BackgroundRivers were important to the development
ofChinaLandforms and climate also influenced thecultureThere were
many differences in climatethroughout ChinaMonsoons bring rains
from the South ChinaSea towards the southern half of China The rain
does not reach the northern, cooler part of China The climate there
is very dry, people depended on Rivers
Background What is the Middle Kingdom? Geographic barriers like
mountains and seas cut China off from other lands They had no
knowledge of other cultures like Greece, Rome, India, or Egypt They
thought that they were at the center of the world and called
themselves the Middle Kingdom
Chinas Geography The development of civilization in early China
was aided by features like long rivers, fertile soils, temperate
climates, and isolated valleys. Rivers, Soils, Climates Loess
Chinas first civilizations Annual floods deposited rich developed
in river valleys soil, loess, on flood plains Two major rivers
supplied Valley of Huang He particularly water for earliest
civilizations fertile due to loess Chang Jiang, also called Fine
dusty soil Yangzi Carried into China by desert Huang He, or Yellow
River winds Both flow east from Plateau of Tibet to Yellow Sea
Chinas GeographyBeginnings of Civilization Xia Archaeological
Legend says earliest discoveries suggest Chinese ruled by Xia
Chinese civilization began dynasty in Huang He valley No written,
archaeological evidence Xia dynasty People started growing existed
crops there 9,000 years ago Most historians date beginning of
Chinese civilization to rise of Shang dynasty
Crops Most of eastern China covered with fertile soils; some
regions better suited than others for growing certain crops
Southern Chinawarm, receives plenty of rainfall, excellent region
for growing rice Further northclimate cooler, drier; suitable for
grains, wheat, milletIsolation Combination of rivers for
irrigation, fertile soil for planting allowed Chinese to thrive, as
did Chinas relative isolation Mountains, hills, desert protected
China from invasion Himalaya Mountains separate southern China from
India, rest of southern Asia; vast Gobi Desert prevented reaching
China from west
Background Early civilizations developed near rivers China had
a few rivers that provided resources to be successful Chang Jiang
River (longest river) Huang He River Yangzi River Chinas rivers
overflowed just like others we have studied Provides fertile soil
for farming The Huang He River is also known as the Yellow River
because of the Loess Loess is yellow-brown soil that the Yellow
River carries along
Background What is Chinas Sorrow? The river was unpredictable
and dangerous and often killed The river also brought life through
fertile soil Destructive floods would come without warning To
control the flooding the people built dikes or walls that hold back
water
Summarize What geographic features influenced life in early
China?Answer(s): Rivers deposited rich soil for farming;mountains,
hills, and desert isolated the area.
New Philosophies The conflicts of the late Zhou period led many
Chinese thinkers to question the nature of society and peoples
roles in it.Effort to make sense of chaos Of many philosophies
createdled to creation of many new during late Zhou period,
twoChinese philosophies, or ways became influential in laterof
looking at the world Chinese history: Confucianism Daoism
ConfucianismConfucius Confucianism based on teachings of
scholar named Kongfuzi, better known as Confucius, who thought
people should treat one another humanely Should express love,
respect for others, honor ones ancestorsLove and Respect Believed
that love, respect had disappeared and was responsible for violence
in society; restoring respect for tradition would make society
stable Thoughts on how to improve society collected in book,
AnalectsAnalects Ruler should treat subjects fairly; subjects
reward ruler with respect, loyalty People should respect members of
family, devote selves to public service Confucian ideas spread
elsewhere in Asia, including Korea, Japan, Vietnam
Confucianism Kung Fu Tze Born in 551 BC Lived during Zhou/Chou
dynasty Time of lax morality Wandered through many states, advising
rulers Writing Dealt with individual morality Political power of
rulers Social ethics Afterlife Similar to Buddhist or Taoist
Confucianism The Five Relationships ruler and people parent and
child older brother and younger brother husband and wife between
friend and friend
Confucianism Parts of teaching Li: includes ritual, propriety,
etiquette, etc Hsiao: love within the family love of parents for
their children Love of children for their parents Yi: righteousness
Xin: honesty and trustworthiness Jen: benevolence, humaneness
towards others; the highest Confucian virtue Chung: loyalty to the
state Important texts the Si Shu Lun Yu: the analects of Confucius
Chung Yung: doctrine of the mean Ta Hsuech: the greatest learning
Meng Tzu: analects of philosopher Meng Tzu
Daoism Definition Yin and Yang Unlike Confucianism, which
Daoism embraced Chinese focuses on improving concept of yin and
society, Daoism encourages people yang, representing balancing to
retreat from laws of society, yield aspect of naturemale, female;
