Chinese Civilisation.pptx

• China: Early Chinese cultures- Yangshao- Banpo (brief) | Shang
Dynasty- rites and rituals, tombs
• | Zhou Dynasty- Mandate of Heaven, Ritual complex at Feng Chu
(brief), Wangcheng, an ideal city (brief) | Qin Dynasty- Tomb of first
emperors (brief) | Han Dynasty - Mingtang- Biyong ritual complex
(brief) | Great Wall of China (detail)

CHINESE
CIVILIZATION
•DYNASTIES
•CHRONOLOGICAL OUTLINE OF
CHINESE HISTORY
•SHANG DYNASTY & ITS
CONTRIBUTIONS
•ZHOU DYNASTY & ITS
CONTRIBUTIONS
•QIN DYNASTY & ITS
CONTRIBUTIONS

•China is one of the worlds oldest continuous civilization on the banks of Yellow
river in the north and Yangtze river in the south
•China has lots of mountains ,forests and tracts of jungles which make it to be isolate
from other countries
INTRODUCTION

Topography
•Natural Barriers:
Pacific Ocean to the east, Taklimakan Desert ;and Tibetan Plateau in the west;
Himalayan Mountains to the South West; Gobi Desert to the North
•Mostly mountainous
•High plateaus
•Desserts
Taklimakan
Desert
Gobi
Desert
Himalayan
Mountains

CLIMATE
• The Central Zone has Generally Temperate Climate
• The Southern Zone has generally Subtropical Climate
• The Northern Zone has Climate with Winters of Arctic Severity

 XIA DYNASTY
 SHANG DYNASTY
 ZHOU/CHOU DYNASTY
 QIN DYNASTY
 HAN DYNASTY
 SUI DYNASTY
 TANG DYNASTY
 SONG DYNASTY
 YUAN DYNASTY
 MING DYNASTY
 CHING/ QING DYNASTY
DYNASTIE
S

10,000-2,000 BCE Neolithic Cultures
ca. 2100-1600 BCE Xia (Hsia) Dynasty
ca. 1600-1050 BCE
Shang Dynasty
One of the Three Dynasties, or San Dai (Xia, Shang, and Zhou),
thought to mark the beginning of Chinese civilization:
characterized by its writing system, practice of divination, walled
cities, bronze technology, and use of horse-drawn chariots.
ca. 1046-256 BCE
Zhou (Chou) Dynasty: Western Zhou (ca. 1046-771 BCE), Eastern
Zhou (771-256 BCE)
power was bestowed upon aristocratic families
The system eventually broke down into a competition for power
between rival semi-autonomous states in what became known as
the Spring and Autumn war period (ca. 770-475 BCE) and the
Warring States Period.
during these times Confucius (551-479 BCE) lived.

221-206 BCE
Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty
Created a unitary state by imposing a centralized administration and by
standardizing the writing script, weights and measures. Known for its harsh
methods of rule.
206 BCE-220 CE
Han Dynasty: Western/Former Han (206 BCE-9 CE) and Eastern/Later Han
(25-220 CE)
Modified and consolidated the foundation of the imperial order.
Confucianism was established as orthodoxy and open civil service
examinations were introduced. Han power reached Korea and Vietnam.
220-589 CE
Period of Disunity" or Six DynastiesPeriod
The empire was fragmented. The North was dominated by invaders from
the borderland and the steppes. The South was ruled by successive
"Chinese" dynasties. Buddhism spread.
581-618 CE
Sui Dynasty
China reunified.
618-906
Tang (T'ang) Dynasty
This period was the height of Buddhist influence in China
Active territorial expansion also occurred

960-1279
Song (Sung) Dynasty
An era of significant economic and social changes: the monetization of the
economy; growth in commerce and maritime trade; urban expansion and
technological innovations.
1279-1368
Yuan Dynasty
Founded by the Mongols as part of their conquest of much of the world.
Beijing was made the capital. Dramas, such as the famous Story of the Western
Wing, flourished.
1368-1644
Ming Dynasty
important changes in the economy and social relations in the latter part of the
dynasty; also a vibrant literary scene as represented by publication of the
novel Journey to the West.
1644-1912
Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty
Continued the economic developments of the late Ming, leading to prosperity
but also complacency and a dramatic increase in population
1912-1949
Republic Period
Weak central government following the collapse of the dynastic system in
1911-12; Nationalist government bring the entire country under its control .
The Nationalists fled to Taiwan after defeat by the Communists.
1949-
present
People's Republic of China
Communist government

