- Medieval China had natural barriers like seas that protected it from invasion while also providing trade routes. Confucius was an influential philosopher from 551-479 BC whose teachings emphasized harmony. Zeng He was a Chinese explorer who led naval expeditions to Southeast Asia, India, Arabia and Africa in the 1400s. The junk was a type of Chinese sailing boat used for coastal trade, while inventions included the printing press, gunpowder, compass and movable type. The Mongols conquered China in 1279 under Kublai Khan but the Ming Dynasty expelled them in 1368 and established the Forbidden City in Beijing as their imperial palace. The Qing Dynasty was established by the Manchus in 1644 and ruled until 1912

1. Preview: Medieval China
Take notes and make educated
guesses and observations from the
images and sources provided

2. Geography

3. Physical Geography

4. Neighboring Countries

5. Change in Dynasties Over Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs34AJqmB
5I

6. Chinese Geography
• China's natural barriers to the west, south,
and east helped to protect these early people
from invasion.
• China's natural barriers include seas - the
China Sea and the Yellow Sea, both located in
the Pacific Ocean. These seas provide a huge
coastline, which provided trade routes and
easy access to food.

7. Confucius
Confucius
Confucius “The Teacher”
Confucius lived from 551- 479
BC and he studied hard and
became one of the best-
educated Chinese of his time.
His ideas influenced Chinese
society after almost 2,500
years! A central idea of his
teachings is ren, which means
harmony among humanity.

8. Zeng He
Zeng He
Fifty years before Europeans
began searching for a sea
route to the East, Chinese
ambassador Zeng He explored
the West. His emperor sent
him to collect presents to
display the splendor and
power of China. He sailed to
SE Asia, India, Arabia and
Africa in 1400s.
Video
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=cjWscQolTK4&feature=re
sults_main&playnext=1&list=P
L15F19D4B3D52991A

10. Trade and Travel
“Junks”
Junks or Chinese sailing
boats carried goods along
the coast.
“Merchants from southern
and central provinces come
to this town in seagoing
junks to sell such dutiable
(taxable) goods as spices.
Merchants come bringing
copper cash, silk thread, silk
floss, silk gauze and thin silk
and do an extremely thriving
trade with them.”
c. 1088

11. Chinese Inventions
The sailors are sure of
their bearings. At night
they judge by the stars. In
daytime they tell by the
sun. When it is cloudy,
they rely on the south
pointing needle.
(description of ancient
Chinese compass)
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=cx-x7BrgjSA

12. Inventions con’t
• Printing press c. 700
CE(cultural diffusion)
• Movable-type printing
press c. 1045 CE
• Gunpowder c. 600s CE
• Compass “fish”

13. Mongols in China
“Kublai Khan staged many
attacks on the Song
Dynasty in Southern
China. His forces finally
overpowered the last
group of Song defenders
in 1279. Kublai thus
became the first ruler to
control all of China in over
300 years.”

14. Ming
Although merchants
prospered, most Chinese
were eager to expel the
foreigners (Mongols) who
did not share their
appreciation of cultural
customs and traditions;
they founded a new
dynasty in 1368 known as
the “Ming.”

16. The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was
the imperial palace under
the Ming and Qing
Dynasties. It’s located in
present-day Bejiing and it
served a ceremonial and
political center for the
Chinese government.
http://videos.howstuffwor
ks.com/discovery/7248-
china-chinese-
architecture-of-the-
forbidden-city-video.htm

17. Qing Dynasty
Invasions from the north
continued under the Qing
Dyansty as Manchus
attempted to invade and
conquer China. In 1644, the
Manchus successfully
invaded and ruled until
1912. Qing rulers wanted to
preserve their own culture
but adopted some Chinese
(Ming) traditions like their
civil service system.