Huang River Valley

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Huang River Valley

• The Cradle of Chinese Civilization

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• I. Geography and Climate
• A. China is very large with lots of variety
• 1. Mountains in the west
• 2. Desert in the north
• 3. Open Plain in the southeast
• 4. Coastline in east and southeast

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• B. Climate
• 1. Northern China
• a. Main crop was wheat
• b. More extreme temperatures, shorter growing
  season
• 2. Southern China
• a. Main crop was rice
• b. Milder temperatures

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• C. Main River Systems
• 1. Huang called Yellow River because of its
  loess
• a. Loess is a rich soil that has a yellow tint
• b. Also called Chinas sorrow because of
  devastating floods
• 2. Chang- over 3,400 miles long
• 3. Xi- Southern China

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• II. Culture
• A. Geographically isolated- very little cultural
  diffusion
• B. Thought everyone else was uncivilized.
• C. Referred to themselves as Zhongguo or Middle
  Kingdom

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III. The Shang Dynasty

• A. Ancient China started on the Huang River
• 1. Called the Xia dynasty, they were invaded by
  the Shang.

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• B. Government and Culture
• 1. The Shang moved their capital several times
• 2. Created a Bureaucracy government with
  different levels and responsibilities
• 3. Had an advanced military
• a. Chariots
• b. Bronze weapons

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• C. Economy and handicrafts
• 1. Economy based mainly on agriculture
• a. Rice
• 2. Made silk from silkworms
• 3. Bone crafts, ivory and jade
• 4. Ceramic art
• a. Glazing and firing clay to make strong pottery

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• D. Astronomy and calendars
• 1. Used two calendars
• a. Solar used for planting
• b. Lunar used for personal events

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• E. Religion
• 1. Believed in animism and ancestor worship
• 2. Also worshipped the sun, wind, clouds and moon
• 3. One main god, Shangdi, controlled everything
• 4. Priest used oracle bones to interpret dreams

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• F. Language and Writing
• 1. Spoke many dialects
• 2. Early text was pictographs, later became
  calligraphy

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• G. Fall of the Shang
• 1. Shang had to defend its borders against
  invaders
• 2. Zhou people overthrew the Shang
• a. Claimed Shang were corrupt to gain support

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IV. Zhou Dynasty

• A. No centralized government, gave control to
  members of royal family
• B. Believed in Mandate of Heaven
• 1. Gods determine who would rule China
• C. Leaders fought, were losing control
• D. Attacks from outside invaders
• E. Capital destroyed in 771 B.C. became warring
  states

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V. Qin Dynasty

• A. One of the Warring States won power
• 1. Cheng declared himself 1st emperor
• 2. Lasted only 15 Years, but many changes
• 3. Name for China came from Qin
• 4. Built walls to protect themselves, once
  connected would be Great Wall of China
• B. Liu Bang would eventually conquer the emperor
  and start the Han Dynasty

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VI. Han Dynasty

• A. Chinese have called themselves Han ever since
• B. Civil Service System
• 1. Created to govern China (day to day business)
• 2. Had an extensive system of exams to select the
  best

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• C. Other Accomplishments
• 1. Expanded area through military outpost cities
• 2. Developed Silk Road for trade
• 3. Population grew to 50 million
• 4. Lasted until 220 A.D.

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VII. Philosophies

• A. Confucianism
• 1. Teachings of Confucius are called the Analects
• a. Respect your family, elders, and ancestors
• b. Not concerned with life or death
• c. Concerned with political and social ideas
• d. Stressed responsibility and virtue

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• B. Daoism
• 1. Founded by Laozi
• 2. Dao the way a force that governs the
  universe
• 3. Shunned politics

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• Legalism
• 1. Stressed obedience to law system
• 2. Did not address meaning of life
• Buddhism
• 1. Reached China via missionaries sent by Indian
  ruler Asoka

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VIII. Chinese Life and Culture

• A. Family and Social Life
• 1. Many generations lived in same house
• 2. Respect, honor, and family name were important
• 3. Women had very few rights, but were very well
  respected

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• B. Economy
• 1. Agricultural, very little trade
• C. Arts and Sciences
• 1. Five Classics were used to train civil
  servants
• a. Book of History government
• b. Book of Changes predicting future
• c. Book of Rites ceremonies and manners
• d. Spring and Autumn Annals history
• e. Book of Poems

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• D. Science and Technology
• 1. Discovered the year was slightly longer than
  365 days
• a. Began Leap Year
• 2. Developed a system to track planet movements
• 3. Invented paper
• 4. Learned how to glaze pots
• 5. Developed herbal and mineral medicines