China is one of the world's four ancient civilizations, and the written history of China dates back to the
Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), over 3,000 years ago.
• Possibly the first dynasty in ancient China, it's generally believed that the Xia Dynasty consisted of
several clans living alongside the Yellow River. Most of the evidence for the Xia Dynasty, including its
name, is perhaps just legend.
• There was a Bronze Age Yellow River civilization at this time at Erlitou in Henan; however, artefacts don't
show conclusively that this was the Xia Dynasty of later writings.
• Chinese civilization began along the Yellow River in the Shang era, and spread from there when Bronze
Age culture reached its peak.
• Then, traditional Chinese philosophies, such as Confucianism and Daoism, developed in the feudal
Zhou era as China expanded in territory and population.

The Yangshao culture was a neolithic culture that existed extensively along the Yellow River in China.
It is dated from around 5000 BC to 3000 BC.
It was found mainly in Henan, Shaanxi, southern Hebei and eastern Gansu Provinces.
Its name is derived from the first-known Yangshao Culture site - Yangshao Village in Mianchi County,
Henan Province .
Yangshao Culture gave priority to agriculture, and the main crops are millet and chestnuts. They made
tools by grinding into useful shapes, including knives, milestone, axes, chisels and arrowheads. Some
tools are made of bones, such as harpoons, barbs and other items.
During the period of Yangshao Culture, the agriculture and animal husbandry developed tremendously.
Along with agriculture, they engaged in fishing, hunting and gathering, as well as raising pigs and dogs
like livestock.
YANGSHAO CULTURE, CHINA

The Yangshao culture is conventionally divided into three phases:
•The early period or Banpo phase, c. 5000–4000 BC) is represented by the Banpo,
Jiangzhai, Beishouling and Dadiwan sites in the Wei River valley in Shaanxi.
•The middle period or Miaodigou phase, c. 4000–3500 BC) saw an expansion of the
culture in all directions, and the development of hierarchies of settlements in some
areas, such as western Henan.
•The late period (c. 3500–3000 BC) saw a greater spread of settlement hierarchies. The
first wall of rammed earth in China was built around the settlement of Xishan (25 ha) in
central Henan

YANGSHAO VILLAGE
Encircled by river on three sides and Shaoshan Mountain on the north
side, the site covers an area of 300,000 square meters.
The Yangshao Site was discovered by a Swedish archaeologist in 1921. It is believed to have a matriarchal
culture.

YANGSHAO VILLAGE
The Yangshao village “consisted of three
components: dwelling area, cemetery, and
kilns.
The dwelling area, composed of more
than a hundred houses and a central
plaza (about 4,000 square meters, with a
depressed center).
The houses clustered in five groups
arranged around the plaza, each group
headed by a large house, with the
entrances of all the houses facing the plaza.

YANGSHAO VILLAGE
The burial areas were located to the east side
of the dwelling units.
Also the whole settlement was surrounded by
segments of ditches, which were at times
joined by palisade-style fences.
The kilns were in separate area in the
southwest.
The houses were round or square, with
wattle-and-daub walls and thatched roof.

YANGSHAO VILLAGE
Houses were built by digging a rounded
rectangular pit a few feet deep.
Then they were rammed, and a lattice of
wattle was woven over it. Then it was
plastered with mud. The floor was also
rammed down.
Next, a few short wattle poles would be
placed around the top of the pit, and more
wattle would be woven to it.

YANGSHAO VILLAGE
It was plastered with mud, and a framework of poles would be placed to make a
cone shape for the roof.
Poles would be added to support the roof. It was then thatched with millet stalks.
There was little furniture; a shallow fireplace in the middle with a stool, a bench
along the wall, and a bed of cloth. Food and items were placed or hung against the
walls. A pen would be built outside for animals.