to law of nature dark, light; hot, cold Heart of Daoism is concept
of the Neither can exist without other dao, or the way Important
for two to remain Dao is the limitless force that is part balanced
for perfect harmony of all creation Origins of Daoist teachings
Through the dao, all things in attributed to philosopher named
nature connected Laozi Finding ones place in nature Wrote book
called Dao De Jing allows person to achieve harmony Laozi
worshipped by some as a with universe god
Taoism Loa Tsu (Lao Tzu, Laozi, Loatze) Lived approx. 604-531
BC Lived in a feudal society with lots of warfare Wrote book:
Tao-te-Chine (the way of virtue) Tao (Dao) The path or the way
(undefinable) Way to avoid conflict (esp feudal conflict) Power
which surrounds and flows through all things
Taoism Balance between 2 extremes no love with out hate no
peace without war no male without female no light without dark
Believers goal: be one with the Tao Gods are manifestations of the
Tao Time is cyclical, not linear Yin & Yang Yin formed breath
of earth Yang formed the breath of heaven Pair of opposites seen
through out the universe Intervention of human civilization has
upset balance
Taoism Chi (air, breath) Life force that has been entrusted to
each person Developing ones virtues nurtures the Chi Being nice to
another means they will reciprocate the kindness Believe people are
compassionate by nature Feng Shui (wind & water) Consult
Chinese calendar for birth sign Use I-Ching (book of changes)
Creates balance between ying/yang, 5 elements and environment Seeks
to maximize balance of Chi Simple balance no clutter Sharp angles
bad cut the Chi
Some Lasting EffectsDaoism eventually proved less influential
than Confucianism in Chinese history Still played major role in
later dynasties Idea of balance key concept in China for centuries
as result of Daoist teaching Daoist philosophy led many followers
to work for preservation, protection of natural environment
Buddhism Gautama Siddhartha (63-483 BC) Born a prince, raised
in luxury Took 3 trips outside the palace Saw old, sick, and dead
Becomes an ascetic (abandons worldly pleasures) Search for
enlightenment Medidates under Bodhi tree God Mara (death and
desire) tries to prevent Finds the middle way between deprivation
and gratification 4 noble truths and 8 fold path
Buddhism 4 noble truths 1 all life is characterized by
suffering 2 suffering is caused by desire/craving 3 suffering can
be stopped if you stop desire/craving 4 stop desire/craving w/8fold
path 8 fold path Right: views intentions Speech livelihood Effort
Conduct concentration mindfulness
Buddhism Important concepts Karma: for every action there is a
moral reaction Dharma: fulfilling your social role avoids bad karma
Samsara: cycle of death and rebirth Nirvana: enlightenment breaking
out of samsara Bodhisattvas: people who have achieved
enlightenment, stay on earth to help others Buddha Not a god, a man
(role model) Koans illogical riddles used to gain insight
Legalism Han Feizi, Shangzi Founders, lived 340-230BC Han Feizi
student who taught Confucianism Wrote main text of legalism Shangzi
traced the cause of chaos to growing population Strong government
is a solution Philosophy The law is the supreme authority Humans
are inherently evil education cannot make them better Only
punishment and reward will get people to act correctly
Legalism Elements of legalism Fa: the law; should be made
public and rule the state (not the whims of rulers) Shi: legitimacy
of rule; the power comes from the position, not the person Shu:
methods; laws should be strict, there is no place for benevolence,
people need a strong hand to rule them Conflicts with other
philosophies Dislikes Confucianism way of praising the past
Believes that people should be working rather than philosophizing
Persecuted all followers of Confucianism even the prince Banned and
burned Confucian texts
Legalism Parts of legalism Everyone has the same laws
regardless of origin Land was privatized and feudalism was done
away with If you refuse to denounce a criminal, you would be cut in
half at the waist; if you identified a criminal you got a reward
Families would share the reward or punishment of an individual Only
the farmers and food producers would be free everyone should be
slaves
Contrast What is one difference between Confucianism and
Daoism?Answer(s): Daoismretreat from society andcommune with
nature; Confucianismimprovesociety
Comparing Philosophies1. A student knows that they are failing
a class. Students from each of these doctrines know they will be in
trouble when their parents find out. How do they handle this
situation?)2. A students friends smoke and are trying to get them
to start. How do they handle this situation?3. A student has just
found $20 in the hall. What should they do?4. A students parents
have just spent a lot of money on a new outfit. The student has
been playing around and has gotten ink all over it. What should
they tell their parents, or should they?5. A student really likes a
new student in school, but all the other students are making fun of
the new students clothes. How should the first student act?6. A
student knows that an older brother or sister is cheating on tests.
