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Chinese Civilization: an Overview
The document provides a summary of Chinese dynasties from 1500 BCE to 1911 CE. It focuses on details about the Shang Dynasty, which ruled from around 1500 BCE to 1027 BCE. Key points: - The Shang Dynasty was the first dynasty to create a stable government in China, laying the foundations for future dynasties. They developed writing, calendar, arts, and bronze casting. - Kings ruled as absolute monarchs. Society was divided into classes like nobles, artisans, farmers and slaves. Religion involved ancestor worship and divination rituals using oracle bones. - The Qin Dynasty unified China's warring states in 221 BCE. The First Emperor standardized laws, currency and measurements. Not
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Chinese Civilization: an Overview
- 1. Humanities People‘s Republic ofChina 中华人民共和国 Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó
- 3. Chinese Dynasties • ShangDynasty (1500 BCE – 1027 BCE) • Zhou Dynasty (1027 BCE – 256 BCE) • Qin Dynasty (221 BCE – 206 BCE) • Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE) • Six Dynasties (220 CE – 587 CE) • Sui Dynasty (587 CE – 618 CE) • Tang Dynasty (618 CE – 960 CE) • Song Dynasty (960 CE – 1279 CE) • Ming Dynasty (1279 CE – 1644 CE) • Ching Dynasty (1644 CE – 1911 CE)
- 5. SHANG DYNASTY (YellowRiver Civilization) • The Shang Dynasty (c.1600-1046 BCE) was the second dynasty of China which succeeded the Xia Dynasty (c. 2700- 1600 BCE) after the overthrow of the Xia. Since many historians question whether the Xia Dynasty really existed, the Shang Dynasty may have actually been the first in China and the origin of what has come to be recognized as Chinese culture. • The stability of the country during the Shang Dynasty led to numerous cultural advances such as industrialized bronze casting, the calendar, religious rituals, and writing. • The first king, Tang, instantly began to work for the people of his country instead of for his own pleasure and luxury and provided a role model for his successors. These men created a stable government which would continue for 600 years but eventually, according to the records of the Chinese historians, they lost the mandate of heaven which allowed them to rule.
- 6. Emperors • The ShangDynasty was a monarchy governed by a series of kings, 29 or 30 in total, over the course of almost 600 years. The founder of Shang Dynasty was Cheng Tang. •Jiān Jiǎ •Wài Rén •Zhòng Dīng •Tài Wù •Yōng Jǐ •Xiǎo Jiǎ •Tài Gēng •Wò Dīng •Tài Jiǎ •Zhòng Rén •Zǔ Gēng •Zǔ Jiǎ •Lǐn Xīn •Kāng Dīng •Wǔ Yǐ •Wén Dīng •Di Xin •Dì Yǐ •Zǔ Xīn •Zǔ Yǐ • Zǔ Dīng • Nán Gēng • Yáng Jiǎ • Pán Gēng • Xiǎo Xīn • Xiǎo Yǐ • Wǔ Dīng • Wò Jiǎ • Wài Bǐng
- 7. Shang Dynasty -Social Hierarchy • 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 resourceSlaves
- 8. Shang Kings andNobles • Lived in large timber or stone houses • Could afford to buy art, so artisans gathered around the capital at Anyang Upper Class Common Population ▪ Most people were farmers ▪ Grew millet and other crops in the Huang He valley ▪ Huang He valley loess was very fertile surplus in food growth in population ▪ These peasants lived in small farming communities ▪ Homes=pits dug into the ground with thatched roofs ▪ Worked very hard on farm & in public projects like building dikes and as soldiers during war
- 9. • Polytheistic • 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- like Egyptians. Religion
- 11. 3 Religions /Philosophies of China (introduced during the Han Dynasty) Daoism (“The Way”) Philosophy on living emphasizing the relationship between humans and nature. Also, it stresses the idea of the individual moving into harmony with “the way of the universe” Confucianism Philosophies from scholar and teacher Confucius (born in 551 BCE). Confucianism concerned with the human world and the attainment of peace. Social order and respect are central to this way of life. Buddhism spread to China from India on the “Silk Road”. The Chinese practice Mahayana Buddhism.
- 12. 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.
- 13. Shang Oracle Bones •Before the discovery of Shang oracle bones scholars had no firm proof that the Shang Dynasty existed. • Shang dynasty used reptilian parts like turtles, not just mammals. • They carved a record of the divination on the scapulas and plastrons, establishing themselves as the first fully literate civilization east of the Indus. • 150,000 inscribed oracle bones are in collections around the world.