The site is spread over 12.5 to 17.5 acres and includes
over 100 houses, pottery kilns, and burial grounds. The
site was occupied from around 4800 to about 4000 BC.
The early era lasted until around 4300 BC. During the last
three hundred years of occupation, the designs of homes
changed and tools became more sophisticated.
In the picture above you can see the outlines of a circular
house. All early houses were circular and had sunken
floors up to a meter deep. The earth from the depression
may have been used to fashion the walls. The walls were
supported by timber beams and topped with a thatched
roof. In some areas of the village there is evidence of
multiple layers of foundations, showing successive
generations building within the confines of the village.
The site is spread over 12.5 to 17.5 acres and includes over 100 houses, pottery
kilns, and burial grounds. The site was occupied from around 4800 to about 4000
The Banpo site is spread over 12.5 to 17.5 acres and includes over 100 houses, pottery
kilns, and burial grounds.
The site was occupied from around 4800 to about 4000 BC. The early era lasted until
around 4300 BC.
In the picture you can see the outlines of a circular house.
All early houses were circular and had sunken floors up to a meter deep. The earth from
the depression may have been used to fashion the walls. The walls were supported by
timber beams and topped with a thatched roof.
In some areas of the village there is evidence of multiple layers of foundations, showing
successive generations building within the confines of the village.

The village was surrounded by a trench, or moat, as a protection against animals and snakes.
The loose soil was easy to dig and yet it dried hard as adobe when piled to make walls and to support posts.
Firing the clay made it water resistant and durable.
Posts were footed on a large rock or stone and then held in place by a mud footing.
Walls and floors were of fire baked clay.
Some of the houses had multiple rooms built on different levels.
The largest had five levels.
Houses had covered porches in front of a single door.

The late Banpo period saw the addition of a few square houses with rounded corners.
During the last part of the occupation a large rectangular building was constructed.
The roof was supported by 12 posts measuring 5.90 to 8.66 inches thick.
The building itself was 41 feet wide and about 65 feet long with three foot thick walls of fire baked clay. It was
divided in the middle by an east-west wall and there is some evidence that wooden planks may have served as
flooring.
The door was on the south side and the building was used for storage and probably gatherings.
Storage of food was accomplished by digging pits down past the insect layer.
The pits were wider at the bottom than at the top.

The Banpo were an agricultural community and grew millet, a grain, in addition to several types of vegetables.
Bones of dogs, sheep, and pigs showed they had domesticated some animals.
They also hunted and fished for food.
They created arrow points, spear points, balls to use in slings, and fishhooks.
They had quite an assortment of stone tools, including axes, scrapers, grinders, adzes, and cutters
Much of what we know about the culture comes from the burial sites. The adult cemetery was outside the village
confines.
Almost all individuals were buried alone, in an east-west orientation with the head pointing west. Most of the
graves had five or six covered pottery containers of various foods and implements.
The size, number, and shapes of the pottery varies from grave to grave.

Shang Dynasty
• Took over China in 1600 BC
• Ruled for ~700 years
• Took over 1800 smaller city-states
• Divided government into provinces controlled by
loyal governors

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

Buildings
• In the cities people lived in rectangular houses laid out in rows, built of wood and
rammed earth.
• In the center of the city, there was a big palace or temple on a high earth platform. One
building at An-yang was a big hall with pillars all the way around it.

• There was a city wall of rammed earth around the Shang capital at An-
yang. These were built by piling up dirt and pounding it until it was as hard
as rock.
`
• Other people at that time were building rammed earth altars, in circular
patterns one to worship Heaven, and square ones to worship Earth.
• In the summertime, people moved out of their dark sod houses and lived
instead in a tree- house built on a wooden platform, with the roof made of
poles and branches. Living high up in the air kept them safe from animals
and snakes.
• They had accomplished metal workers & craftsmen
• Made Bronze containers for cooking & religious ceremonies, axes,
knives

Military
• Military developed bronze weapons, body armor, powerful bows
and arrows, & war chariots

Other Advancements
• They farmed millet, wheat, barley, & rice
• They grew silkworms, dogs, pigs, & sheep
• Astrologers created a calendar based on the cycles of the moon to
help predict births, deaths, harvest time etc.

Writing System
• More than 2,000 symbols to express words or ideas
• Today’sChinese 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

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 13 000 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.

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

Central complex (1275 BC) at Yin consisted —:
— A building with a 50-meter-wide courtyard, presumably a palace. — Behind it was an open
air platform at the center of which rested a square, probably two-storied structure that served
as the cosmological center of the kingdom – in front of which sacrifices were made.
In other parts of the world, function(building) is often easily determined, but in early Chinese
architecture – Most of the buildings are ritual structures, regardless of what practical uses may be
ascribed to them.
From temple and palace to farmhouse c most important part of the building is – spiritual centre where
ancestors, gods, or revered persons are venerated. Emphasis on cosmic symbolism — manifested
tombs.
At the center of a royal grave, is the wood-chambered tomb, decorated, painted and placed –12 m
below ground.
Two / four ramps lead down from – surface to the sides of the chamber, in the center of which the king
was buried. In some tombs, guards were buried in the corners, each with a dog and holding a weapon.
During this time, porcelain wares were invented and jade carving techniques perfected; silk weaving
was of the highest quality.