How should the student act?7. A student sees an opportunity to take
something they have really wanted, without being caught. How should
that student act?
The Shang DynastyAccording to ancient Chinese records, the
Shang dynasty formedaround 1766 BC, although many archaeologists
believe it actuallybegan somewhat later than that. Government and
Order Agricultural Society Society China ruled by Kings governors
Shang China strong monarchy ruled distant parts largely
agricultural At capital of kingdom Most tended crops city, Anyang,
kings King also had large in fields surrounded by army at disposal
Farmers called on court Prevented to fight in Rituals performed
rebellions, fought army, work on to strengthen outside opponents
building projects kingdom, keep safe tombs, palaces, wal ls
Shang Elite Leisure Artifacts Ruling elite had free time to
Much of what is known comes pursue leisure activities, hunting from
studying royal tombs for sport Contained valuable items made
Wealthy enjoyed collecting of bronze, jade expensive bronze, jade
objects Afterlife Ancestor Worship Tombs held remains of Shang
offered gifts to deceased sacrificed prisoners of war ancestors to
keep them happy in afterlife Believed in afterlife where ruler
would need riches, servants Steam from ritual meals nourished
ancestors spirits
Oracle BonesAs part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for
advice Sought 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
bones surface Specially trained priests interpreted meaning of
cracks to learn answer
Shang Achievements and DeclineWriting Development of Chinese
writing closely tied to use of oracle bones Earliest examples of
Chinese writing, questions written on bones themselves Early Shang
texts used picture symbols to represent objects, ideasBronze 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, first
money systemsEnd of Dynasty Shang ruled for more than 600 years,
until about 1100 BC Ruling Chinas growing population proved too
much for Shang Armies from nearby tribe, Zhou, invaded, established
new ruling dynasty
Summarize How did religion influence other aspects of Shang
culture?Answer(s): ritual meals for ancestors; oraclebones
connected to early writing; bronze work forrituals; built stable
tombs
The Zhou DynastyBeginning around 1100 BC, the Zhou rules China
for several centuries.The Zhou dynasty is divided into two periods.
During the WesternZhou, kings ruled from Xian in a peaceful period.
Later conflict arose,kings moved east to Luoyang, beginning the
Eastern Zhou period. Government Dynastic Cycle When Zhou conquered
Zhou said Shang overthrown Shang, leaders worried Chinese because
they lost gods favor people would not accept them Later rulers used
Mandate of Introduced idea they ruled by Heaven to explain dynastic
Mandate of Heaven cycle, rise and fall of dynasties in Gods would
support just ruler, not China allow anyone corrupt to hold power If
dynasty lost power, it obviously had become corruptIn that case,
they said, it was the will of the gods that that dynasty
beoverthrown and a new one take power.
