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What is China’s C u e?
rs
Ancient China
8,000
SILENT
SOLDIERS
STANDING
STILL
A Home
with
9,999
Rooms
The First
Fireworks
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Ancient_China_FC.indd 1
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2
ties. n
the long lasting e pire ol
lapsed as the last emperor stepped down.
uring the ti e of the e pire the peo
ple of China accomplished a great deal.
China is very old. Its written history goes
he invented printing gunpo der fire
back 3,500 years.
works, the compass, and kites. Chinese
In 221 BCE, when European kingdoms
workers built the world’s longest wall and
and states ere still fighting a ong the
its longest canal. From studying the eating
selves one of hina s first great rulers
habits of tin aterpillars the hinese dis
united warring states in China to form a
great empire. For more than 2,000 years – overed the se rets of silk aking. ro a
sogg i ture of old rags bark and ba
from 221 BCE until 1912 CE – the empire
developed under the watchful eyes of more boo, they created paper. The list of Chinese
a hieve ents is long. et s find out ore
than a do en ruling fa ilies alled d nas
about these people and their empire.
The Chinese Empire
THIS EARTH-ANDstone wall is
China’s most
famous landmark.
Known as the Great
Wall, it’s the longest human-made
construction in the
world. Stretching
at least 5,500
miles along China’s
northern border
(some say it was
more than twice
that long), it was
built to protect
the country from
enemies. Although
parts offered protection from minor
attacks, it could
not have stopped
a major invasion.
Several thousand
miles of the wall
still stand today, a
symbol of China’s
power and unity.
The Chinese Dynasties
A dynasty is a
series of rulers
all belonging to
the same family.
Ancient China’s
first dynasty was
the Shang. By
about 1600 BCE, the
Shang family had
Ancient_China_2-3.indd 2
grown so powerful
that it was able
to take control of
much of China.
Here are China’s
major dynasties.
A representative
piece of art is
shown for each.
C.
SHANG
1600–1046
BCE
C.
ZHOU
1046–256
BCE
C.
QIN
221–207
BCE
C.
206
HAN
BCE–220
CE
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3
r CHINA TAKES ITS
name from the
dynasty started
by the powerful
first emperor, Shi
Huangdi, of the
Qin dynasty. (In
earlier dynasties,
kings and their
nobles ruled.) In
Chinese, the word
C.
SUI
581–618
Ancient_China_2-3.indd 3
C.
TANG
618–907
C.
Qin sounds like
“chin” – hence our
word “China.” The
first emperor ruled
for only 11 years,
from 221 BCE until
his death in 210
BCE, but he united
the country by
defeating the local
rulers of the states.
SONG
960–1279
C.
Shi Huangdi built a
strong central government. He made
sure his strict laws
were obeyed and
required everyone
to pay taxes. His
capital was at
Xianyang, in the
strategic Huang He
river valley.
YUAN
1279–1368
DURING ITS EARLY
history, China had
limited contact
with the rest of
the world. Its
mountain ranges
and deserts discouraged trade
and travel and
protected it from
invasion by neighboring “barbarian”
tribes. But the
extreme terrain
also made China
difficult to govern. The Chinese
traditionally saw
themselves as the
center of the universe, calling their
country Zhongquo,
meaning “Middle
Kingdom.”
MING
1368–1644
QING
1644–1912
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4
Ancient Chinese Society
Ancient Chinese society was like a ladder.
On the very top step – the highest rank in
society – stood the emperor and the royal
family. They possessed the most power
and wealth. Just below them stood civil
servants. These government workers were
highly respected because they served the
royal family and because they could read
and write. Below civil servants stood the
peasants and the craftspeople. Although
peasants were farmers and had little money, China depended on them to produce
l CIVIL SERVANTS
played a key role in
bringing order and
stability to society.
They collected taxes, enforced laws,
organized workers
for building proj-
food for everyone. Craftspeople made
tools, weapons, furniture, and household
goods for the upper classes. Near the bottom of the ladder stood the merchant class.
Although many of this class were rich,
such as traders and shopkeepers, they
were looked down upon because they
made their wealth from trading goods produced by others – not by their own hand.
On the very bottom step of the ladder
stood entertainers, soldiers, and servants.
People on the bottom of the social ladder
had little hope of climbing up, though a
lucky few did.
ects, and judged
court cases. They
also kept the official written records
of the empire. In
cities and towns,
their jobs included
registering births,
deaths, marriages,
and changes in
land ownership.
l PEOPLE WHO
worked with their
hands (artisans or
craftspeople), held
a respected place
in society. They
used their skills to
make weapons,
Ancient_China_4-5.indd 2
u STUDENTS WHO
hoped to join the
civil service spent
many hours studying the teachings
of the philosopher
Confucius. Most
candidates came
from rich, landowning families.
However, any
male – rich or poor
tools, and cooking utensils. They
wove silk cloth
or made bronze,
jade, or clay into
works of art and
religious objects.
Some worked in
– could take the
civil-service exam,
which was first
given in the Song
dynasty. Only about
one percent of test
takers passed the
exam. They were
guaranteed jobs as
court ministers and
might marry into
the royal family.
factories owned by
the government.
Customers for their
goods included
the families of the
emperor, civil servants, and wealthy
merchants.
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5
rMANY MEMBERS
of the royal family owned large
amounts of land,
often in the
countryside. They
had few money
worries, and they
didn’t have to
work because their
wealth came from
their landholdings.
u THE HIGHESTranking civil
servants served
the emperor in
the royal court.
