We're off to Ancient China

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We're off to Ancient China!!
Created by Mrs. Gail Wiltshire Adapted by Mrs.
Duncan
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Welcome to China!
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Lets learn more about Ancient China. Have fun!!
The Great Wall
Location
Climate and Land
Inventions
Writing
Chinese Zodiac
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China is located on the continent of Asia.
Europe
North America
Asia
Africa
South America
Australia
Antarctica
China is in the shape of a moose.
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This sign further tells how the Chinese
government has restored the Badaling section of
the Wall for all to see.
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This is how the Wall looks as you walk along it.
It goes mostly up, but occasionally down for
short distances. It also can tip to one side, as
it does here. These days, many village folk sell
remembrances along the Wall. They attract
attention by shouting "Allo!" at every western
tourist. If you don't respond, they approach you
and stick their merchandise right in front of
you.
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Fun Information

• The Great Wall is the only man made structure
  that can be seen from space.
• The Great Wall is approximately 4,000 miles long.
  
• The first section of the Great Wall took 10 years
  to build at the rate of about one mile per day
• The Great Wall was built entirely by hand.
• It was built with dirt, stone and bricks. At the
  top of the wall, a roadway paved with three
  layers of brick connected the watchtowers. The
  roadways were wide enough to hold ten soldiers
  side by side.

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Inventions
Yo-Yo
Papermaking
Abacus
Gunpowder
Silk
Wheelbarrow
Compass
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More bronze ware, with early ideograms
Bronze was an invention of the Chinese people.
This is what a bronze bowl would look like.
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A bronze temple bell -many will strike two
distinct and separate notes, depending on which
part of the bell is struck
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Papermaking
Chinese legend tells that the new invention of
paper was presented to the Emperor in the year
105 AD by Cai Lun. Archeological evidence,
however, shows that paper was in use two hundred
years before then. Either way, the Chinese were
significantly ahead of the rest of the world. The
craft of papermaking relied upon an abundance of
bamboo fiber to produce a fine quality paper. In
China the papermaker uses only the traditional
materials and methods to produce fine art paper.
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Gunpowder
Imagine their enemy's surprise when the Chinese
first demonstrated their newest invention in the
eighth century AD. Chinese scientists discovered
that an explosive mixture could be produced by
combining sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter
(potassium nitrate). The military applications
were clear. New weapons were rapidly developed,
including rockets and others that were launched
from a bamboo tube. Once again, the raw materials
at hand, like bamboo, contributed ideas for new
technologies.
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Compass
By the third century AD, Chinese scientists had
studied and learned much about magnetism in
nature. For example, they knew that iron ore,
called magnetite, tended to align itself in a
North/South position. Scientists learned to "make
magnets" by heating pieces of ore to red hot
temperatures and then cooling the pieces in a
North/South position. The magnet was then placed
on a piece of reed and floated in a bowl of water
marked with directional bearings. These first
navigational compasses were widely used on
Chinese ships by the eleventh century AD.
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Abacus
The abacus is a calculator for adding,
subtracting, dividing and multiplying. Tests have
shown that, for operations of addition and
subtraction, the abacus is still faster than the
electronic calculator.
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Silk
China is the first country in the world that
discovered the use of silk. Silkworms were
domesticated as early as 5000 years ago. The
production of silk thread and fabrics gave rise
to the art of embroidery. Historical documents
record the use of embroidery in China as early as
2255 B.C. Archaeological finds, however, place
the beginnings of embroidery at some point during
the Shang dynasty(1766B.C.-1122 B.C.)
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Wheelbarrow
The wheelbarrow was invented by the Chinese. The
Chinese wheelbarrow had a single wheel in the
middle of the wheelbarrow. Farmers used the
wheelbarrow to take a load of produce to the
market place. Builders used the wheelbarrow to
carry heavy building supplies. Soldiers used the
wheelbarrow to remove injured or dead people from
the battlefield.
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Climate
There are 4 seasons.
China has a variety of plant life.
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Land
Forests
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Land
Rivers
Mount Everest
Hills Mountains
Now slicing nearly six miles (ten kilometers)
into the sky, the Himalaya became the highest
mountain range on Earth.
Mount Everest continues to rise. How fast is the
great peak growing? In 1994 researchers placed a
global positioning satellite (GPS) device on the
South Col, a plateau below the summit. Readings
suggest that Everest grows 0.1576 inches (about
four millimeters) each year.
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The Yangtze River, called Chang Jiang in Chinese,
is the longest river in China and becomes
well-known by its Three Gorges scenery.
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The Terra Cotta Army
More than 25 years ago, in 1974, Chinese farmers
were digging a well in central China when they
discovered an important archaeological site. They
discovered fragments from the burial grounds of a
Chinese emperor, Shi Huangdi (Shee-hwang-dee).
His name is also spelled Shihuangdi.
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Qin was the name of the part of China he ruled.
He had his army of more than one million soldiers
conquer the entire country in 221 B.C. He united
all the little kingdoms he conquered and became
an emperor. An emperor is the supreme ruler of an
empire.
Like most Chinese, he believed in taking the real
world with him when he died. He wanted his tomb
to be spectacular, and he certainly would need an
army to protect him when he died. Therefore, he
ordered a terra cotta (clay) army be built. He
ordered that the terra cotta soldiers be set up
in formation with their backs to him. The terra
cotta soldiers and horses would stand guard in
order to protect him from attack.
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Farming,Life

