IV Chinese Civilization A Geography of China Last

A. Geography of China • Last great civilization to develop but the only one

• Natural barriers isolated China from others • Chinese did not want to

B. Chinese Culture • Family is central to Chinese society • Most important value

C. Chinese Religion • Family is closely linked to Chinese religion • Families pay

D. Process of Reading Oracle Bones • 1) Wrote questions on animal bones •

E. Development of Writing • Earliest evidence of Chinese writing is the Oracle Bones

Chinese script is unique, isn’t it? Think about other elements of Chinese culture: Chinese

F. China is Unified • China is unified around 200 B. C. under the

G. Great Wall of China • Shi Huangdi is also responsible for ordering the

Actual Great Wall Daniel Lovering / AP The

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IV. Chinese Civilization

A. Geography of China • Last great civilization to develop but the only one that survives today • Huang He (Yellow) & Yangtze Rivers – Main rivers that civilization developed around • Yellow River – “China’s Sorrow” very unpredictable flooding that often caused disasters

Yellow River

• Natural barriers isolated China from others • Chinese did not want to have contact with outsiders • Viewed all people not Chinese as barbarians

B. Chinese Culture • Family is central to Chinese society • Most important value is respect for one’s parents • Girls had arranged marriages around 13 -16 and moved into their husband’s home • Mandate of Heaven – Divine approval thought to be the basis of royal authority in Chinese society

C. Chinese Religion • Family is closely linked to Chinese religion • Families pay respect to their father’s ancestors and make sacrifices in their honor • Oracle Bones – Priest heated animal bones to have questions answered by the gods

Oracle Bones

D. Process of Reading Oracle Bones • 1) Wrote questions on animal bones • 2) Applied hot pokers to the bones causing them to crack • 3) Priest would read the cracks and interpret how their questions were answered

E. Development of Writing • Earliest evidence of Chinese writing is the Oracle Bones • Similar to other pictographic languages • Person who knows 1, 000 symbols is barely literate • True scholars mastered over 10, 000 symbols

Chinese script is unique, isn’t it? Think about other elements of Chinese culture: Chinese architecture, music, technology, dress and fashion, and eastern belief systems… Gobi Desert Also unique! Taklimakan Desert Himalaya Mts. PEACE Pacific Ocean LOVE TOLERANCE LUCK ETERNITY

F. China is Unified • China is unified around 200 B. C. under the rule of Shi Huangdi • Shi Huangdi –Means “First Emperor” • Ruled China as a ruthless dictator • Burnt books he didn’t agree with and burnt and buried Chinese scholars alive

Tomb of Shi Huangdi

G. Great Wall of China • Shi Huangdi is also responsible for ordering the construction of the Great Wall of China • Wall stretches 1400 miles • Millions of peasants built the wall • One million people die during its construction and most are buried inside the wall

Great Wall of China

Actual Great Wall Daniel Lovering / AP The

3, 000 Year Old Chinese Coins