Layout of Shang tomps Plan and Section : Tomp of Fu hao, near yin, Anyang country, China

Religion
• Gods for different parts of life
• Topgod 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

The Tomb of Fu hoe –Shang Dynasty
• China's Bronze Age began soon after 2000 B.C. The Shang dynasty (1600-1050 B.C.) had not
only bronze technology, but also writing, walled cities, and a complex state structure.
• Shang tombs, thousands of which have been excavated, provide rich evidence of Shang material
culture and ritual practices. China's Bronze Age began soon after 2000 B.C.
• Dated around 1250 BC, it is a tomb of modest size located outside the main royal cemetery.
• The tomb is a single large pit, 5.6 m by 4 m at the mouth.
• The floor level housed the royal corpse and most of the utensils and implements buried with
her. Below the corpse was a small pit holding the remains of six dogs, and along the perimeters lay
the skeletons of 16 humans.
• Inside the pit was a wooden chamber 5 m long, 3.5 m wide and 1.3 m high.
• Within the chamber was a lacquered coffin which has since rotted away.
• There also seems to have once been a structure built over the tomb for holding memorial
ceremonies.

ZHOU DYNASTY – CHINA
 The Zhou dynasty era lasted 800 years until the end of China's bronze age – longest lasting dynasty.
 The Zhou era is divided into three parts:
Western Zhou rule from 1045 until 771 BC, empire divided into dozens of competing kingdoms during
Spring and Autumn Period (770–476), and these finally merged into several big and warring kingdoms
during the Warring states period (475–221).
 Major philosophies and religions emerged that were the basis of religious and social belief in later
eras such as Confucianism and Daoism from about 600 BC onwards.
Eastern & Western dynasties distinguished by the relocation of the capital city from Hao (near the
city of Xi‘an) in the west – Luoyang in Henan Province.

The Western Zhou Period (1045–770)
 King of the Zhou tribe — Zhou Wu attacked
the last king of
the Shang Dynasty and became — first Zhou
emperor.
 Was initially strong but over time, territory
grew, local rulers became more powerful.
Consequence: weak central government and rise of the regional power.
 Zhou was also the beginning of China’s Iron Age. The Iron Age influenced future leaders to use
military force and to introduce the ‗Mandate of Heaven‘.**
 During Western Zhou period — :
 cities were noble fortresses.
 goods circulated mostly through tribute and gift rather than trade.
 artisans were a hereditary caste of serfs attached to states or courts.
 ministers & court members – chosen based on birth rather than talent.
 Battles between regional leaders were relatively short and, for the nobles, restrained by a code of
chivalry.

Zhou Conquers Shang
• 1027- around this time, Zhou replaced Shang
Dynasty
• Zhou defended their attack on the Shang said the Shang lost the
Mandate of Heaven
• Mandate of Heaven: idea that the emperor, the son of Heaven, has the
support of the gods, as long as he rules correctly

The "Mandate of Heaven" is an ancient Chinese concept,
which originated during the Zhou Dynasty ,where rulers
were claiming to be “Sons of God”. The Mandate
determines whether an emperor of China is good enough
to rule; if he does not fulfill his obligations as emperor,
then he loses the Mandate and thus the right to be
emperor

Mandate of Heaven
• Chinese myth-
• China’s first ruler thought to be son of the sky god
and an earthly mother
• His kids= Sons of Heaven
• Became an important theory about the right of rulers
to rule
theory= rulers gained power by heaven, and kept
power by governing properly
Natural disasters, famine, war= ruler lost Mandate of
Heaven

• Feudal state similar to Shang
• Land divided into territories, that were ruled by lord
• Zhou extended Chinese boundaries through
central China - As far south as Chang Jiang River
Two classes: upper and lower
• Upper class: kings and lords
• Lower class: peasants, merchants, and artisans
• Monarchs acted as priest
• Ancestor worship, important agricultural ceremonies

Public Works
• Ambitious public works projects
• Irrigation projects= increased food grown
• Roads & canals= easier travel
• Wall across north= protection from nomadic people
• Bronze making= changes in design
• Iron use= introduced and used for agricultural tools &
military weapons
• Money use= introduced
• Writing= improved; took on its modern character; first
Chinese books written

Political Unrest
• Zhou gradually lost control of the kingdom
• Lords rebelled against king
• 770 B.C.E- king fled east & established new capital at
Luoyang
• Zhou kings eventually lost political and military control
• Stayed on as priests
• Lords fought each other, trying to increase territories
• 481- 256 B.C.E.- Warring States period
• Three important schools of thought develop
• Zhou kept power until 256 B.C.E.

