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Ancient China
The Shang Dynasty
In power from 1766-1050 BC First dynasty to
have archeological evidence of
Greatly influenced Chinese history
Shang Government
Created strong central government If rulers benefit people, their power grows
IrrigationFlood Control
Shang Religion
The king was the high priest and the link between heaven and earth.
The King needed to perform rituals to please gods If pleased, the gods bring good harvests
and victory in war If not, floods and famine occurred
Mandate of Heaven
Heaven granted rulers the right to rule which means people owed loyalty to them
War, Floods, and Famine were all signs that the Mandate of Heaven had been lost
Shang Achievements
Developed a system of writing.Used pictographs
Pictures and symbols that represent objects and ideas
Started with 3,000 charactersLater people had to learn 10,000 to even
be considered literate Priests developed advanced calendars
Used by Farmers
End of the Shang Dynasty
The Zhou (joh) invade and overthrow the Shang dynasty
The Zhou claim the Mandate of Heaven
Dynastic Cycle in China
an old dynasty
Chinese Philosophies and Religion
Confucius Teachings
Based on the 5 Relationships:Ruler and RuledFather and son (Filial Piety)
The duty and respect that children owe their parents
Older brother and younger brotherHusband and wifeFriend and Friend
Confucius The superior person
should set an example for the inferior one and is responsible for the inferior.
Confucius’s teachings are collected in the Analects
Daoism/Taoism
Created by Lao ZiThoughts collected in The Way of Virtue
A society with rules is an artificial creation that disturbed the natural order.
Best government was the one with the fewest laws and rules.
Philosophy – “The best action is inaction.”
Taoist Influence
Believed to have invented the magnetic compass (for graves) and gunpowder (scare ghosts)
Example of Taoist Philosophy
“The duck’s legs are short, but if we try to lengthen them, the duck will feel pain. The Crane’s legs are long, but if we try to shorten them, the crane will feel grief. Therefore we are not to cut off what is by nature long, nor to lengthen what is by nature short.”
Legalism
Based on teachings of Han FeiziCollected in book called Han Feizi
People act on self-interest.Therefore they respond to rewards and
punishments, not good examples.
Buddhism
Developed in India, but reaches China in the 1st century AD
Preaches reincarnation Based on Karma (good or bad) Constantly reborn until you reach
enlightenment Appealed to Chinese because it offered an escape
from earthy sufferings, and meshed with Chinese ideas and values
Buddhism
Buddhism can be summarized by the 4 Noble TruthsLife is sufferingThe cause of suffering is desire and
attachment It is possible to end sufferingThe way to end it is through the Noble
Eightfold Path
Chinese Empires
First Empire (221 – 202 BC)
After the Zhou, China breaks into several smaller warring nations
Shi Huangdi (sher hwang-dee) takes over neighboring states and re-centralized powerCalled the Qin DynastyUsed legalist tactics
Great Wall of China
The Qin dynasty is most remembered for the Great Wall of China
Constructed to keep nomads (Mongols) from the North out
Entire Great Wall is 13,171 miles today and 1,500 miles long
Great Wall of China
Used forced labor to build Estimated that 1 million people died during the
construction of the wall “Every stone cost a human life.” – Chinese
historian Did not stop invaders from attacking
Did become a symbol to ChineseSouth = Civilized farming peopleNorth = Nomadic Barbarians
Start of the Wall at Shanhaiguan
Great Wall of China Clip
Great Wall of China Modern Marvels – The Great Wall
The Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD)
The Chinese people are unhappy under Qin Established by Liu Bang (lyoh bong) who
led peasants and overthrew the Qin China greatly expands under Han
Silk Road The Silk Road becomes prominent under the
Han Increases Trade Increases spread of ideas
Silk Road greatly increases cultural diffusion:
Gunpowder, Wheel, Religions, Silk, Foods
Fall of the Han Dynasty
After 400 years of rule, the Han Dynasty is eventually ended by invaders.
Achievements of the Han
Developed Acupuncture as a medical treatment Qi
Invented wheelbarrow and sundial
Discovered how to make paper
Mongol Conquest (Yuan Dynasty)
China begins to experience prosperity again in the 1st and early 2nd century AD.
Empire created by Genghis Khan Grandson Kubilai Khan took over China in
1279 Under Mongol control, China makes contact with
Marco Polo Described the effective transportation system
set up by the Mongols.
End of Mongol Rule
By 1368 the Mongols are kicked out from power and the Ming Dynasty is established (1368-1644)
Ming Dynasty Chinese begin to regain their glory
Built impressive Navy and Forbidden City
Majority of Great Wall today is from them
Mysteriously go into isolation though and remain that way until the 1800s
Forbidden Palace
Shang Qin Han Mongol Ming
Begin of Reign
Interesting Fact
Achievements
End of Reign Conquered