Early Chinese civilization began around 2070 BC in the Huang He (Yellow River) valley, with important dynasties including the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Government was organized under a series of dynastic rulers, with kings serving as both political and religious leaders assisted by priests. The economy was based around agriculture, with rice grown in southern China and wheat in northern China, in addition to trade and mining. Religion involved worship of nature deities and ancestors, with kings performing sacrifices. Writing began as early as 1500 BC using oracle bones, and architecture featured symmetrical designs with column support.

1. Early China
The Huang He valley
was the place where
this early civilization
started.
Important dynasties
ruled China:
• 1. Xia Dynasty (2070-1600
B.C.)
• 2. Shang Dynasty (1600-
1046 B.C.) Part of the Erlitou site in Yanshi, central China’s
Henan province.
• 3. Zhou Dynasty (1046-256
B.C.)
Qin dynasty (unified China,
first emperor)
221 B.C.

2. GOVERNMENT
The Qin dynasty was the first of 17
dynasties that ruled China during the
Imperial period.
During the first ancient dynasties, there
was a king who was the religious leader as
well.
There were some priest who helped the
king predict the future through scratching
animal bones or tortoise shells.
The Chinese believed in a principle called
“Mandate of Heaven”.

3. ECONOMY
Its varied geography:
mountains, the Gobi desert,
the Pacific ocean, and 3
main rivers has affected its
economical development.
In the North China Plain
they became farmers. In China people have spent most of their time
farming, in northern China they mostly farm wheat,
There was also a lot of while in southern they farm rice.
trade with India and The
Persian Empire.
Mining was another
important activity, specially
salt.
They used cowrie shells for
money (1800 B.C.) and
later they used paper
money, by 1100 B.C.
Han Dynasty coin of the Empress Kuo

4. Religion
It is known from
written records that
the Shang people
believed in weather
gods and sky gods
and kings also
performed religious
duties:
• Communicate with
nature deities
• Prayed, made
offerings and
performed sacrifices Apotheosis of the Buda, Northern Wei Dynasty
504 B.C.
• Call upon their
ancestors to predict
the future

5. Writing and clothing
Clothing during Ming
Chinese oracle bone
Dynasty, 1400 B.C.
Shang dynasty, about 1500 B.C.
People wore tunics. Rich people wore silk and
during the Sui dynasty, the emperor decided that
poor people couldn’t wear colors (only blue or
black), only rich ones could.
Writing started about 1500 B.C. using oracle
bones to predict the future, this kind of writing is
very similar to the one they still use now.

6. Architecture
Most people used to
live in mudbrick
houses.
Rich people built
temples and palaces The forbidden City, imperial palaces
following some Of the Ming and Qin dynasties, Beijing.
design ideas:
• Symmetry
• The roof was held up
by columns not by
walls
• Bridges showed the
idea of symmetry and
balance
Sung pagoda in Hong Kong

7. Shang bronze pitcher, about 1300 B.C.
Chinese art
They use to make many
jars and plaques out of
bronze
During the Chin dynasty,
art changed and started to
represent people instead of
animals.
During Han dynasty
Chinese artists started to
paint in paper
Chinese artists were
influenced by Buddhism
from India and they
represented Buda in
different materials.
Terracotta Warriors

8. Other important Achievements
Almost all science was
oriented to
engineering but
Chinese invented:
Paper (100 A.D.)
Magnetic compass Early Chinese paper
(200 A.D.)
Gunpowder (142 A.D.)
Mathematics was
taught at schools (200
A.D.)
Block printing (850
A.D.)
Wong Jei’s block-printed scroll, 868 A.D.