Eastern Zhou Dynasty began in 770 BC with the death of King You(last king of Western
Zhou Dynasty) and over 25 emperors have reigned over the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Sub
divided into two periods : — Spring and Autumn Period (770–476BC) Confucius (551–
BCE), proposed an ethical philosophy based on the principles of proper conduct. —
Warring states period (476- 221BC) Warfare between the states. During this period
Confucianism and Daoism formulated.
Society was going through great changes during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Many people
had their own attitudes and opinions about changes in society.
— they developed their own doctrines & had many followers. —Different doctrines affected
and competed each other.
—The main schools of thought were Confucianism set by Confucius, Taoism by Lao Zi,
Mohism set by Mo Zi, and Legalism set by Han Feizi.
— All these schools of thought have influenced the Chinese people from generation to
generation.

The Ritual Complex
 Under the Zhou, ritual halls became part of the standard architectural vocabulary.
 Halls were places where the elite gathered according to their status in the social hierarchy.
 Assemblies – for political purposes and rituals – marked noble rank were held.
 Components of the temple – a gatehouse, a large central court, the ritual hall, and its
flanking halls.
Tang: Elevated Hall
Shi: solid - walled chambers
Xiang, fang: chambers
Shu: gate houses
Ting: Courtyard

Plan: Ritual complex at Fengchu, Shaanxi Province, China
The plan was – a strict adherence to geometry
and was designed – to indicate the position
and role of each participant precisely.
 Axially and symmetrically arranged series of
buildings and courtyards framed by walled
enclosure on 3 sides.
 Entrance – is a gate in front of which was a
freestanding wall, which, as in later Chinese
structures, served to prevent unwanted spirits
from entering the complex.
 A large courtyard (behind the gate) framing –
the main hall, elevated on a platform, and
accessible by three flights of stairs.
Excavations beneath some of the rooms –
- Found tortoise shells and oracle bones, wherefrom
understood that this was a ceremonial complex.
Main construction – wood, with bronze used to bind &
reinforce structural elements at the joints -

Warring States Period (475-221 BC)
• An era of division in ancient China.
• time of turmoil & violence — with constant warfare between - regional states.
• States declared independence from the Zhou Dynasty, and kingdoms fought for
territory, during this period.
• By 334 BC there were 7 warring states: Qin, Chu, Zhao, Wei, Han, Yan, and Qi.
• Warring States Period ended with Qin's conquest of the other states.
• succeeded by the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC, which marked the transition between
ancient China and Imperial China.
• was also a time of great intellectual and artistic activity, when the intellectual
traditions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism originated

Architecture during Warring States Period During warring states period,
• city was reshaped and its internal structure was reconfigured.
• new and sharp boundaries — drawn within the city, between —
political district, which was protected with its own wall, and the
merchants‘ district.
• New architectural elements appeared — through height and
verticality, emphasized the ruler’s authority, claiming authority through
buildings — critical for ruler‘s image.
• Towers, pillar gates, and raised buildings — used to demonstrate
power.
• Stepped terraces — called tai platforms — used as foundations for
buildings — Gave impression of multiple-storied buildings (structures
to rise above the city)
• Purpose of these towers, raised buildings - ruler was both all-seeing and
yet invisible.
• in China, ruler/ his persons status was derived from being hidden and
remote.
The monumentality of Palace
complexes in the warring state period

Architecture of tombs and graveyards became increasingly important at Warring
States period Most visible remnants of Zhou architecture are, in fact, tombs, of which
more than 6000 have — discovered.
Tomb of Zeng Hou Yi
• Consist an irregularly shaped vertical pit, 13m deep, more than 200 square meters in area.
• Consist four chambers — divided by wooden planks.
• eastern chamber contained principal chamber, with marquis‘ body — double coffin (a coffin that, in
turn, was encased in another, space between outer coffin and the chamber walls was filled with
charcoal, clay, and earth to seal it as completely as possible.), the coffins of eight young women, and a
dog in its own coffin.
• western chamber contained — skeletons of thirteen young women( ruler‘s concubines).
• remaining two chambers were filled with — ritual objects and weapons made of bronze, gold,
copper, lacquer, wood, jade, and other materials.
• Curious aspect of tomb — is small window like openings connecting all four chambers
• Even the marquis‘ outer coffin bears a rectangular hole, and his inner coffin is painted with doors and
windows with lattice patterns. [series of doorways in this tomb might be there to facilitate the movement of the p’o (earthy
soul )in its underground “palace.”]

