Huang he civilizations, early China, Confucianism, Taoism, based on SC State Standards- images found on google

1. Ancient China
The Huang He River Valley Civilizations
Zhou Dynasty

2. Big Idea
 Chinese civilization began with the Shang
dynasty along the Huang He (Yellow) river.
 Main Ideas:
 China’s physical geography made farming
possible but travel and communication difficult
 Civilization began in China along the Huang He
and Chang Jiang (Yangzi) rivers
 China’s first dynasties helped Chinese society
develop and made many other achievements

3. Geography Panku Creation 1:32

4. Geography
 Chinese civilization began around the area
between the two rivers, the Chiang Jiang
(Yangzi) and the Huang He (Yellow)
 China was separated from the Indian
subcontinent by the Himalayas & separated from
most of Asia by deserts
 Separation resulted in China developing its on
unique culture and sense of identity without
much cultural diffusion
 Even today, Chinese culture is very different
from “western” society

5. Civilization Begins
 The rivers flood leaving behind a fertile silt that is perfect
for farming
 7000 BC- farmers grow rice along the middle of the Chang
Jang Valley
 To the North on the Huang He, soil was better for growing
cereals like millet and wheat
 They also fished and hunted with bows and arrows
 Domesticated animals such as pigs and sheep
 Large towns grew along the Huang He
 Burials like Egyptians with tombs filled with objects
 Wealthy were buried with jade

6. The Xia Dynasty
• What is a dynasty?
• Why do they exist?
Legend says the Xia Dynasty was the first dynasty
in China but no one really know for sure. The were
likely to be a Bronze Age society.
Later written stories of the time period tell of a horrible
flood. Yu the Great, the founder of the Xia Dynasty, dug
channels to drain the water back into the ocean. It took
him over ten years to complete and created the major
waterways of north China.
• Other stories tell of how Xia rulers worked with the
people to solve problems

8. Shang Dynasty

9. Shang Dynasty
 Took over China in 1600 BC
 Ruled China for about 700 years
 Took over 1800 city-
states……America has 50 states
 They divided their government
into little bits controlled by loyal
governors (Nobles appointed by
the king to preform certain duties
& land lords)

10. Shang Dynasty
• Head of political & religious lifeKing
• Advisors to King
• Government & religious officials
• Land Lords
Nobles
• From the far regions
Warriors
leaders
• Pottery
• Clothes
• Tools
• weapons
Artisans
•Worked long hours
•Little pay
•Over taxed
Farmers
• Lowest rank
• Important labor
resource
Slaves

11. Advancements
 They farmed millet, wheat, barley, & rice
 They grew silkworms, dogs, pigs, & sheep
 They had accomplished metal metal workers
& craftsmen (bronze containers for cooking &
religious ceremonies, axes, knives, jade
ornaments
 Military developed bronze body armor,
powerful bows, & war chariots
 Astrologers created a calendar based on the
cycles of the moon

12. The Legend of Silk
 A 14 year old queen of China supposedly saw a
worm spin its cocoon. She then took the
cocoon, dropped it in hot water and watched it
break up to threads. The thread was the used
to sew and create silk garments.
 What is silk?
 It is secreted from the silk
worm’s mouth to make the
cocoons.
 This “spit-up” hardens upon
contact with the air.

13. Chinese Writing System
 More than 2,000 symbols to express words or ideas
 Today’s Chinese symbols are still based on the Shang Dynasty
symbols
 Archeologist have found these symbols on cattle bones and
turtle shells
 Priests carved questions about the future on the bones &
shells, heated them up till they cracked, and then read the
oracles or predictions from the cracks
Shang
bones 2:48

14. The “Dragon Bones” Story
Fu Hao was married to King Wu Ding. He
was a great warrior king, but he made
peace with the surrounding tribes by
marrying one women from each tribe
and he ended up with 60 wives. She
was smart enough to earn his favour by
working in his government and he
trusted her to perform special rituals
and offer sacrifices, which was very
unusual for a woman at that time,
anywhere in the world.
It was also very unusual for a woman be
so powerful and to lead military
campaigns. She was in charge of up to
13000 soldiers and was the boss of two
generals Zhi and Hou Gao. The Shang
had been fighting with the Tu-Fang for
ages until Fu Hao defeated them once
and for all. Then she won major battles
against the Yi, Qiang and Ba tribes, and
led the earliest recorded large-scale
ambush in Chinese history. http://lisahillschoolstuff.wikispaces.com/Fu+Hao,+Woman+Warrior

15. King Ding must have been
very proud of her because
he built a magnificent
tomb for her after she
died. Her battle-axes and
other weapons were
buried with her, along
with sacrificial bronze
vessels and tortoise shells
which are marked
prepared by Fu Hao. This
shows that she was a high
priestess and could cast
oracles (which means that
they thought she could
tell the future).
Fu Hao died about 1200
BC, but her name survives
because the Chinese word
'Hao' means 'good'.

16. Religion
 Polytheistic
 Top god was Shang Ti- the Founder of the
Shang Dynasty
 Ancestor worship began in this period, as did
the sacrifices to the gods
 When Kings died, thousands of slaves were
executed to serve him in the afterlife.
 The kings tomb would be filled with objects and food
that he would need in the afterlife- like Egyptians.

