C H I N A Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

Geography Surrounded by natural barriers on all cardinal directions North: Gobi Desert East: Pacific Ocean South: Himalaya Mountains West: Taklaman Desert and Plateau of Tibet

GOBI DESERT TAKLIMAKAN DESERT PACIFIC OCEAN HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS

Geography Fertile plain found between 2 major rivers 1. Huang He (Yellow River) Floods left behind LOESS: yellow silt 2. Yangtze River Flooded unpredictably

Huang He (Yellow River)

Huang He (Yellow River)

Yangtze River

Yangtze River

China’s earliest civilization began along its rivers! Each spring, rivers overflowed, depositing rich soil by the river valleys- Civilization began on the Huang (Yellow) River and spread south to the Chang, (Yangtze) the longest river Sea level along the coasts, but the further west you travel, the higher the elevation and the harder it is to farm!

Uniqueness of Ancient China Like other civilizations, China under the Shang and Zhou was a patriarchy based on agriculture and characterized by large cities, specialized labor, advanced political coordination, complex writing system and massive public buildings They differed from other civilizations in this way…

Uniqueness Supreme importance of family Emphasis on this world Veneration of ancestors Emphasis on this world No priestly caste, no emphasis on agricultural gods. Main connection to spiritual world were influence of dead ancestors and emperor’s status as “Son of Heaven” Emphasis on learning and literacy Maybe because writing on oracle bones was a primary way to communicate with ancestors, literacy was highly valued

Political Ruled by dynasties As Mesopotamia, Egypt and Indus were declining, Shang Dynasty in China was rising to power Zhou Dynasty Mandate of Heaven: Justification through right of God. Duty to replace bad leaders Dynastic Cycle: Pattern of the rise and fall of dynasties Feudalism: nobles have permission from Kings to own and work king’s land

Zhou Dynasty Lived in the Wei Valley (West of the Shang) and conquered them in 1122 BC Used Mandate of heaven to justify removal of Shang Dynasty King Wu, first ruler

Economic Because of China’s isolation by natural barriers, early settlers had to supply their own goods within China Not much trade outside of China

Religious Family and Religion are closely linked Prayed to ancestors because they thought their ancestors could bring them luck or disaster Consulted the gods through ancestors Shang Di – Supreme God

Philosophy The Three Chinese Philosophies are Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism Each developed during the Zhou dynasty from 1045 to 256 B.C.E.

Confucianism 5 basic relationships: Analects

Daoism This is the second major philosophy that was taught from Laozi:The Dao De Jing  Daoism taught that gaining happiness and peace came from living in harmony, or agreement with nature.

Legalism Hanfeizi was a royal prince of a family in the state of Han who lived on to see the end of the Warring States period and the end of the Zhou dynasty. But he didn't believe that peace and order in a society was the right thing, instead he believed that Legalism was based on people being naturally selfish.

People in China should not be relied on to have a good behavior and rulers should give strict laws. Rulers would give people rewards for good behavior and punishments for people with bad behavior. The rulers must have complete control, be backed up by the army, and they could not trust anyone.

Social Characteristics By the time of Zhou, China had three main groups The Elite Peasants, free artisans and craftsmen Merchants and traders had low status because of the Confucian emphasis on learning and political service Unskilled workers and slaves

Family/ Extended Family Family was the center of early Chinese society: a.) Considered more important than the individual or nation. b.)A person’s first responsibility was to the family. c.) It was the source of each person’s well-being. Chinese households might contain 5 generations living together at one time. (Uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, sisters, brothers, etc.)=EXTENDED FAMILY

He was the center of authority in the family: Oldest Chinese Male He was the center of authority in the family: Had the most privileges and the most power in the family. Would decide who his children and grandchildren would marry. Punished disrespectful children. If oldest male died, his lands were divided among the sons who would start their own household.

Chinese Women Considered to be of lower status than men Bound to three obediences… 1.) to obey their fathers in youth 2.) to obey their husbands in marriage 3.)to obey their sons in widowhood (if their husband dies) Four virtues guided women’s behavior… Women lost status as civilization progressed…rituals moved to venerated men. Shang did away with matrilineal descent 1.) morality 2.) modesty 3.) proper speech 4.) domestic skills

Family Names In Chinese society, the family name comes first... Ex.) George Washington would be Washington George in China) What would your name be if you lived in China?

Intellectual Shang Dynasty was the first to leave written records Oracle Bones: animal bone or tortoise shells where priests scratched questions for gods then applied heat until it cracked. Then they priests interpreted the cracks

Intellectual No connection between written and spoken Chinese Advantage: Someone can read Chinese without knowing how to speak it

LOVE HAPPY

Achievements Oldest Shang city – Anyang built in the woods mainly from wood Had massive earth walls for protection Found a wall 118 feet thick and 1.2 square miles

Achievements Introduced the chariot – a major tool of war Skilled in bronze work, silk and weapons

Losing the “Mandate of Heaven” The last Shang king committed suicide when he was defeated by the Zhou people; it was believed that the Shang had lost the Mandate of Heaven and the Zhou had gained it!

Achievements During the Zhou Dynasty they: Built roads and canals Developed blast furnaces that allowed them to produce cast iron