• Most of the people of ancient China were peasant
  farmers who grew crops on small plots of land.
  Every member of the family helped grow and
  harvest the crops.
• Farmers supplied food to the army and to people
  in the city.
• Farmers in the north grew wheat, millet, and
  barley to eat. Farmers in the south grew rice to
  eat.
• Farmers may have kept pigs and chickens, but
  dairy cows were not kept due to a lack of pasture
  land.
• Oxen and water buffalo were used to pull carts
  and plows.

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Farming, Life

• Villagers dug ditches and canals to water the
  fields.
• Many farmers used simple wooden or stone tools
  even after bronze and iron weapons were invented.
  
• The lives of peasant farmers consisted of many
  long, back-breaking hours tending to crops.
• Peasant farmers also had to serve in the army and
  help with government projects such as building
  walls and canals.
• Poor people spent most of their time growing and
  preparing food, or doing heavy work such as
  digging and carrying large loads.
• Farmers use a method known as terracing which is
  cutting flat plains into hillsides. They would
  farm on the flat plains. The flat plains looked
  like shelves coming out of the side of a hill.
  Cutting flat plains into the hillside would also
  slow erosion in a hilly area.

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Food

• Poor people ate simple meals. Their main foods
  were rice, grains, millet, vegetables, and beans.
  If they ate meat, it was usually chicken or wild
  bird. Once in a while, they ate fish.
• Wealthy people ate pork, lamb, venison, duck,
  goose, pigeon. For special occasions they might
  eat snakes, dogs, snails, sparrows, or bear
  claws.
• Both rich and poor people used spices, salt,
  sugar, honey, and soy sauce to add flavor to the
  food.
• Vegetables and fruits were always included in a
  wealthy person's diet.
• To save fuel, food was chopped into small pieces
  and cooked quickly in an iron frying pan, or wok,
  for a few minutes only.
• Steaming was also a common cooking method with
  the rich and poor.
• People usually drank tea.
• Water was usually boiled before drinking it.

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Clothing

• Clothing was a mark of class in ancient China.
  The type of fabric, the color and decorations on
  the fabric, jewelry, headgear and footwear all
  told something about the wearer's position in
  society.
• High-ranking people dressed in the finest silk in
  public.
• Peasants wore a long, shirt-like garment, made of
  undyed hemp fiber. Hemp is a rough fabric woven
  from plant fibers.
• The type of jewelry worn showed the position of
  that person in society.
• A man almost always wore a hat in public. The hat
  showed the wearer's occupation and status in
  society.

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Chinese boys outfit
Chinese girls dress
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Clothing

• Women's long hair was arranged in topknots and
  held in place by hairpins and other ornaments.
• Wealthy women wore elaborate make-up.
• People wore thick padded clothing in winter.
• From the Sui dynasty onward, only the emperor was
  allowed to wear yellow. Ordinary people had to
  dress in blue and black. White was for mourning,
  and children could not wear white while their
  parents were alive.

