Early societies developed along the Yellow River in China starting around 5000 BCE. The Xia and Shang dynasties emerged around 2200 BCE and 1766 BCE respectively, establishing hereditary monarchies and organized agricultural societies. The Shang utilized advanced bronze metallurgy and built fortified cities. By 1122 BCE, the Zhou dynasty overthrew the Shang using new iron weapons and decentralized political authority. Regional states grew more powerful, and internal conflicts increased during the Warring States period from 403-221 BCE, setting the stage for unification under Qin rule.

1. Chapter 5
Early Society in East Asia
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2. The Yellow River
 3000 Miles: Tibet to the Yellow Sea
 Deposits fertile, light colored soil
 Periodic flooding: “China’s sorrow”
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3. Prehistoric Society: Yangshao
 5000-3000 BCE
 Banpo Village
 Painted pottery
 Bronze tools
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4. The Earliest Dynasties
 Xia
 C. 2200 BCE
 Organized through
village network
 Hereditary monarchy
 Flood control
 Shang
 1766-1122 BCE
 Zhou
 1122-256 BCE
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5. Shang Dynasty
 Bronze metallurgy from 1200 BCE
 State monopoly
 Horse-drawn chariots, other wheeled vehicles
 Large armies
 Political organization: network of fortified cities, loyal to
center
 1000 cities
 Capital moved six times
 Impressive architecture at Ao, Yin
 Other regional kingdoms coexist: Sanxingdui
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6. Shang Dynasty Burial Practices
 Hierarchical social structure
 Live burials alongside deceased member of ruling class
 Sacrificial victims, mostly slaves
 Wives, servants, friends, hunting companions
 Later replaced by statuary, often monumental
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7. Zhou Dynasty, 1122-256 BCE
 No law codes: rule by decree
 “Mandate of Heaven”
 Aggregation of villages opposed to Shang
leadership
 Decentralization of authority
 Development of cheap iron weaponry ends Shang
monopoly on Bronze
 Early money economy
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8. Decline of the Zhou Dynasty
 Decentralized leadership style allows for building
of regional powers
 Increasing local independence, refusal to pay Zhou
taxes
 Iron metallurgy allows for widespread creation of
weaponry
 Northern invaders weaken Zhou dynasty,
beginning 8th c BCE
 Internal dissention: the Period of the Warring
States (403-221 BCE)
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9. Period of the Warring States (403-221
BCE)
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10. Social Order
 Ruling classes great advantage
 Palatial compounds, luxurious lifestyle
 Supported by agricultural surplus, tax revenues
 Defended by monopoloy on bronze weaponry
 Hereditary privilege
 Support class of artisans, craftsmen
 Evidence of long-distance trade, merchant class
 Large class of semiservile peasants
 Slave class
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11. Family and Patriarchy
 devotion to family, ancestor veneration
 connection of spirit world to physical world
 Ritual sacrifices
 Father ritual head of family rites
 Earlier prominence of individual female leaders
fades in later Shang, Zhou dynasties
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12. Oracle Bones and Early Chinese Writing
 Used for communicating with spirit world,
determining future
 Question written on animal bones, turtle shells
 Then heated over fire, cracks examined for omens
 Early archaeological evidence of Chinese writing
 Evolution of Chinese script
 Pictograph to ideograph
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13. Oracle Bone from Shang Dynasty
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14. Zhou Literature
 Confucius (discussed in chapter 8)
 Book of Changes
 Manual for divination
 Book of History
 Book of Etiquette (Book of Rites)
 Book of Songs
 Little survived
 Often written on perishable bamboo strips
 Many destroyed by Emperor of Qin dynasty in 221 BCE
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15. Nomadic Peoples of Central Asia
 Steppe nomads
 Poor lands for cultivation, extensive herding activities
 Horses domesticated c. 4000 BCE, bronze metallurgy
in 2900 BCE
 Extensive trade with sedentary cultures in China
 Tensions: frequent raiding
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16. Southern Expansion of Chinese Society
 Yangzi Valley
 Yangzi river: Chang Jiang, “long river”
 Excellent for rice cultivation
 Irrigation system developed
 The State of Chu
 Autonomous, challenged Zhou dynasty
 Culture heavily influenced by Chinese
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