Zhou Achievements Before Zhou, Chinese metalwork done almost
exclusively in bronze Zhou learned to use iron, 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 Chinas first cavalry Growth Decline of the
Zhou Population grew under Zhou Conflict arose during latter part
of Farmers learned new Zhou dynasty techniques, increased size of
Clan leaders within China rose up harvest, created food surpluses;
against king cities also grew As time passed, more and more Roads,
canals allowed better local leaders turned against Zhou,
transportation, communication further weakening rule Introduced
coins, use of chopsticks
Small States FightResult of rebellions was Warring States
Period 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, new dynasty, arose to bring end to
Warring States Period, Zhou dynasty
Analyze How did China change under the Zhou?Answer(s): iron
technology, population grew, newfarm techniques, more food, cities
grew, roadsand canals built, coins and chopsticks introduced
Silk Culture Legendary Beginnings Lady His-Ling-Shih (wife of
Yellow Emperor) began raising silk worms and invented the loom
(believed to have reigned approx. 3000 BC) Excavated silkworm
cocoon dated between 2600 to 2300BC Other evidence suggests silk
cultivation began much earlier
Silk Culture The worm Many varieties throughout the world
Chinese species is blind, flightless Lays 500 eggs in 4-6 days 100
eggs weigh less than 1 gram Silk worm has a smoother, finer
filament than other species
Silk Culture Secrets of Cultivation (sericulture) Need to be
carefully changed from 65 to 77 degrees to hatch Baby worms are
feed night and day until they are plump Roomful of worms have to be
kept at a constant temperature sounds like heavy rain falling in
the roof Have to be kept warm when cocooning and isolated from
noises and smells Produce white fluffy looking cocoons After 8 days
in a warm place, worms are steamed/baked to kill the worms
Silk Culture Cultivation Entire process of feeding to weaving
takes 6 months Dip puff balls in water to loosen filaments Unwind
filaments onto a spool One cocoon is between 600-700 meters long
5-8 filaments are twisted together to make thread Considered part
of household duties for women
Silk Culture Product Clothes are light weight Warm in winter
Cool in summer Silk Privilege First reserved only for emperor and
family Wore robe of white inside palace, yellow outside (color of
the earth) Other classes began wearing silk Silk developed as an
industrial product Instruments, fishing lines, bowstrings,
paper
Silk Culture Tribute paid in rice and silk Currency items were
priced in lengths of silk Lost monopoly in 200 AD when Chinese
immigrants began to move to Korea West gained sericulture in 550AD
when two monks appeared in Justinians court with eggs in hollowed
staffs Silk Road Precious commodity to foreigners Traders traveled
the silk road overland for months at a time to get silk Important
artifacts found along the Silk Road
Rice Culture History Chinese have been cultivating rice for
thousands of years Strong dependence and work put into rice added
to strong rural essence Chinese culture can be called rice culture
Hunters and gathers left seeds in low-laying areas and developed
system of rice farming Originated in Yellow (Huang He) and Hanshui
basins Large areas of land viable for rice planting
Rice Culture Evidence of rice farming as long as 3 to 4
thousand years Widely accepted by Zhou dynasty (1100- 771BC) By Han
dynasty, rice was a staple (260BC- 220AD) Developments Complicated
irrigation techniques were required for farming Year round
ploughing spring, weeding in summer, harvesting in autumn, hoarding
in spring Used to brew wine and offer as sacrifices to gods and
ancestors
Rice Culture Central part of Spring Festival lunar new year Gao
specialty rice used for celebrations Rice dumplings made on 15th
night of the 1st lunar month for luck Throw rice in river 5th day
of 5th month to prevent fish from eating the body of legendary
leader Qu Yuan (Chu official) 9th day of 9th month eat double 9
festival cakes 8th day of 12th month people eat porridge with rice,
beans, nuts, and dried fruit Believed that Sakyamuni achieved
Buddha-hood on this day
The Yangtze River, called Chang Jiang in Chinese, is thelongest
river in China and becomes well-known by itsThree Gorges
scenery.
PapermakingChinese legend tells that the new invention of paper
waspresented to the Emperor in the year 105 AD by Cai
Lun.Archeological evidence, however, shows that paper was in usetwo
hundred years before then. Either way, the Chinesewere
significantly ahead of the rest of the world. The craftof
papermaking relied upon an abundance of bamboo fiber toproduce a
fine quality paper. In China the papermaker usesonly the
traditional materials and methods to produce fineart paper.
GunpowderImagine their enemys surprise when the Chinese
firstdemonstrated their newest invention in the eighth centuryAD.