- 14. Bone Script • Useof pictographs and ideographs • Rectlininear, simple shapes • Little variation in line width • Thousands of characters found from • all the bone fragments • Many characters remain undeciphered
- 15. Interpretations • Diviner crackedbone, interpreted it, and engraver cut a record of the interpretation into the scapula or plastron. Inscriptions included: • Cyclical day of divination • Name of diviner • Sometimes the location • Charge (the topic in question) • The diviners interpretation • Divination took place on every day of the ten-day Shang week.
- 16. Oracle Questions Sacrifices Militarycampaigns Hunting expeditions Outcome of the next day/night Weather Agriculture Sickness Childbirth Dreams Divine assistance or approval • “Will the king have a son?” • “Will it rain tomorrow?” • “If we send 3,000 men into battle, will we succeed?” • “Is the long drought caused by ancestor X?”
- 17. • The ShangDynasty is generally known as the Bronze Age of China. • Bronze played an important role in the material culture of the time. Everyday Items made from bronze: • Ceremonial vessels for food or wine • Piece-mold casting Weapons: • Bronze-tipped halberd and spear • Compound bow • Horse-drawn chariots Achievements in Bronze Metallurgy
- 19. • Tea likelyoriginated in southwest China during the Shang dynasty as a medicinal drink. • Tea was regularly imported from China to Russia via a caravan of hundreds of camels traveling the year-long journey, making it a precious commodity at the time TEA PRODUCTION
- 20. Government Religion Society Achievements Kings ruled, noblesadvised 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 Shang Dynasty Government Structure
- 21. The fall ofShang Dynasty ● Shang ruled for more than 600 years, until about 1100 BC. ● Ruling China’s growing population proved too much for Shang. ● Shang kings constantly at war with surrounding kingdoms. ● Armies from nearby tribe, Zhou, invaded, established new ruling dynasty.
- 22. Qin Dynasty Other waysQin (秦)is written • Qin • Chin • Chi’in • The name “China” comes from Qin
- 23. • Born asYing Zheng in 259 BCE • Unified warring states • Declared himself “Qin Shi Huangdai – Shi Huangdai means “The First Emperor of China” • United China • Very Powerful and Cruel • Became King at age 13 • Rejected Confucius teachings The First Emperor
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- 25. Legalism Policy • ObeyRulers out of Fear • People who obey=Rewards • People who disobey=Punishment • Virtuous Government would not work • Buried protestors alive! Execution of Confucian Scholars • A history of China, written centuries after the Qin, depict the reported book burnings and burying of Confucian scholars
- 26. Administrative Power • Autocracy– a government with unlimited power (Established a centralized bureaucracy of trained officials) • Chose officials based on merit and talent • Government jobs were no longer passed down to sons • Reduced the power of the nobles • Anyone who can afford it may own land • Empire divided into 36 provinces each controlled by appointed officials Military Power and Mass Mobilization • Qin defeated regional states by 221 B.C.E. • Armed forces essential to Qin success
- 27. Accomplishments under Qin •Standardization of money, weights, measurements. • Universally agreed upon set of guidelines • 4,000 Miles of New Roads to improve Communication throughout large empire RESULT: • Helped trade between Regions • Better Communication
- 28. The Great Wallof China
- 30. The Great WallOf China Built for : • Protection • Prosperity • Order • Communication • About 21,000km long. • In Chinese, its name is Long wall or Long wall of 10,000 li 10,000 li = 6,508 km. • In Chinese, 10,000 figuratively means "infinite“; the number should not be interpreted literally but rather as meaning the "infinitely long wall“. • Watchtowers every few hundred meters communicated with red/blue flags and fires. • All messages were recorded on bamboo strips.
- 31. Construction • Made upof overlapping walls, trenches and natural features (such as hills and ravines) • Emperor Qin first to link parts of wall together • Construction by 300,000 soldiers, conscripted labourers and convicts • Much of Qin’s wall now in poor repair
- 32. Arts • The artsdid not exist in the Qin Dynasty because Emperor Qin Shi huang ordered musical instruments and art forms to be burned. He considered them an unnecessary item in China because it taught people to have their own thoughts.
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- 34. Terra Cotta Army-TheFirst Emperor’s Mauseleum • Shi Huang ordered Chinese craftsmen to build an army of terra cotta soldiers. • They were built in Shi Huang's tomb, along with an underground city. • These soldiers were meant to protect Huang in the after life. • Every one of them is different.
- 37. End of theQin Dynasty • Qin Shi Haungdai died in 210BCE • His son was a weak ruler • End of the Qin Dynasty in 206BCE • Han Dynasty was established
- 38. The Legend ofSilk • During Shang Dynasty 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. • During Qin Dynasty Silk route was built. • In the 2nd Century CE, The Silk Route was the longest road in the world. • It stretched from Luoyang on the Yellow River to Rome (with different possible routes). • Used by traders, travelers, explorers, religious pilgrims, missionaries, conquerors, and adventurers.