Life in Ancient China

Mrs. Assini Honors SS, 1-2

Clay GoldsmidChris Zeck

Adin KolanskyJack Clark

Chris Cooper

Seven Features of Civilization

Ancient China

Culture

Social Classes

Central Governments

Organized Religion

System of Writing

CitiesPublic Works

Cities• Xi’an- It was a cultural centre along the Silk Road.

Xi’an was the capital for 12 dynasties. These dynasties include the Zhou, Qin, Western Han, and the Tang.

• Chengdu- It has been a government administrative center since ancient times. It was the capital of Liu Bei’s Shu kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. Chengdu marks the beginning of the southern Silk Road Route

• Anyang- Anyang was the first capital of northern China.

Culture

• Ancient Chinese culture consisted of polytheistic beliefs.• Weavers used silk to make colorful clothes.• People always needed to find enough food to support the

large population. • They carved statues from jade.• There was a large gap between the wealthy and poor.• They greatly honored their ancestors• Inventions include gun powder and paper• Chinese also cultivated silk.• The Shang were big producers of bronze

Social Classes

• Kings• Aristocrats• Nobles• Artisans• Traders• Farmers• Slaves

Central Government

• The Shang dynasty started off with a weak central government, which was based on agriculture

• The Zhou dynasty lasted the longest of all Ancient Chinese dynasties. It also split the kingdom into smaller territories. Aristocrats were the rulers of each territory. This was based on the Shang government.

• Bureaucracy

System of Writing

• Ideographs • Pictographs• Symbol writing system

Organized Religion• Shang Ti• Polythesism• Oracle Bones• By 220 A.D. Buddhism became a common

religion.Buddah

Philosophers

• Confucius-Confucianism • Laozi- Daoism • Hanfeizi- Legalism

Primary Source

• “There are those who act without knowing; I will have none of this. To hear a lot, choose the good, and follow it, to see a lot and learn to recognize it: this is next to knowledge” –Confucius

• “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” -Confucius

• “Higher good is like water: the good in water benefits all, and does so without contention. It rests where people dislike to be, so it is close to the Way. Where it dwells becomes good ground; profound is the good in its heart, Benevolent the good it bestows.” –Laozi

• “I have brought order to the mass of beings.” -Qin Shihuangdi

Time Line

• 1750 B.C. - Shang Dynasty Begins• 1045 B.C. - Wu Wang Creates Zhou Dynasty• 551 B.C. – Confucius is born• 300 B.C. – Laozi’s ideas of Daoism become popular• 221 B.C. – Qin Dynasty begins• 202 B.C. – Liu Bang founds Han Dynasty• 200 B.C. – Hanfeizi develops Legalism• A.D. 1- Silk Road is established• A.D. 190- Rebel Armies attack Han capital

China Physical Map

China Political Maps

Role of Slavery

Location

• Absolute Location-• Relative Location-

Sources• http://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/• http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/ancient_china/land_of_china/cities/index.shtml• http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Zhou/zhou.html• http://sunwalked.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/confucius.jpg• http://www.china-tour.cn/images/Chinese-History/Laozi.jpg• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=hanfeizi&form=QBIR&qs=n#• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=china+buddha&form=QBIR&qs=n#• http://www.mitchellteachers.org/WorldHistory/AncientChinaCurriculum/Transparencies/HansTransSlaves.jpg