Ancient China Chapter 4

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Ancient ChinaChapter 4

• World History/Geography
• Mr. Holguin

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Geography

• Two great rivers flow through China, The Huang
  and the Yangtze.
• Historically, China was made up of several
  regions surrounding the heart of China, China
  Proper.

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River systems

• The Yellow River has fertile yellow soil called
  Loess.
• China is so massive and isolated that contact
  with foreigners was infrequent.

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Shang Dynasty 1750-1500 BC

• The Shangs developed a bureaucracy to govern
  their lands.
• Their religion practiced animism and used oracle
  bones to answer questions and predict future
  events.
• The Zhou people surrounded the Shang and took
  over the region.

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The Zhou 1050 BC 256 BC

• The Zhou granted territories to members of the
  royal family to govern.
• They believed that a Mandate of Heaven should
  determine the true ruler of China.
• Over time, local rulers gained more power and the
  Zhou lost their influence in China.

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The Qin 221 BC- 206 BC

• The ruler Cheng called himself the first emperor
  of China.
• He established an autocracy to rule over his
  massive lands.
• He is known for beginning the Great Wall of
  China.

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The Great Wall of China
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The Han Dynasty

• They kept power by creating an efficient civil
  service system.
• Liu Che used economic policies like leveling to
  help farmers.
• The famous Silk Road became increasingly
  important.

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Chinese Philosophy

• Nature had two sides that maintained their
  identity but were in perfect harmony.
• Yin- female, dark, passive
• Yang- Male, bright, active

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Confucius 551 BC 479 BC

• His collected thoughts are called the Analects.
• He valued family, respecting elders, and honoring
  the past and ancestry.
• He focused on politics and not spirituality.

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Confucius says

• Every person should willingly accept their role
  in life.
• Government leaders should rule with virtue and
  morality.

• Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig
  two graves.
• I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do
  and I understand.
• -Confucius

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Daoism The Way

• Founded by Laozi, it preached that people should
  withdraw from civilization and emphasize nature.
• People should not seek power and should try to
  become one with the Dao.

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May the Dao be with you
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Legalism

• People were selfish and untrustworthy so they
  must be ruled with strict force.
• If people break laws, they must be punished
  severely to keep order.

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Buddhism

• Mahayana Buddhism was also prevalent in China.
• Many rulers mixed several philosophies to rule
  their kingdoms in China.

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Chinese Culture

• The family is more important than the individual.
• Women had very few rights to property, but taught
  great respect for mothers and mothers in-law.

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Arts and Science

• The Five Classics were texts used to train
  scholars.
• Poems, history, changes, spring and autumn, and
  rites.

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Science

• Chinese astronomers were first to see sunspots.
• Scientists invented a seismograph to measure
  earthquakes.
• Scholars developed acupuncture to regulate a life
  force in a human body.

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Famous Chinese in American Culture
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