Chinese scientists discovered that an explosive mixturecould be
produced by combining sulfur, charcoal, andsaltpeter (potassium
nitrate). The military applications wereclear. New weapons were
rapidly developed, including rocketsand others that were launched
from a bamboo tube. Onceagain, the raw materials at hand, like
bamboo, contributedideas for new technologies.
AbacusThe abacus is a calculator for adding,
subtracting,dividing and multiplying. Tests have shown that,
foroperations of addition and subtraction, the abacus isstill
faster than the electronic calculator.
SilkChina is the first country in the world thatdiscovered the
use of silk. Silkworms weredomesticated as early as 5000 years ago.
Theproduction of silk thread and fabrics gave rise tothe art of
embroidery. Historical documentsrecord the use of embroidery in
China as early as2255 B.C. Archaeological finds, however, place
thebeginnings of embroidery at some point during theShang
dynasty(1766B.C.-1122 B.C.)
WheelbarrowThe wheelbarrow was invented by the Chinese.The
Chinese wheelbarrow had a single wheel in themiddle of the
wheelbarrow. Farmers used thewheelbarrow to take a load of produce
to themarket place. Builders used the wheelbarrow tocarry heavy
building supplies. Soldiers used thewheelbarrow to remove injured
or dead peoplefrom the battlefield.
The Terra Cotta ArmyMore than 35 years ago, in 1974, Chinese
farmers weredigging a well in central China when they discovered
animportant archaeological site. They discovered fragmentsfrom the
burial grounds of a Chinese emperor, ShiHuangdi (Shee-hwang-dee).
His name is also spelledShihuangdi.
Qin was the name of the part of Chinahe ruled. He had his army
of morethan one million soldiers conquer theentire country in 221
B.C. He unitedall the little kingdoms he conqueredand became an
emperor. An emperor isthe supreme ruler of an empire. Like most
Chinese, he believed in taking the real world with him when he
died. He wanted his tomb to be spectacular, and he certainly would
need an army to protect him when he died. Therefore, he ordered a
terra cotta (clay) army be built. He ordered that the terra cotta
soldiers be set up in formation with their backs to him. The terra
cotta soldiers and horses would stand guard in order to protect him
from attack.
As many as 700,000 people worked formore than thirty years to
make the 7,000- 8,000 soldiers, horses and chariots.When they were
first made more than2,000 years ago, the soldiers were
brightlypainted and held real weapons. While moldswere used to make
the bodies, no twosoldiers were alike. They had differenthair
styles, shoes, expressions anduniforms.Over the years, the paint
has faded, and vandals havetaken the weapons. Most of the bodies
are smashedbecause the wooden ceiling that was above them fell,
andterra cotta breaks easily. Therefore, most of thesoldiers are in
bits and pieces. Archaeologists carefullysift through the dirt inch
by inch to find the tiniestparts.
Farming,Life Most of the people of ancient China were
peasantfarmers who grew crops on small plots of land. Everymember
of the family helped grow and harvest thecrops. Farmers supplied
food to the army and to people in thecity. Farmers in the north
grew wheat, millet, and barley toeat. Farmers in the south grew
rice to eat. Farmers may have kept pigs and chickens, but dairycows
were not kept due to a lack of pasture land. Oxen and water buffalo
were used to pull carts andplows.
Farming, Life Villagers dug ditches and canals to water the
fields. Many farmers used simple wooden or stone tools even after
bronzeand iron weapons were invented. The lives of peasant farmers
consisted of many long, back-breaking hours tending to crops.
Peasant farmers also had to serve in the army and help
withgovernment projects such as building walls and canals. Poor
people spent most of their time growing and preparing food,or doing
heavy work such as digging and carrying large loads. Farmers use a
method known as terracing which is cutting flatplains into
hillsides. They would farm on the flat plains. The flatplains
looked like shelves coming out of the side of a hill. Cuttingflat
plains into the hillside would also slow erosion in a hilly
area.
Food Poor people ate simple meals. Their main foods were rice,
grains,millet, vegetables, and beans. If they ate meat, it was
usuallychicken or wild bird. Once in a while, they ate fish.
