Ancient China: The Yellow (Huang He) River Valley

Characteristics of a CivilizationAgricultureSpecialization of laborCitiesA social hierarchy (mandate of heaven)Religion/education (Confucianism,

Daoism, and Legalism)Complex forms of economic exchangeTechnologyDevelopment of the arts

Importance of Rivers

Population GrowthSettlements began to pop up along the

Yellow and Yangzi RiversNeed for recognized authorities who

could maintain order, resolve disputes, and organize public works projects

Small dynasties followed that extended their control over progressively larger regions

CitiesVast network of

walled towns

Local rulers recognized authority of the Shang kings

Capital at Yin contained a complex of royal palaces and eleven royal tombs

Royal tomb at Anyang

Yellow RiverTakes its name from loess

soilLoess-extremely fine,

powder-like soil

Terrible floods: “China’s Sorrow”

Wooden instruments could generate large harvests

Agriculture

CropsInitially, millet was the

main crop (especially in the north)

Sometime thereafter, the Chinese began cultivating rice

Rice production would require a complex irrigation system

Social HierarchyRoyal family and

allied noble familiesResided in large,

palatial compoundslived on the

agricultural surplus and taxes delivered by their subjects

King Wen of Zhou China

Social HierarchyPrivileged class

Rose from the military allies of the rulersPossessed land and performed military

and administrative tasksSome access to education for those who

lived in cities

Artisans and craftsmenLived in citiesWorked extensively for the privileged

classes lived reasonably comfortably

Social HierarchyPeasants

Lived in the countryside, did not own land

Provided agricultural, military, and labor services for lords in exchange for:Land to cultivateSecurityPortion of the harvest

SlavesMost were captured enemy warriorsPerformed manual laborSome were victims of human sacrifice

during funerals and other ritual observances

Political-Dynasties“A sequence of powerful leaders in the

same family”Shang Dynasty 1766-1122 B.C.Zhou Dynasty 1122-256 B.C.Tang Dynasty 618-907 A.D.Song Dynasty 960- 1279 A.D.

Shang Dynasty

Political Dynasties were ruled by kings coming from

the same blood linesFeudal system of government

Smaller, more manageable chunks of land divided up amongst loyal aristocrats

Feudal lords would provide crops/taxes to kings in exchange for land and protection

Dynasties would begin and end with the “Mandate of Heaven”

The belief that gods determined the rulers

PoliticalSome dynasties were

more tolerant than others

When the Qin came to power in 221 B.C. they ordered all books burned for fear they would inspire doubts about the government or encourage independent thought

Economic ExchangeLimited by geographic barriers

Shipbuilding emerged during Zhou eraEvidence of:

Cowrie shells from BurmaMilitary technology -Mesopotamia Jade from central AsiaTin from Malay

Cowrie shells used as money

SpecializationBronzesmithsJewelersJade workersEmbroiderersManufacturers of silk

textilesSilkworms are fed

mulberry leaves, they molt and spin cocoons, then workers boil the cocoons to produce the raw silk

Silkworm cocoon

ReligionChina did not have an

organized religion or official priesthood

Instead, the head of the family lead ceremonies worshipping ancestors’ spirits

Burning paper gifts for the departed is one traditional form of ancestor worship

Belief Systems Confucianism

Purpose: fulfill one's role in society with honor and loyalty. Stresses honesty, politeness, loyalty to family and nation

Daoism Purpose: inner harmony, peace, and longevity.

Tao is everywhere “Go with the flow". Yin-yang Legalism

Purpose: humans are inherently evil and inclined toward criminal and selfish behavior. Thus, if humans live naturally the result will be social disorder

Oracle Bones• Fortune tellers of Ancient

China

• Questions were inscribed on a bone and placed in a fire

• The fortune teller used the cracks that developed to answer the questions

New TechnologiesThe Chinese

discovered how to make silk from the cocoons of silkworms

Silk became China’s most valuable export, eventually linking them with most of the world through trade

Silk making

New Technologies

Chinese learned to bind together long, thin strips of wood or bamboo to make books

Shang nobles used bronze to make fittings for horse-drawn chariots

New Technologies

Shang pictograph of composite bow

• Iron technology was spreading rapidly throughout China

• Iron ores were stronger, cheaper and more abundant than copper and tin

New TechnologiesThe Great Wall

originated as a barrier against tribal intrusions

Construction started in the seventh century BCTwo sections were

built during the Zhou era

As China unified, the various sections were connected

WritingThe earliest form of Chinese writing was

the pictographUnlike most other languages, written

Chinese did not include an alphabetic or phonetic component