Chapter 4 Ancient Chinese Civilization

1. Chapter 4 � Ancient Chinese Civilization 1500 BC � AD 589

2. Section 1 � Geographic and Cultural Influences How does interaction with other societies influence the development of a society or culture? What might a society�s culture be like if the people had no contact with foreigners? China is a land of enormous size, great geographic variety, and wildly contrasting climate patterns.

3. Huang River: mighty river that has been central to Chinese civilization since earliest times. Huang River: fertile farming; �Yellow River�; �China�s Sorrow� Chang and Xi Rivers: commercial waterways Mountains, deserts, and vastness: isolating influence

4. Middle Kingdom: reference to an early Chinese belief that their country was at the center of the world. Why did the Chinese regard other peoples as inferior? Lack of contact with foreigners.

5. What was the purpose of the earthen walls around the Huang River? What was the result of building ever higher dikes along the Huang River? Did the dikes stop the Huang River from flooding? Chang River is the 3rd longest river (Amazon and Nile) Carries about 75% of China�s domestic waterborne commerce Irrigates more than 1/3 of nation�s agriculture

6. Section 2 � The Shang Dynasty What legends are you familiar with? Name some reasons why legends are important to many cultures: explain some events from the past without writing, history depends on stories passed from one generation to the next

7. The early Chinese placed great importance on explaining the distant past and on China�s role in history At some point between 1750 BC � 1500 BC invaders called the Shang swept into the Huang River valley The Shang created China�s first historic dynasty Created a complex bureaucracy � a government organized into different levels and tasks Shang economy was based mainly on agriculture

8. Silkworms: actually caterpillars Most common eat only leaves of mulberry trees Silk comes from the cocoons they live in during transition to moths Unwinding cocoons gives you silk thread Threads are then spun into cloth � 100 cocoons needed for a silk tie � 600 for a silk blouse � 3,000 for a silk kimono � may eat 135 pounds of mulberry leaves before spinning cocoons

9. The religion that developed during the Shang period combined animism � the belief that spirits inhabit everything � with ancestor worship. Shangdi: god who controlled human destiny and the forces of nature. Oracle bones: heated bones and then interpret the cracks that appear

10. Expanded military efforts finally exhaust the Shang rulers. In about 1050 BC a group called the Zhou formed an alliance with nearby tribes and overthrew the dynasty. The Zhou justified the conquest by claiming the Shang were corrupt and unfit to rule.

11. Identify 2 ways that the Shang dynasty maintained its power: 1. force of arms 2. public works systems Name some of the religious beliefs held by the Shang 1. combination of ancestor worship and animism 2. Shangdi 3. interpretation of oracle bones Why did the Shang dynasty collapse? It could not defend against the constant attacks from people on its borders

12. Section 3 � The Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasties Let�s Get Started: What are the qualities of a good leader? The Main Idea: Three major dynasties � Zhou, Qin, and the Han � built China into a powerful country.

13. The Zhou conquest of China in about 1050 BC marked the beginning of dynamic era in Chinese history. Longest lasting of the 3 dynasties was the Zhou which ruled from about 1050 BC until about 256 BC. �Mandate of Heaven�: god determined who would rule China. When rebels overthrew a dynasty they claimed that the old dynasty had lost the Mandate of Heaven. Why did the Zhou fall from power? Internal fighting and attacks by outsiders.

14. Qin dynasty came to power in 221 BC through military might Lasted for 15 years but produced many lasting changes in Chinese life Western name for �China� is derived from the name of the Qin dynasty Established and autocracy � emperor held total power Suppressed and even executed scholars who criticized the government

15. Qin guarded parts of their borders. Later dynasties added segments. Eventually connected segments became known as the Great Wall of China

16. Liu Bang: commoner who became a Qin general, overthrew the empire � and founded the Han dynasty More moderate than the Qin Kept power for about 400 years Han rulers had so much influence on the development of China that many Chinese today call themselves �People of Han�

17. Han ruled over an area larger than the Roman Empire China�s population grew to 50 million during the Han dynasty Han dynasty ruled until 220 AD Not until 581 AD did a Chinese general unify China once again

18. Civil Service System: Runs the day to day business of government Family connections led to jobs at first System of exams to select most qualified candidates In practice, usually those with family connections and money could afford books and schooling to train

19. Silk Road: Trade route that runs through China, across central Asia, to the Mediterranean region

20. Section 4 - Philosophies of Ancient China Let�s Get Started: How are societies values reflected in its laws? Main Idea: � � from story continues

21. Dualism or 2-sidedness of nature Everything in the world results from a balance between 2 forces Yin: female, dark, passive Yang: male, bright, active Yin and Yang are not in conflict with each other � they depend upon each other - they maintain a balance � day gives way to night

22. Confucius: 551 BC � 479 BC  (What dynasty?) Ideas and teachings collected and put into Analects Confucianism had more influence on Chinese life than any other philosophy Importance of family, respect for ones elders, reverence for the past and one�s ancestors � forms the basis of Confucian philosophy Confucius sought to end the political disorder of his time

23. Confucius was not a religious prophet Concerned with the causes of political and social unrest and with how moral and ethical leadership could solve these problems Aimed to encourage strong, positive behavior for Chinese leaders: Every person should willingly accept his or her role in society and should perform the duties of that role Government and its leaders should be virtuous

24. Instead of seeking wealth and power, rulers should be honest and honorable towards those they lead Greatest interest should be the welfare and happiness of their people Confucius encouraged only moral, well-educated officials

25. Mencius: Chinese thinker who adopted Confucius� ideas and values Mencius believed rulers who governed according to strong moral and ethical guidelines would receive the willing support of their people Mencius held that unjust rulers who opposed their people surrendered their right to rule and should be overthrown, by force if necessary

26. Daoism: Laozi: founder of Daoism Central idea = the Dao � �The Way� The Dao = an indescribable force that governed the universe and all of nature People should withdraw from the world and contemplate nature

27. People should not strive for material wealth Laozi shunned politics � advised people not to seek power People should be humble, quiet, and thoughtful Daoism is 2nd only to Confucianism in importance to Chinese life Like yin and yang, Daoism and Confucianism provided a balance to Chinese culture; each provided what the other lacked

28. Legalism: Concerned with politics Believed in power � not virtue � and in harsh laws People were by nature selfish and untrustworthy Peace and prosperity could be achieved only by threatening severe punishment if people did not obey the laws �Force is the stuff that keeps the masses in subjection [under control].�

29. Missionaries from India first brought Buddhism to China during the Han Dynasty

30. Section 5 � Chinese Life and Culture Let�s Get Started: Think about the concept of family in the United States today. Describe various types of family units. Main Idea: the family, farming, and educational pursuits for government officials marked daily life in China.

31. Ancient Chinese believed that the well-being of the state rested upon the well-being of the family Values that governed family life included reverence for one�s family, respect for age, acceptance of decisions made by one�s superiors Family, not the individual, was the most important factor in Chinese society Genealogy: Traditional households often included parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren

32. Most Chinese people lived as small village farmers. Government required peasants to pay taxes and to perform labor on canals, roads, and other local construction projects.

33. Qin leaders standardized the currency and the system of weights and measures. Trade also increased during the Han dynasty with the Silk Road The use of the same books created a common culture all across China. Five Classics: texts used to train scholars and civil servants in ancient China. The Book of Rites: dealt with manners and ceremonies

34. Education was available only to a privileged few in ancient China Early Chinese astronomers learned that the year was slightly longer than 365 days In 28 BC astronomers in China first observed sunspots � Europeans did not make similar observations until 1600s AD Sundial Process of printing Seismograph Acupuncture