China's First Dynasties: Preview
China's First Dynasties: Preview
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Reading Focus
How did Chinas geography affect its early civilization?
What were the achievements of the Shang dynasty? How did China change during the Zhou dynasty? What new philosophies were introduced in China?
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Chinas Geography
The development of civilization in early China was aided by features like long rivers, fertile soils, temperate climates, and isolated valleys.
Loess
Annual floods deposited rich soil, loess, on flood plains Valley of Huang He particularly fertile due to loess
Fine dusty soil Carried into China by desert winds
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Most of eastern China covered with fertile soils; some regions better suited than others for growing certain crops
Southern Chinawarm, receives plenty of rainfall, excellent region for growing rice
Further northclimate cooler, drier; suitable for grains, wheat, millet
Isolation
Combination of rivers for irrigation, fertile soil for planting allowed Chinese to thrive, as did Chinas relative isolation Mountains, hills, desert protected China from invasion Himalaya Mountains separate southern China from India, rest of southern Asia; vast Gobi Desert prevented reaching China from west
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Chinas Geography
Beginnings of Civilization Xia
Legend says earliest Chinese ruled by Xia dynasty No written, archaeological evidence Xia dynasty existed
Most historians date beginning of Chinese civilization to rise of Shang dynasty
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Shang Elite
Leisure
Ruling elite had free time to pursue leisure activities, hunting for sport Wealthy enjoyed collecting expensive bronze, jade objects
Artifacts
Much of what is known comes from studying royal tombs Contained valuable items made of bronze, jade
Afterlife
Tombs held remains of sacrificed prisoners of war
Ancestor Worship
Shang offered gifts to deceased ancestors to keep them happy in afterlife Steam from ritual meals nourished ancestors spirits
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Oracle Bones
As part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for advice
Sought advice through use of oracle bones
Inscribed bits of animal bone, turtle shell
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Bronze
Shang religion led to great advances in working with bronze Highly decorative bronze vessels, objects created for religious rituals Also built huge structures like tombs; created calendar, first money systems
End of Dynasty
Shang ruled for more than 600 years, until about 1100 BC Ruling Chinas growing population proved too much for Shang Armies from nearby tribe, Zhou, invaded, established new ruling dynasty
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Summarize
How did religion influence other aspects of Shang culture?
Answer(s): ritual meals for ancestors; oracle bones connected to early writing; bronze work for rituals; built stable tombs
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Dynastic Cycle
Zhou said Shang overthrown because they lost gods favor
Later rulers used Mandate of Heaven to explain dynastic cycle, rise and fall of dynasties in China
Gods would support just ruler, not allow anyone corrupt to hold power
In that case, they said, it was the will of the gods that that dynasty be overthrown and a new one take power.
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Zhou Achievements
Before Zhou, Chinese metalwork done almost exclusively in bronze Zhou learned to use iron, became backbone of economy
Iron was strong, could be cast more cheaply, quickly than bronze
Iron weapons strengthened Zhou army, as did new weapons like catapult and creation of Chinas first cavalry
Growth
Population grew under Zhou Farmers learned new techniques, increased size of harvest, created food surpluses; cities also grew Roads, canals allowed better transportation, communication Introduced coins, use of chopsticks
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403 BC to 221 BC, number of small states fought each other for land, power
Zhou still nominally in charge, but power almost nonexistent by mid-200s BC Qin, new dynasty, arose to bring end to Warring States Period, Zhou dynasty
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New Philosophies
The conflicts of the late Zhou period led many Chinese thinkers to question the nature of society and peoples roles in it.
Effort to make sense of chaos led to creation of many new Chinese philosophies, or ways of looking at the world
Of many philosophies created during late Zhou period, two became influential in later Chinese history: Confucianism Daoism
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Confucianism
Confucius
Confucianism based on teachings of scholar named Kongfuzi, better known as Confucius, who thought people should treat one another humanely Should express love, respect for others, honor ones ancestors
Analects
Ruler should treat subjects fairly; subjects reward ruler with respect, loyalty People should respect members of family, devote selves to public service Confucian ideas spread elsewhere in Asia, including Korea, Japan, Vietnam
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Daoism
Definition
Unlike Confucianism, which focuses on improving society, Daoism encourages people to retreat from laws of society, yield to law of nature Heart of Daoism is concept of the dao, or the way Dao is the limitless force that is part of all creation Through the dao, all things in nature connected Finding ones place in nature allows person to achieve harmony with universe
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Video
The Impact of Hinduism as a World Religion
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