Wealthy people ate pork, lamb, venison, duck, goose, pigeon.
Forspecial occasions they might eat snakes, dogs, snails, sparrows,
orbear claws. Both rich and poor people used spices, salt, sugar,
honey, and soysauce to add flavor to the food. Vegetables and
fruits were always included in a wealthy personsdiet. To save fuel,
food was chopped into small pieces and cooked quicklyin an iron
frying pan, or wok, for a few minutes only.Steaming was also a
common cooking method with the rich and poor.People usually drank
tea.Water was usually boiled before drinking it.
Clothing Clothing was a mark of class in ancient China. The
type of fabric,the color and decorations on the fabric, jewelry,
headgear andfootwear all told something about the wearers position
in society.High-ranking people dressed in the finest silk in
public. Peasants wore a long, shirt-like garment, made of undyed
hempfiber. Hemp is a rough fabric woven from plant fibers. The type
of jewelry worn showed the position of that person insociety. A man
almost always wore a hat in public. The hat showed thewearers
occupation and status in society.
Clothing Womens long hair was arranged in topknots and held in
place by hairpins and other ornaments. Wealthy women wore elaborate
make-up. People wore thick padded clothing in winter. From the Sui
dynasty onward, only the emperor was allowed to wear yellow.
Ordinary people had to dress in blue and black. White was for
mourning, and children could not wear white while their parents
were alive.
Homes Farmers usually made their homes from mud bricks with
reed or tileroofs. The bottom floor was often built below ground to
help keepthe family warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Some Chinese built their house with timber or bamboo poles. Atimber
frame held up the roof. The outer walls were sometimesmade of
brick. The Chinese preferred wood to stone for buildingbecause it
looked more natural and it was less likely to injure peopleif the
house collapsed during an earthquake. Poor people often cooked
outside in the open air. Wealth people hada kitchen indoors on the
bottom floor. Servants would also live onthe bottom floor. Charcoal
or coal was burned in the fireplace to keep the housewarm. A
traditional home was divided into different sections
bycourtyards.
Beliefs and Customs Families in China usually included many
generations living together- often under the same roof. The oldest
male was usually in chargeof everyone in the house. There was
little individualism in Chinese families. Decisions weremade that
benefited the entire family and family honor and familyachievements
were more important than individual needs orachievements. Age
demanded respect. The old were considered wise and weretreated with
honor.Children were taught to respect and obey their elders.
Children were taught that they must care for their mothers
andfathers in sickness and old age. Boys learned their familys
trade, and girls learned to manage ahousehold.
Social Class The emperor was at the top of the social system.
Ancient China was divided into four main classes. Scholars were
respected above everyone else because they could read and write.
Peasants were the next most important because the country depended
on them to produce food. Artisans (people who worked with their
hands) were next because they used their skills to make things that
everyone needed, such as weapons, tools, and cooking utensils. The
lowest class were merchants because they made nothing. All they did
was trade goods. Soldiers who made a career of being in the army
were nothighly regarded and did not belong to a class of their
own.
Chinese ZodiacThe Chinese Zodiac is a twelve-year cycle. It
started fromBuddhism. According to the story, Buddha called all
theanimals of China to his bedside, but only twelve animals
came.Because he wanted to honor the animals for their devotion,he
created a year for each animal. The twelve animals thatappeared
were the rat, ox, tiger, hare (rabbit), dragon,snake, horse, sheep,
monkey, rooster, dog, and the pig.Each animal has its own special
characteristics. Many peoplebelieve that these characteristics
affect events that happenduring the year. In addition, some people
believe that peopleborn in a certain year will have qualities of
that yearsanimal.
CompassBy the third century AD, Chinese scientists had
studiedand learned much about magnetism in nature. Forexample, they
knew that iron ore, called magnetite,tended to align itself in a
North/South position.Scientists learned to "make magnets" by
heating piecesof ore to red hot temperatures and then cooling
thepieces in a North/South position. The magnet was thenplaced on a
piece of reed and floated in a bowl of watermarked with directional
bearings. These firstnavigational compasses were widely used on
Chineseships by the eleventh century AD.