City Planning First Appeared in Zhou Dynasty

The Wang Cheng (imperial city) built by artisan was in a square pattern, stretching nine line each side and each inset
with three city gates.
Within the city there were nine horizontal streets and nine vertical streets, each wide enough to accommodate nine
carts running parallel (the center of the city was a palatial town); set up on the left side of the palatial town was an
ancestral temple for worshipping the ancestors of Emperor Zhou; on the right side was a Sheji Altar for worshipping
the god of land and the god of grain.
In front of the palace was a square called "Wai Chao" (looking outside), and at the back of the palace was a market.
This fact shows that during the Western Zhou Dynasty, monarchical power had risen above clan and religious
authority, which was of important significance in the history of palace.
In ancient times, the site of a city was chosen on the basis of geomantic omen, favoring those by rivers or near
mountains, so as to avoid drought and flood.
Many famous cities like Xi'an, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing and Nanjing, were all built on this
theory.
The streets in ancient cities were like grids

Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
No doubt thousands of statues still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological site, which was not discovered until
1974. Qin (d. 210 B.C.), the first unifier of China, is buried, surrounded by the famous terracotta warriors, at the centre
of a complex designed to mirror the urban plan of the capital, Xianyan.
The small figures are all different; with their horses, chariots and weapons, they are masterpieces of realism and also of
great historical interest.
Located at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain, 35 kilometers northeast of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Qinshihuang
Mausoleum is the tomb of Emperor Qinshihuang, founder of the first unified empire in Chinese history during the 3rd
century BCE.
Begun in 246 BCE the grave mound survives to a height of 51.3 meters within a rectangular, double-walled enclosure
oriented north-south.
Nearly 200 accompanying pits containing thousands of life-size terra cotta soldiers, terra cotta horses and bronze
chariots and weapons - a world-renowned discovery - together with burial tombs and architectural remains total over
600 sites within the property area of 56.25 square kilometers.
According to the historian Sima Qian (c. 145-95 BCE), workers from every province of the Empire toiled unceasingly
until the death of the Emperor in 210 in order to construct a subterranean city within a gigantic mound.
Qin Dynasty

As the tomb of the first emperor who unified the country, it is the largest in Chinese history, with a unique
standard and layout, and a large number of exquisite funeral objects.
It testifies to the founding of the first unified empire- the Qin Dynasty, which during the 3rd BCE, wielded
unprecedented political, military and economic power and advanced the social, cultural and artistic level of the
empire.
Because of their exceptional technical and artistic qualities, the terracotta warriors and horses, and the funerary carts in
bronze are major works in the history of Chinese sculpture prior to the reign of the Han dynasty.
The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is the largest preserved site in China. It is a unique architectural ensemble whose layout
echoes the urban plan of the capital, Xianyang

The Tomb of the First Emperor — located in Lishan — one of the most celebrated archaeological finds
in China,
outer perimeter wall — 6 meters thick.
constructed — using rammed earth,
encloses an area of approximately 2 square kilometres.
Main entrance is on the east.
Within the perimeter there was a second walled enclosure with four more gates, one on each of the
four sides.
Outside the eastern entrance, more than 8,000 life-size terra-cotta figures, (grouped in battle order, rank by
rank, some mounted on horse-drawn chariots, others in infantry groups armed with spears, swords, and crossbows) — were
discovered.
Vault no. 1 is the largest, measuring 60 by 210 meters.
In eleven parallel trenches there are over 3,000 terra-cotta foot soldiers arranged as an infantry
regiment, facing away from the emperor‘s tomb.
eastern gallery — occupied by bowmen and crossbowmen in a formation of three rows, making a
total of almost 200 sharpshooters.
Terracotta Soldiers — were portraits of the emperor‘s guard of honor

