1. Early Civilization in China (中国):
The Shang (尚) and Zhou (周) Dynasties (王朝)
World History (历史)

2. What’s special about Chinese history? Why should Americans care?
China – Longest “unbroken” history among world civilizations (at least 5,000 years)
The history for at least 1 in every 5 people (20%) in the world today (USA = 4.5%)
China likely to re-emerge with the world’s largest economy before 2025
China owned the world’s largest economy during 18 of the past 20 centuries (until the 1870s)

3. China’s Geography (中国地理 )
China’s first civilizations developed in river valleys (流域)
Two major rivers supplied water for earliest civilizations
1. Chang Jiang (长江 ), also called Yangzi
2. Huang He (黄河), or Yellow River

4. The Huang He/Yellow River (黄河)
Annual floods (洪水) deposited rich soil on flood plains (冲积平原)
Valley of Huang He particularly fertile due to loess (黄土), a fine dusty soil carried into China by desert winds
Also called the “River of Sorrows” (悲伤河)

5. Crops
Southern China (中国南部)—warm, receives plenty of rainfall, excellent region for growing rice (水稻)
Northern China (中国北方)—cooler and drier; suitable for grains, wheat (小麦), millet (粟)

6. Isolation (隔离) Relative isolation
Mountains (山), desert (沙漠), and jungle (林) protected China from invasion

7. What geographic features influenced life in early China?
Summarize
What geographic features influenced life in early China?
Why was China called the “middle kingdom”?
Answer: Rivers deposited rich soil for farming; mountains, hills, and desert isolated the area.

8. Government (政府) and Society (社会)
The Shang (尚) Dynasty
( BC)
China ruled by strong monarchy (国王)
Loyal clan (氏族) leaders acted as the king’s governors and ruled distant parts of kingdom
The king’s army prevented rebellions, fought outside opponents
Most people were peasant farmers (农民)
Government (政府) and Society (社会)

9. Ancestor (祖先)Worship
Shang offered gifts to deceased ancestors to keep them happy in afterlife
Steam from ritual meals nourished ancestors’ spirits
Believed the universe was balanced between yin (陰 - stood for Earth, darkness, and female forces) and yang (陽 - stood for Heaven, light, and male forces)

10. Oracle Bones (甲骨)
As part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for advice through use of oracle bones
Inscribed bits of animal bone, turtle shell
Living person asked question of ancestor
Hot piece of metal applied to oracle bone resulting in cracks on bone’s surface
Specially trained priests interpreted meaning of cracks to learn answer

11. Chinese Writing
Oracle bones were the earliest form of writing in China.
The characters eventually evolved into modern script.

12. Chinese Writing
Chinese has thousands of characters- compared to 26 letters in the English alphabet.
It takes knowledge of characters even to read a newspaper!

13. Tones in the Chinese Language
Every sound in Chinese can have four tones:
1st: flat
2nd: rising
3rd: scooping
4th: falling
The tone can change the meaning of a word:

14. Shang Achievement and Decline
Bronze (铜器)
Shang religion led to great advances in working with bronze
Highly decorative bronze vessels, objects created for religious rituals
Also built huge structures like tombs
Created calendar and money system
End of Dynasty
Armies from nearby tribe, Zhou, invaded, established new ruling dynasty

15. The Zhou (周)Dynasty (1027-256 BC)
When Zhou conquered Shang, leaders worried Chinese people would not accept them
Introduced idea they ruled by Mandate of Heaven (天命)
Gods would support a just ruler and not allow anyone corrupt to hold power
Government
Zhou said Shang overthrown because they lost gods’ favor
Later rulers used Mandate of Heaven to explain dynastic cycle, rise and fall of dynasties in China
If dynasty lost power, it obviously had become corrupt
Dynastic Cycle
In that case, they said, it was the will of the gods that that dynasty be overthrown and a new one take power.

17. Zhou Achievements
Zhou learned to use iron (鐵), became backbone of economy. Iron was strong, could be cast more cheaply, quickly than bronze. Iron weapons strengthened Zhou army, as did new weapons like catapult and creation of China’s first cavalry
The Chinese learned to make silk, which became China’s most valuable export.

18. Zhou Achievements cont.
The first books of China come from the Zhou period. They were written on strips of wood or bamboo. Example: Book of Songs, one of the first books.

19. Zhou Achievements, cont.
Growth
Population grew under Zhou
Farmers learned new techniques, increased size of harvest, created food surpluses; cities also grew
Roads, canals allowed better transportation, communication
Introduced coins, use of chopsticks

20. “Warring States Period” (戰國)
403 BC to 221 BC, number of small states fought each other for land, power
Zhou still nominally in charge, but power almost nonexistent by mid-200s BC
Qin (秦), new dynasty, arose to bring end to Warring States Period, Zhou dynasty

21. How did China change under the Zhou?
Analyze
How did China change under the Zhou?
Answer: iron technology, population grew, new farm techniques, more food, cities grew, roads and canals built, coins and chopsticks introduced