17. Summary of Shang 2:14

18. Shang Dynasty
government
religion
society
achievements
Kings ruled, nobles
advised
King at center of religion,
priests used oracle bones to
make predictions
Royal family/nobles at highest
level. Artisans at middle level,
farmers, slaves at lower levels
Writing system, use of
bronze, calendar, ear
chariots, and bows

19. The Zhou Dynasty
 The longest lasting
Dynasty in Chinese
history- 900 years
 Nomadic farmers settled
near the Shang Dynasty’s
kingdom
 They were skilled fighters
& farmers
 They used iron weapons
(stronger than the
Shang’s bronze weapons)

20. Textbook page 167
Chinese Bronze Bells
Music & Dance 2:53

21. Mandate of Heaven
After the Zhou overtook the Shang
Dynasty- they had to get the people
to accept them as the new kings.
They claimed that heaven granted
the emperors the right to rule based
on their ability to govern well and
fairly.
The Son of Heaven gives the right to
a just ruler
The overthrow of a ruler meant he
had lost the Mandate of Heaven
because he was no longer worthy of
it.

22. Zhou Government
Structure
King gives land to the
Lords
Lords preform military
service
Lords protect the
Peasants
Peasants work the
farmland & service
Nobles

23. Zhou Accomplishments
 Huge public works, new dikes, dams and
canals, better agriculture, transportation, and
communication
 Civilization grew, more people than anywhere
else

24. Road to Chaos
Invasions from central
Asia (Warring States)
Lords began fighting
against each other
They lacked loyalty to anyone but themselves
Chaos began to reign
Ruling system crumbled as the Lords began declaring
themselves kings

25. “Kung Fu-Tzu”or Confucius
 Believed society should be like a family with
everyone having roles & responsibilities
 Wanted a return to ethics- moral
values of the ancients
 Lords ignored Confucius
 Confucius was a traveling teacher
with great respect, sharing his ideas
with all
 After Confucius’ death- his students wrote down
his proverbs or Analects

26. Confucianism
 Kung Fu-Tzu lived 551-479 BC
 It is not a religion, but an ethical code of morals for
individuals, society, and government
 Primary goals: order, harmony, peace and happiness on earth
 Achieved through education, self-effort, and self-reflection

27. Confucianism’s Five Relationships
 Most important principles deal with the ideal standard of
conduct that controls social action.
1. Parent-child: kindness in the father & obedient in the son
2. Husband-wife: righteous behavior in the husband &
obedience in the wife
3. Elder sibling- younger sibling: gentility in the eldest
brother & humility and respect in the younger
4. Elder friend- younger friend: humane consideration in
elders & deference in juniors
5. Ruler- subject: benevolence in rulers & loyalty of
ministers & subjects

28. Confucianism Impact
 Initially spread through the Analects after his death
by his students
 Later, his students too positions within the
government
 Ideals formed the basis fro the civil service exam in
China
 Became foundation of Chinese
education
 Teachings spread to Korea and
Japan
Confucius &
Confucianism 8:20

29. Origins Founder Principle
s
Diffusion
China during the
Zhou Dynasty
After the end of
feudalism crime
was rampant and
Confucius spoke
of returning to
the moral
standards of the
ancients
Kung Fu-Tzu
(Confucius) 551-
479 BC
Ethical code
dealing with
moral character
of individuals,
society, and
government
Goals: order,
harmony, peace,
and happiness on
earth
Achieved through
education, self-
effort, and self-
achievement
Standard of
conduct- Five
Relationships
Students/
followers
obtained
government jobs
Analects of his
teachings
Basis for Chinese
Civil Servant
Exam
Foundation for
Chinese
education
Teachings spread
through Korea &
Japan

30. Taosim
 Lao Tse was the founder of this philosophy. He
lived before Confucius, but his teachings took
longer to take root
 Taoism grew as a reaction to the spread of
Confucianism and Buddhism
 Tao (Dao) means “The Way” or “The Path”
 Focus on achieving balance and harmony in the
universe and your life
 Nature represents balance & the way you live

31. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
 Key concept:
“Effortless
doing” occurs
when man’s
efforts &
actions are in
harmony with
the universe
& not in
conflict with
the natural
order
 Harmony with
nature

32. Reflects
harmony and
balance
Symbol
emphasizes
the Three
Jewels:
compassion
moderation
humility

33. Tao Te Ching Text

34. Origins Founder Principles Diffusion
Chinese
philosophies
merged into
one basic
teaching
Grew as a
reaction to
the spread of
Confucianism
and Buddhism
Lao- Tse “The Way” or “The
Path”
Focus on achieving
balance and
harmony within
nature
“effortless doing”-
man’s actions are
at one with nature
Symbol- Yin/Yang
The Three Jewels:
compassion,
moderation, &
harmony
Tao Te Ching text
Spread to areas
immediately near
China
Incorporated into
the teachings &
beliefs of several
philosophies and
religions-most
notable: Buddhism
and Shintoism

35. Activity:
Create a chart
depicting the
differences and
similarities of
Buddhism,
Confucianism and
Taoism
Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism
16:32