Ancient China Geography Isolated by natural barriers Himalayas

Ancient China

Geography • • Isolated by natural barriers: Himalayas, Plateau of Tibet, Taklimakan Desert, Gobi Desert, and water to the east China was not completely protected by natural boundaries and was frequently invaded

Geography of China (cont. ) Rivers: � Huang He (Yellow): north ◦ Frequent violent flooding ◦ Deposits of silt ◦ good for agriculture � Yangtze: south

Geographic Challenges � Challenges ◦ China’s Sorrow – nicknamed for destructive force during floods (10 million in 50 years) ◦ Isolation reduced ability to trade with outsiders

Civilization Emerges in Shang Times � Shang rose to power in northern China � Created walled cities to protect from invaders ◦ Mostly consisted of wooden structures ◦ High classes lived within city walls ◦ Peasants and lower classes lived outside the walls � Lasted from 1700 -1027 BC (remember years move the opposite way in BC/ BCE times) � First family to leave written records

Chinese Culture � Family ◦ main loyalty for Chinese ◦ respect, obedience & loyalty to ruler � Hierarchy ◦ strict social classes � Religion ◦ spirits of ancestors helpful or not ◦ Oracle bones � Writing ◦ characters ◦ written language same for all spoken dialects ◦ Advantage: People in all parts of China could learn the written language even if their spoken language was very different ◦ Disadvantage: Enormous number of written symbols to be memorized. (Roughly 1, 500 characters to be barely literate)

Early Chinese Dynasties 1. Shang (1700 – 1027 B. C. ) overthrown by the … 2. Zhou (1027 B. C. – 256 B. C. ) ◦ justified conquest by Mandate of Heaven - ruler has approval of gods ◦ Dynastic cycle - loss of Mandate of Heaven leads to new dynasty ◦ lost power to nobles who gained power & fought ◦ move away from ancient values

Technology and Warring � Technology ◦ Roads and canals built ◦ Coined money introduced ◦ Blast furnaces produced cast iron that was used to create weapons and tools � Warring States: ◦ Zhou ruled from 1027 -256 BC until nomads killed the royal family. Chaos replaced order as competing nobles attacked each other