Lesson 1 - Geography Shapes Life in Ancient China
Lesson 1- Geography Shapes Life in Ancient China
What effects did the physical features of China have on early development?
- China was geographically isolated
- The huge mountain chains, vast deserts, and large expanses of water made the spread of ideas and goods to China difficult
Why was the North China Plain the center of Chinese civilization?
Because two rivers (Yangtze and Yellow) brought water and silt that made farming possible.
How did the Chinese language develop?
How did the Shang develop writing?
The Chinese or Shang developed their system of writing with pictographs.
- It used drawings or characters for words and ideas
- The Chinese language uses huge number of symbols
- One can read without being able to speak it.
Oracle Bone
Animal bones or turtle shells on which Shang royal priests scratched question to the gods.
Pictograph
System of writing used simple drawings, or characters, for words or ideas.
How did the idea of the Mandate of Heaven help the Zhou take over the Shang?
The Zhou kings thought that trouble would come if rulers lost heaven's favor.
When a ruler was bad or foolish, the people believed the approval of the gods would be taken away.
Dynastic Cycle
The pattern of the rise and fall of dynasties in China.
Dynastic Cycle:
1) The people believe the new dynasty has the god's approval
2) The dynasty's power grows weaker
3) Floods, famines, and invasion occur
4) The people believe the dynasty has lost the god's approval
5) The dynasty is overthrown
6) The new dynasty restores peace and order
Mandate of Heaven
an ancient Chinese belief that a good ruler had the gods' approval
Lesson 1 - Summary
- River valleys supported the rise of Chinese civilization, while some geographic feathers helped to isolate China from outside contact.
- The Shang developed a dynasty and a culture that included a system of writing.
- The Zhou claimed to rule using the idea of the Mandate of Heaven.
Lesson 2 - China's Ancient Philosophies
Lesson 2 - China's Ancient Philosophies
Philosophies
A study of basic truths and about the universe.
Legalism
A belief that a ruler should use the legal system to
force people to obey laws
Why did Legalists want a strong government?
- They believed that government must pass strict laws to control the way people behaved.
- They believed that harsh punishments were needed to make people afraid to do wrong.
-They did not want people to complain about the government or question what it did.
What actions did Confucius believe would bring order to China?
-
Respect
for others was absolutely necessary for peace and harmony.
- Leaders should
set a good example
so that people would see what was correct.
Confucianism
- A philosophy based on the teachings of Confucius as recorded in the collections called the
Analects
- There were 5 basic relationships:
-- father and son
-- elder brother and junior brother
-- husband and wife
-- friend and friend
-- ruler and subject
- Relationships fall into two categories: proper conduct in the family and proper conduct in society
Filial piety
Respect for parents and ancestors -- an important teaching of Confucianism
How did Confucius think rulers should behave?
- Setting clear family and social roles
- Encouraging education
Daoism
- The teachings of Laozi.
- They contract sharply with Legalism and Confucianism.
What did the Daoists believe about society?
Daoists believed hat a universal force called the Dao, or the Way, guide all things.
The individual had to learn to live in harmony with nature and with inner feelings.
Why did Daouism teach that each human had to find an individual way to follow in life?
Understanding yin (black) and yang (white) helped a person understand how he or she fits into the world.
Lesson 2 - Summary
- Legalists believed humans are wicked and need strict laws with harsh punishments.
- Confucius taught a code of proper conduct, including respect, that humans could learn.
- Daoists held the view that each human must find an individual moral path to follow
Lesson 3 - The Qin and The Han
Lesson 3 - The Qin and The Han
Qin
a state of ancient China
How did Qin Dynasty unify China?
- He conquered rival states and drove our nomadic invaders.
- He took land away from defeated nobles.
- He forced the nobles to live at the capital which weakened the power of the noble families.
- He built highways and irrigation projects to link the lands together.
- He taxed the peasants who worked on the projects.
- He set standards for weights, measures, coins, and writing.
All of these steps made it easier to trade and do business everywhere in China.
Shi Huangdi
a Chinese ruler who came to power in 221 B.C. and unified and expanded China by ending internal battles and conquering rival states
The Great Wall of China
Shi Huangdi planned to build a long wall along China's northern borders to keep out invaders.
Why did Shi Huandi kill so many Confucianist?
He believed in the Leagalist way of running the country.
Han Dynasty
a Chinese dynasty begun in 202 B.C. by Liu Bang, which reunified China
How did Han rule China?
- He made punishments less harsh.
- He setup a bureaucracy (a system of organized government departments staffed by appointed officials).
- He put his family members and trusted people in local government positions.
- He setup a system of tests to find the most educated and ethical people for the bureaucracy.
Bureaucracy
a system of organized government departments staffed by appointed officials
How did the Han rulers find people for government jobs?
- He put his family members and trusted people in local government positions.
- He setup a system of tests to find the most educated and ethical people for the bureaucracy.
What was life in Han China like?
- A large part of the society lived and worked on farms.
- Chinese farmers wore simple clothing and sandals.
- Cities were centers of trade, education and government.
- Cities had lots of entertainment, including musicians, jugglers, and acrobats.
Lesson 3 - Summary
- In 221 B.C., the Qin ruler Shi Huangdi unified China and ruled by harsh Legalist principles.
- The Han Dynasty ruled over a large and successful land.
- The Han Chinese way of life is reflected in Chinese life today
Lesson 4 - The Legacy of Ancient China
Lesson 4 - The Legacy of Ancient China
Silk Road
the overland trade routes along which silk and other Chinese goods passed to Mesopotamia and Europe
Trans-Eurasian
involving the continents of Europe and Asia
Cultural Diffusion
the spread of ethnic ideas and customs to other areas of the world
Why were the Silk Roads important to Chinese civilization?
-people traded silk, paper, and pottery for sesame seeds and oil, metals, and precious stones
-ideas and cultural customs such as military methods and Buddhism
How important were Confucianism and Daoism?
Confucianism is still significant in Chinese government and education today.
Daoism is a lasting Chinese belief.
Where is Confucianism practice today?
Japan, Korea, and Vietnam
In which aspects of Chinese life did the Han make great advances?
He made great advances in Agriculture, Paper, and Silk.
Agriculture - better farm tools like plows, collar harness, and watermills
Paper - paper made books available for learning and keeping records
Silk - was great for trading for silver and gold
Why was it necessary to make improvements in farming methods in ancient China?
- Chinese inventions made life easier for farmers and made more grain available for trade
Lesson 4 - Summary
- Trading routes called the Silk Roads brought goods and ideas to and from China.
- Confucianism and Daoism had a lasting influence in China.
- Chinese inventions in agriculture, paper making, and discoveries improved daily life.