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Homes

• Farmers usually made their homes from mud bricks
  with reed or tile roofs. The bottom floor was
  often built below ground to help keep the family
  warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
• Some Chinese built their house with timber or
  bamboo poles. A timber frame held up the roof.
  The outer walls were sometimes made of brick. The
  Chinese preferred wood to stone for building
  because it looked more natural and it was less
  likely to injure people if the house collapsed
  during an earthquake.
• Poor people often cooked outside in the open air.
  Wealthy people had a kitchen indoors on the
  bottom floor. Servants would also live on the
  bottom floor.
• Charcoal or coal was burned in the fireplace to
  keep the house warm.
• A traditional home was divided into different
  sections by courtyards.

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This is a picture of the Ancient Chinese home.
They used grasses and wood that was nearby.
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Beliefs and Customs

• Families in China usually included many
  generations living together - often under the
  same roof. The oldest male was usually in charge
  of everyone in the house.
• There was little individualism in Chinese
  families. Decisions were made that benefited the
  entire family and family honor and family
  achievements were more important than individual
  needs or achievements.
• Age demanded respect. The old were considered
  wise and were treated with honor.
• Children were taught to respect and obey their
  elders.
• Children were taught that they must care for
  their mothers and fathers in sickness and old
  age.
• Boys learned their family's trade, and girls
  learned to manage a household.

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Entertainment and Pets

• Wealthy people spent their leisure hours
  practicing calligraphy, composing poetry, or
  listening to music.
• Kite flying, wrestling, and horse racing were
  outdoor recreations enjoyed by all Chinese.
• The ancient Chinese liked puzzles because they
  taught the people to think creatively. A favorite
  Chinese puzzle is the Tangram. A Tangram is a
  square cut into seven different shapes. A person
  tries to put the seven pieces together to remake
  the square. The seven pieces are also used to
  create other shapes such as animals.
• Badminton was played and actually originated in
  China.
• Both children and adults in ancient China liked
  to play a game similar to our modern-day Frisbee
  toss.

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Festivals

• Most Chinese worked from dawn to dusk with no
  days off.
• The Chinese calendar was based on the moon, and
  it was divided into twelve groups. Each group was
  named after an animal.
• The Chinese New Year was the most important
  festival. It was in the spring and offerings were
  made to the spirits. Farmers gave thanks for the
  earth's abundance.

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Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese Zodiac is a twelve-year cycle. It
started from Buddhism. According to the story,
Buddha called all the animals of China to his
bedside, but only twelve animals came. Because he
wanted to honor the animals for their devotion,
he created a year for each animal. The twelve
animals that appeared were the rat, ox, tiger,
hare (rabbit), dragon, snake, horse, sheep,
monkey, rooster, dog, and the pig. Each animal
has its own special characteristics. Many people
believe that these characteristics affect events
that happen during the year. In addition, some
people believe that people born in a certain year
will have qualities of that year's animal.
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Animal
Dates
Characteristics
1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
charming, bright, creative, thrifty
Rat
steadfast, dependable, methodical
1949, 1961, 1973 1985, 1997, 2009
Ox
dynamic, warm, sincere, a leader
1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Tiger
humble, artistic, clear-sighted
1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Hare/Rabbit
flamboyant, lucky, imaginative
1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Dragon
1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Snake
discreet, refined, intelligent
1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Horse
social, competitive, stubborn
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Animal
Dates
Characteristics
1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Sheep
artistic, fastidious, indecisive
1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
witty, popular, good-humored, versatile
Monkey
aggressive, alert, perfectionist
1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Rooster
honest, conservative, sympathetic, loyal
1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Dog
Boar/Pig
caring, industrious, home-loving
1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
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Writing
Chinese is written with characters known as hànzi
There are tens of thousands of Chinese
characters, many of which are archaic or obscure.
Knowledge of about 5,000 characters is sufficient
to read modern standard written Chinese
competently. This takes at least 5 years of
full-time study to acquire.
Starting from about the fifth century BC, we
begin to find examples of writings on bamboo
strips.
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Early ideology

• Yin and Yang
• Yin female, dark, weak, wet, passive
• Yang male, bright, strong, dry, active
• balance of opposites

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The End