The document summarizes key aspects of early Chinese history from the Shang Dynasty to later dynasties like Tang and Song. It discusses major rivers in China, factors that led to China's isolation, achievements under the Shang including writing and metal casting, the development of feudalism and philosophies under the Zhou and Warring States periods, the unification of China under Qin Shi Huangdi, and the golden age under the Han who expanded the empire and established the Silk Road for trade.

1. China

2. China’s Rivers
• Huang He- Yellow River
– Valley has a fertile yellow silt called Loess
– Devastating floods>>>irrigation
• Yangtze- Chang
• Xi

3. Why was China isolated from the rest
of the world?
• The Himalaya
Mountains and Gobi
Desert caused China to
be isolated from the
rest of the world.
• Hindered cultural
diffusion
• Called themselves the
“Middle Kingdom”
– Center of the world
– Strong sense of national
identity

4. Shang Dynasty
1700-1000 BCE
First Chinese dynasty that can be dated by written record
A. Kings were political and religious leaders
B. Polytheistic- nature deities
C. Animism: spirits inhabit everything (rock, human,
cat)
D. Worshipped ancestors
E. Oracle bones to tell future – first examples of writing
•
Priest would carve questions onto an oracle bone, heat up the bone, the bone would
crack, priest would interpret cracks to tell the future!
F. Dragons: symbol of the Chinese rulers, all powerful, lives in sea
and sky

5. II. Shang Achievements
A. Writing- calligraphy, symbols represented
objects and ideas, and were written in
vertical columns
B. Metal Casting- fine bronze objects
C. Colored cloth
D. Pottery
E. Great cities
– Anyang: capital, palace and temple in center,
homes along the outside

6. Zhou (“Joe”)
1028-221 BCE
• Conquered the Shang Dynasty and adopted their
culture
• Ruled by the Mandate of Heaven: gods gave kings the
right to rule
– Shang rulers were not just and had lost their favor with the
gods- why they were replaced
• Cavalry, crossbow
• Feudalism- nobles owe loyalty to the ruler in exchange
for land
– Nobles promise to fight for ruler and protect peasant who
live their land
– Nobles gain power and rulers lose power…

8. Warring States Period
475-221 BCE
• Time of political instability
• Feudal lords became regional leaders and
fought one another
• Scholars wrote and debated ideas about
political rule
• 3 Main philosophies emerge:
– Confucianism
– Daoism/Taoism
– Legalism

9. The Dynastic Cycle
Dynasty
falls
New
dynasty
Problems
Aging
Dynasty

10. Qin “Chin”
221-210 BCE
• One of the feudal lords- Qin
Shi Huangdi united China
– 1st Emperor
• Emperor has ALL powerautocracy
• Took land and taxed local
lords- lords lost power
• Censorship- burned books
that disagreed
• Standardized laws, writing,
coins
• Strict and harsh ruler
– Legalism

11. Qin…and the Great Wall
• Connected previous walls to create the Great Wall of
China
– Protection from northern attacks
– Wall during Qin reaches 1,500 miles
• Used forced peasant labor

12. Han Dynasty (207BCE-220 CE)
• Liu Bang: over threw the Qin and declared
himself emperor of the new Han Dynasty
– Empress Lii- wife who helped rule after his death
• Emperor Wudi- Liu Bang’s great grandson,
greatest ruler, expanded empire and trade

13. Han…
•
•
•
•
Pax Sinica: time of prosperity and stability
Empire expands north, south, west
Expanded trade routes to the west– Silk Road
Established a civil service system-people get
positions based on merit or ability, not birth
• Confucius values

14. The Silk Road
Goods and Ideas Traded: Cultural Diffusion
I.
Description
A.
B.
C.
Trade route connecting China to the Mediterranean Sea
4,000 miles long
Protected by the Han government
A.
Had to extend the Great Wall
East to West
1.
2.
3.
4.
Silk
Spices
Jade
Lacquer
1.
2.
3.
4.
West to East
Gold
Ivory
Glass
Buddhism

15. The Silk Road

16. Later Dynasties
• Sui
– Builds the Grand Canal! 1000 miles, 5 years
– Connected the Huang He and Yangtze Rivers
– Forced labor- people turn against Dynasty
• Tang
– Empress Wu Zhoa- only woman to hold complete power
and title of Emperor
– Strengthens central government
– Promotes trade, guards Silk Road with army
• Song
– Population of China doubles
– Great achievements

17. Yin and Yang:
the two opposing forces present in nature
YIN
•
•
•
•
•
Female
Darkness
Cold
Earth/ moon
Winter and
Fall
• Submissive
YANG
•
•
•
•
•
Male
Light
Warm
Heaven/ sun
Summer and
Spring
• Aggressive
Everything in nature has both elements…for harmony you need to find the balance between the two

18. Buddhism in China
• Reached China just as the Han Dynasty was
collapsing
• Spread from India through missionaries
(ASOKA)
• Mahayan Buddhism- worshipped Buddha as
god
• Confusianist admired the Eightfold Path
• Daoist admired meditation

19. Chinese Achievements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Movable Type
Gun Powder
Porcelain
Paper Money
Magnetic Compass
Spinning Wheel
Acupuncture