One of the most well-known styles of art during the Han Dynasty was burial art, which
evolved between the Western and Eastern Han periods.
Timber was the chief building material in Han Dynasty architecture, used for grand palace
halls, multi-story towers, multi-story residential halls, and humble abodes.
Han Dynasty architecture included — brick and rammed earth walls, rammed earth platforms, and
funerary stone pillar-gates

Mingtang-Biyong Ritual Complex
If the capital of the Qin Dynasty was designed as a miniature of the Chinese
Empire, then neighboring Chang'an was designed to represent heaven itself. For
Qin, rituals often include different rituals from distant regions of China. According to
the "Historical Records", the sacrifice ritual is called "knowledge" and is held in the
highlands of the forest area, where people worship sacrifices to the gods in four
directions, the colors are white, blue, yellow and red. The Han Dynasty increased
the Qin Dynasty's rituals, sacrificed to heaven, earth, mountains and rivers, sun
and moon, stars and planetary gods, and built artificial replicas of natural altars in
the capital itself.

All these coincide with the concept of imperial power.
the emperor has the responsibility to perform a specific set of ceremonies to prove that he is a legitimate
emperor-to confirm his own position within the system, and at the same time to confirm the system
itself. He is regarded as the Son of Heaven and executes his destiny This order did not require the
emperor to have a noble origin, in fact, several dynasties were established by people of ordinary origin.
If the emperor is overthrown, it is considered that he lost his destiny. Therefore, a successful rebellion
was interpreted as evidence that God's approval had been passed on to successive dynasties. In principle,
this system encourages good and fair rule by the rulers. Practice is another matter.
In Chang'an, the ritual structures that were at the core of this mandate is in the south of the city. They are
called Biyong ("Yuhuan Moat") and Mingtang ("Guangmingtang", 141-86 BC), and are designated as the
intersection of heaven (circle) and earth (square), and surround four main directions .
The circular moat of Biyong that defines its outer perimeter is bridged by paths coming in from the
cardinal directions and heading into a square enclosure, in the center of which, on a round terrace, was
the main bi-level sacred hall, the Mingtang. The walls of the four outer chambers were painted with
colors associated with each direction: east, green; south, red; west, white; and north, black. The structure
was aligned with the mausoleum of Emperor Gaozu, the founder of the Han dynasty, which was located
on the north side of the Wei River.

GREAT WALL OF CHINA
•The history of Great wall of China is said to
be started from the Spring and Autumn Period
(770-476 BC).Over the following 2000 years.
•It is a series of fortifications made of stone,
brick, rammed earth, wood, and other
materials,
•Generally built along an east-to-west line across
the historical northern borders of China to
protect the Chinese states and empires against
the raids and invasions of the various nomadic
groups / pastoral people.
•The wall is about 8851.8 Kms long during Ming
Dynasty

• Built in several stages
•The first began with the lifting of
a defensive wall in the northern territories,
before the unification of the Qin Dynasty, 476 BC
•It was from the dynasty of Qin Shi Huangdi, first
emperor of China,its construction became more
relevant.
•It was not built all at once
•It is the union of several walls built over a period
of about a thousand years.
• Its present form was completed during the Ming
•Dynasty.
There have been four major periods in its
construction:
1. Period of the Qin Dynasty- BC 221
2. Period of the Han Dynasty- BC 210

IT stretches from near the Korean border a short distance
from Beijing and near the Bohai Sea, to the Gobi Desert in
Yang Kuan. It extends from east to west Across six
provinces and autonomous regions and municipality in
northern China.
LOCATION

The Great Wall is composed of walls, steps,
towers and gates.
Watch
Tower
STRUCTURE
• Basically, the structure consisted of a long wall of
compacted clay and sand covered with several brick walls
that made it very tough.
• The most used technique for the
• realization of the walls was to make a wooden skeleton
was filled with soil layers, one over another. Allowed to dry
and the frame was removed, leaving solid earth walls.
Some stretches of land that was mixed with stones and
covered with bricks.

MATERIALS USED
WALL
•Thematerials used are those available in
the vicinity of the construction.
•Near Beijing limestone was used
•Some places granite or fired brick.
• In some regions stones with a high metal
content were used
•Those from Shan Xi, the building have the
appearance of being made with silver stones.
SOIL
•The floors were based on a mixture of stone and
mortar in four or six layers, compacted with rollers
made from tree trunks, giving them a strong floor

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