Why did the Chinese

Empire last so long?

Early World HistoryDavid PealKatherine Thomas High School

Geography

China and the U.S. (today) compared

Geography provided protection

China’s Geographical features• Two great rivers

■ NORTH: Huang He River (China’s Sorrow), also known as the Yellow River (2,500 miles long)

■ SOUTH: Yangsi River (3,000 miles long)• Two deserts: the Taklamakan in the west and the Gobi in the

north• Mountains: One third of China is mountains: Himalaya

Mountains in the south and east plus the Tibetan plateau• Today, China is slightly larger than the U.S. but has five times

the population• How does China feed so many people on so little land?

Geography and history• Mountains protected China from invaders

coming from the south.• China was open to nomads from the north and

west• China was open to contact with cultural contact in

the west and along the Pacific coast• Rivers encouraged internal trade between east

and west, but...• North-south trade was expensive

Grand Canal

The Grand Canal linked the North and South. It was completed by the Sui Dynasty in the 600s. It was 1,114 miles long, and had 60 bridges and 24 locks.

Major rivers supported agriculture

Source: http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/china/geog/M_rivr.htm

Agriculture fed a large population• The Chinese got as much food from as little land

as possible. They used…■ Irrigation, with dikes, to bring water to fields■ Terraced farming so that mountains could be farmed■ Year-round cultivation of fields, with heavy fertilization

• What they grew■ Grain was grown in the north (millet and wheat)■ Rice was grown in the south, producing 2-3 times more

calories per acre than wheat■ Vegetables: Soybean, beans

• Peasant farmers were the largest group in society. Most were poor.

Terraced agriculture

Irrigation brought water to the fields

Valuable natural resources enabled China to trade with other countries• Silk: the Chinese learned to cultivate, produce,

and trade silk (made from silkworms, • Porcelain: special clay fired at very high

temperatures• Jade: rare green gems• Paper: invented in China, along with advanced

printing methods• Cotton…for light-weight clothing• Tea…later, everyone in the world wanted China’s

tea• Gunpowder

Because of trade and government, cities developed.

• So much food was grown that people could live in cities.

• The first big city was Anyang (Xian)

• Other cities were supported by trade.

• Great port cities grew up during the Song dynasty (900s) as China began to trade with southeast Asia and India

Beliefs

Beliefs: ConfucianismConfucius lived from between about 551 BC until about 479 BC

He believed that…• Fathers had authority over sons, men

over women, and rulers over subjects• One behaved according to one’s position

in society • Everyone showed respect the parents,

ancestors, and rulers• The needs of the community always

came first

Beliefs: Buddhism• Buddhism focused

on individual growth, not social order

• It spread along Silk Road and into China during the Han dynasty

• It spread from China into Korea and Japan

Different beliefs were existed together in China.• Buddhist beliefs focused on

individuals and how they should feel, think, and act toward other living things

• Confucian beliefs were focused on society.

• Respect and tolerance were part of Confucianism and Buddhism.

• Neither system cared very much about what happened after death.

• How are these systems different from our own?

Government

Writing made it possible to rule a large country• First writing: “oracle bones” (more

than 3,000 years ago)■ The ruler asked a question■ A priest wrote the question on oxen

bones or inside of tortoise shells.■ They pressed hot metal instrument onto

the bone until it cracked.■ An oracle (fortune teller) interpreted the

cracks as messages from the gods• A common writing system gave the

government more control of whole country.

• Writing was unified in the Han Dynasty (2000 years ago)

An oracle is someone who predicts the future.

China had strong rulers.• A dynasty is a family that rules• Dynasties got their power from ancestors and

from nature spirits. It was important to stay on good terms with ancestors and nature!

• Bureaucrats collected taxes, organized the army, and maintained order■ Government officials were trained to serve

society.■ Difficult exams were used to select the best

government officials.■ Bureaucrats were the most important people in

society.

The Dynasty system begins

• The first dynasty to unify China was the Qin, which defeated all the “warring states” to create a single country in 220 BC

• The Qin:■unified the written language system■used a common language system■developed the Chinese bureaucracy into a

“machine” for getting taxes from peasants, creating a justice system, and developing a huge army

• The Qin lasted only 15 years and were very violent• They were followed by the Han dynasty, which was

more peaceful and encouraged trade

http://youtube.com/v/KkNEvPly5WU

Strong dynasties dealt with enemies inside and outside of China• They kept invaders out.

■ Nomads in the North and West were the main enemy. Nomads herded animals and moved from place to place to feed the animals.

■ Dynasties…fought nomads.■ …sometimes bought them off.■ Built the Great Wall tried to keep them out.

• Dynasties kept rich landowners (nobles) from getting too strong by…■ Taking care of peasants and their needs■ Giving power to educated bureaucrats

Dynasties weren’t just strong, they were flexible• They could bring enemies, like the

Mongols, into the system.• They could use the ideas of Confucius and

Buddha to increase their power: ■ Confucius: his ideas were taught to

bureaucrats■ Buddha: his ideas taught ideals of calm living

and awareness of all living things• Capital cities moved over time• China’s borders changed many times

Tang Empire

Yuan Empire (Mongols)

Ming Empire

China’s borders changed over time

Song Empire

Most important…peaceful change of government was possible.• Power was based on heavenly approval (Mandate

of Heaven)• Power could be “withdrawn” (taken away) by the

heavens…• If rulers were weak, people thought their power

had been taken away, and it was OK to resist and rebel (not go along with dynasty)

• In Europe, kings and queens believed their power came from God. How is this idea different from the Mandate of Heaven?

Why was China able to survive so long?1. Geography provided protection2. Belief systems focused on getting along

with other people and living with nature3. Political system (dynasties) provided

strong but flexible rule4. Government was managed by educated

and thoughtful people (bureaucrats)5. Good standard of living. Excellent natural

resources combined with a culture that encouraged innovation and problem-solving.