Download The Beginnings of agriculture in the Yangzi (Yangtze) River Basin

The Beginnings of agriculture in the Yangzi (Yangtze) River Basin (5000 BCE)
Time Frame of Era: 5000 BCE
Location in China: Shanghai, Jiangsu
Important events: The Chinese in the Yangzi River Basin began cultivating rice by 5000 BCE.
Religion, architecture, literature, recreational activities, government, economy, and technology,
knowledge: they fished, cultivated rice, they prepared and used land to grow crops and to
garden. Productive farming. Developed cooking.
Impact: Highly productive agriculture was always a key to China’s success. Making wise use of
the land, the Chinese sustained reasonably adequate diets over a millennia.
Yangshao (Yangzhou) culture in northern China (5000-3000 BCE)
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Neolithic- 5000 to 3000 BCE.
Yangshao is found in Northern China
We couldn’t really find anything on what events occurred in Yangshao
Different aspects of Yangshao include
Pottery
Symbolism
Animals- pigs, dogs, sheep, goats, and rarely cows
Most meat came from hunting and fishing
Matriarch
Mud Huts
5) The impact of these events on Ancient Chinese history is probably that Yangshao probably
contributed to the Chinese culture
Longshan culture in northern China (3000-2200 BCE)
1. 3000-1900 BCE
2. Along Yellow River Valley, Shandong Province, Central eastern China.
 Shifted from small villages to walled cities. Had big cultural changes. Fairly violent era of
Chinese history. Largest city was Shijiaha, estimated to have around 15,000-50,000
people.
3. Used copper and bronze. Improved agricultural techniques. Domesticated dogs, sheep,
pigs, and cattle. Pigs had a special emphasis. Production tools were improved and
modified. Made great pottery, known as black pottery culture. Believed in a
supernatural world, and witchery. Believed in supernatural animals. They were a
patriarchal society and government. Improved architecture by ramming earth into
shape.
4. Great improvement in many areas during this time. They improved in areas like,
architectural techniques, farming, and pottery. There was also a lot of violence in this
period of time.
Xia dynasty in northern China (disputed) (2183-1752 BCE)
1. The time frame of the Xia Dynasty was between 2183- 1752 B.C.E
2. Xia Dynasty was located in northern China.
3. The emperors tried to stop the “great flood”, this caused an increase in agricultural
production.
4. Xia Dynasty had a Neolithic culture, believed in spirits, shamans, and priests, which
adapted to Buddhism. Tangut language was spoken in this Monarchy. They had a
nomadic lifestyle. They established a written system called the oracle bone script.
5. The first dynasty in China’s history was Xia Dynasty which developed some of the first
calendars. They came up with the mandate of heaven. They also promoted knowledge
and learning through the Confucian School.
Shang dynasty in northern China (1752-1122 BCE)
Time: 1766-1122
Ruled in the yellow river valley
Religions developed around this time. The Shang control brought extensive culture but failed to
rule in the end. They were polytheistic and sacrificed people and animals.
Tombs were found under temples. They contained bronze weapons, jade, bones, and ceramics.
The city occupied 25 square kilometers it had a wall. On the outside was copper forges, clay
shops and carpenters shops. They developed technology to harness the Yellow river, like
irrigation. They also made bronze tools and weapons. The earliest forms of Chinese writing
were found here. The government consisted of a social class judging by the graves. The more
important you were, the bigger the tomb you had. Higher powers also got a lot of ceramics and
jade when they died.
Zhou Dynasty (1122-221 BCE)
The time frame of the Zhou dynasty is from (1046-256 BCE) but scientists still debate on what
the true time period was. The Zhou dynasty was located in the north east part of china. The
Battle of of Muye ended the Shang dynasty and started the Zhou (1046 BCE). The deposition of
king Nan by Qin. His reign was from an unknown start to 256 BCE. He was the 36 and final king
to rule. Chinese folk religion ancestor worship and heaven worship are the main religion of the
Zhou dynasty. The Zhou was the longest lasting dynasty and the end of it lead to the start of the
Qin dynasty.
An example of what their buildings may have looked like. They took up bronze casting and
writing on bamboo strips. The Zhou dynasty was a slaveholder society. The extra activities were
stuff such as chariot racing.