Ancient China HIST 101 History of World Civilization I University of Montevallo, Fall 2009 Adjunct Instructor Jill Cooley Lecture 5 September 16, 2009

Lecture 5: Outline Neolithic China –Agricultural areas –Development of villages Shang Dynasty –Chinese writing –Cities –Society –Spirituality Zhou Dynasty –Early Zhou period –Warring States period The Iron Age

Lecture 5: Key Terms Yellow River Yangzi River Shang dynasty Chinese writing Anyang Bronze working Serfs Feudal society Ancestor worship Divination Human sacrifice Zhou dynasty Mandate of Heaven Warring States Period Infantry and cavalry units Iron Age

Neolithic China 4000 BC settled around the Yellow River thus forming agricultural villages yielding grain cultivation Yangtze River along southern border yielded rice production Lush (sandy yellow soil) blown by winds thus the name of the Yellow River Domesticated pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep Villages however moved around once the soil was depleted on nutrients

Ancient China Dynasties: Shang Zhou Geographical Features: Yellow River Yangtze River

Shang Dynasty 1776 BC Developed system of writing, very complex, each word represented by a symbol; very much today’s Chinese writing Shang dynasty continued to move around in search of better soil City: Anyang Use of bronze, but was in limited supply Used stone tools in farming, mostly farmers (serfs) in this society Feudal society Vassals owned land in return gave loyalty to the king Warfare predominant Made human sacrifices to the gods to win favor, polytheistic however elevated one god more so than the others Divination practiced, used oracle bones to tell future Human sacrifices usually done for the death and burial of kings

Zhou Dynasty Continued and adopted many of the Shang Dynasty concepts Vassal State Created “Mandate of Heaven” and idea continues on after the dynasty falls Even more so a feudal system Expanded territory but became more decentralized Land ownership depended on kinship ties greatly Royal women had power behind the scenes, however average women had very little power Vassals became more powerful and independent thus leading to the fall of this dynasty representing decreasing power and authority of the king

Oracle bone Chinese writing

Lecture 5: Timeline Time PeriodPolitical DevelopmentImportant Points ca BCNeolithic ChinaAgricultural villages ca BCShang DynastyEarliest historical dynasty, ancestor worship, divination ca BCEarly Zhou DynastyMandate of Heaven; feudal society ca BCWarring States PeriodWarfare among several independent Chinese states ca. 600 BCChinese Iron AgeIron Age began in Asia Minor in 1200 BC

Iron Age Began in Asia Minor by society called the “Hittites” 1200 BC begin smelting Iron 1600 BC spreads throughout most of China Used in weapons and farming