Early Civilizations in

China

The Geography of China• The most isolated of the ancient

civilizations• Believed China was the center of the

Earth and the sole source of civilization

Geographic Barriers• High mountain ranges to the West

and Southwest (Tien Shan and Himalayas)

• Thick jungles in the Southeast divide China from Southeast Asia

• Gobi Desert in the North• Pacific Ocean to the East

– Most contact with outside world was made with nomadic invaders who were usually absorbed in Chinese civilization

Main Regions• The heartland lay along the Huang

He (Yellow River) and the Yangzi– Provided water for irrigation and trade

• Outlying regions are Xinjiang, Mongolia, and Manchuria– Xinjiang and Mongolia have harsh

climates and rugged terrain

River of Sorrows• Chinese History began in the Huang

He valley• Got it’s name from the loess (fine

windblown yellow soil)– As loess settles to the bottom of the

river, it causes the water level to rise so there was constant building and repair of the dams to keep the river from flooding the land

Huang He (Yellow River)

China Under the Shang• About 1650 BC, people called the

Shang gained control of northern China along the Huang He– The Shang dynasty dominated the

region until 1027 BC– During this time Chinese civilization first

took shape

Government• Large palaces and rich tombs were

built for rulers• Walled capital city – Anyang• Noble women had considerable status

– Fu Hao (wife of Shang king) owned land and led an army against invaders

• Loyal princes and nobles governed most of the land

Social Classes• Royal families and warriors at the top• Artisans and merchants were 2nd

class• Peasants were at the bottom

– They clustered together in farming villages

Religious Beliefs• They prayed to many gods and nature spirits

– Chief god was Shang Di and a mother goddess– Only the greatest mortals such as a king could

reach the gods• Great ancestors were given sacrifices in

hopes of talking to the gods• Believed the universe reflected a delicate

balance between two forces, Yin and Yang– Yin was linked to Earth, darkness, and female

forces– Yang stood for Heaven, light, and male forces

System of Writing• Consulting the ancestors

– Writing on oracle bones (animal bones or turtle shells)• Shang priests wrote questions addressed to

the gods or spirit of an ancestor– The bones were heated until they

cracked, the pattern provided the answer

System of Writing• A difficult study

– Written Chinese began about 4,000 years ago

– Each of the 10,000 characters represents a word or idea

– It fostered unity across the land and some form of communication

Zhou Dynasty• In 1027 BC the Zhou dynasty

overthrew the Shang and lasted until 256 BC

Mandate of Heaven• They believed in divine right to rule • Used to explain the Dynastic Cycle –

rise and fall of dynasties

Feudal State• Supporters were given control over

regions• Feudalism – a system of government

in which local lords governed their own lands but owed military service and other support to the ruler

Zhou Dynasty• China grew economically at this time• Led to an increase in population

Chinese Achievements• Silk making• The first books