, wet, passive Yang: male, bright, strong, dry, active Balance of opposites

Zhou Contributions Aristocrats Feudalism Iron Age Kings > Local Lords > Peasants Feudal Lords Gain Power Iron Age The First Bound Books Astronomers Study Planets & Eclipses

Silk Worms

Decline of the Zhou Dynasty Decentralized leadership style allows for building of regional powers Increasing local independence, refusal to pay Zhou taxes Iron metallurgy allows for widespread creation of weaponry Northern invaders weaken Zhou dynasty, beginning 8th c BCE Internal dissention: the Period of the Warring States (403-221 BCE)

China during the Period of the Warring States, 403-221 BCE

“Chung Kuo” (The “Middle Kingdom”)

Social Order Ruling classes great advantage Palatial compounds, luxurious lifestyle Supported by agricultural surplus, tax revenues Defended by monopoly on bronze weaponry Hereditary privilege Support class of artisans, craftsmen Evidence of long-distance trade, merchant class Large class of semi servile peasants Slave class (mostly POW’s)

Family and Patriarchy Devotion to family, ancestor veneration Family responsible for socialization of children and preservation of cultural traditions Connection of spirit world to physical world Ritual sacrifices Father ritual head of family rites (rather than priests) Earlier prominence of individual female leaders fades in later Shang, Zhou dynasties Genealogy

Nomadic Peoples of Central Asia Despite geographic boundaries, long distance trade exists while limited in scope Steppe nomads Poor lands for cultivation, extensive herding activities Horses domesticated c. 4000 BCE, bronze metallurgy in 2900 BCE Organized under charismatic warrior chiefs Extensive trade with sedentary cultures in China Tensions: frequent raiding Ethnocentrism/Xenophobia

The Yangtze River

Southern Expansion of Chinese Society Yangzi Valley Peaceful flooding Yangzi river: Chang Jiang, “long river” Excellent for rice cultivation Irrigation system developed The State of Chu Autonomous, challenged Zhou dynasty Culture heavily influenced by Chinese