These officials had
d MERCHANTS WERE
important for their
role in trade. Until
the Song dynasty,
they were not
allowed to become
civil servants.
However, some
grew rich through
their work. Those
Ancient_China_4-5.indd 3
special privileges.
By law, the very
top officials could
own a house
with five columns
and a gate three
who did often
sent their sons to
schools where they
trained to become
civil servants.
Their daughters
found husbands in
the upper classes
and moved up the
social ladder.
columns wide. A
third-level official
was allowed a
house with five
columns, but not
the wide gate.
r A PEASANT’S LIFE
was hard. In addition to raising food
for others,
peasants served
in the army and
worked on government building
projects. They built
canals, roads, and
the walls that protected many cities.
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6
How the Rich Lived
food and had ore leisure ti e.
China’s richest man was the emperor.
uring the ing and ing d nasties the
In ancient China, it was easy to tell who
was rich. From head to toe, the wealthiest e peror lived in an area that as off li its
to ordinar people the orbidden it .
had the finest lothes. e bers of the ro
al fa il and high ranking offi ials dangled o one e ept the e peror ould enter it
at night. oda its an pala es are open
ade gold or silver bra elets fro their
to the publi .
ar s. he ate ore and better tasting
l DURING SOME
dynasties, strict
rules governed
what materials
could be used for
jewelry. Royals,
the wealthy, and
civil servants could
wear gold, silver,
or jade, but those
below them had
to be content with
copper or iron.
Shown here is a
antique jade disk.
u THE PRACTICE OF
binding the feet of
young girls with
long strips of cloth
began among the
rich during the Song
dynasty, because
small feet were
admired. Foot binding stopped the
growth of the feet
and was very pain-
u DURING THE TANG
dynasty, royal
men and women
enjoyed playing
polo on horseback on the
palace grounds
at Chang’an. At
Ancient_China_6-7.indd 2
ful. Tiny feet
forced women to
take small steps.
Foot binding
spread to other
classes of society.
However, farm
girls, who were
needed in the
fields, escaped
this torture. The
custom died out in
the early 1900s.
home, rich people
amused themselves and their
guests by inviting
musicians, acrobats, and dancers
to perform.
EMPRESS’S THRONE
u THE EMPRESS’S
palace was
called the Palace
of Terrestrial
Tranquillity, while
the emperor’s
was known as the
Palace of Celestial
Purity. No one could
enter the Gate of
Celestial Purity
except the emperor.
The empress, her
female servants,
and other members of her royal
household lived
in palaces behind
the gate, but they
couldn’t enter or
exit through the
same gate as the
emperor.
u ALTHOUGH FASHIONS
in men’s and
women’s clothes
changed over time,
the fabric they wore
did not. The rich
wore silk. It was a
status symbol, and
THE FORBIDDEN CITY
contains 9,999
rooms! That number is a symbol
for long life and
long rule for the
emperor. His throne
in some dynasties
only the rich were
allowed to wear
it. During the Qing
dynasty, men and
women wore robes
tied at the waist
with a large sash.
Wealthy women
wore silk slippers
with wooden soles.
sits in the Hall of
Supreme Harmony.
Outside the hall,
25,000 officials
often gathered in
the courtyard for
orders.
r FEW WEALTHY
women were
allowed to work
outside the home,
so they had lots of
leisure time. They
filled it by listening
to music, writing
poetry, weaving,
embroidering, and
sewing.
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7
How the Poor Lived
times sold their daughters to become servants of the rich. Even in good times, farmers kept little of their harvest, because it
While the rich lived a life of ease, the poor
worked very hard. Few could read or write, helped feed everyone else in society. When
and most were farmers, living on small plots rops failed be ause of drought or floods
of land. Some owned their land, but others farmers risked losing their land. The Huang
e river overflo ed so often that the poor
worked for rich landowners, giving them
called it “China’s Curse.”
part of each harvest. Poor families some-
uIN NORTHERN CHINA,
the poor ate wheat
noodles, steamed
bread, and bean
curd. In the south,
rice was the staple
of the diet. Meals
that included meat
were rare. The
poor ate their food
in small bowls.
Along with their
meals they drank
green tea. In the
dry, colder north,
the farmers’ main
crops were millet,
wheat, and barley.
In the warmer, wetter south, farmers
grew rice in flooded
fields called paddies. Water flowed
into the fields
through carefully
constructed irrigation channels.
l IN MANY PARTS
of China, good
farmland is scarce.
Mountains cover
about four-fifths
of the land. The
remaining fifth is
flat, but half of that
level land is not
good for farming
either, due to poor
soil and lack of
rainfall. To make
good use of every
bit of land, farmers
carved terraces –
narrow, flat fields
– out of hills and
mountainsides.
r WHILE A RICH
person’s house
was often made of
wood, with a tiled
roof, the poor made
do with mud and
straw. A sunken
pit in the center
of the house held
a heating and
cooking fire. Many
built their houses
partially underground to keep
them warmer in the
winter.
l WOMEN WORE
simple wool garments in winter and
cotton in summer.
They never wore silk.
Peasant men wore
baggy pants made
of sturdy cloth and a
Ancient_China_6-7.indd 3
loose cotton shirt.
Both wore shoes
made of straw.
Once children were
old enough to walk,
they wore child-size
versions of their
parents’ clothes.
u WHEN THE POOR
did have a little
time to relax, they
liked to play card
games, watch
plays, and listen to
storytellers.
u POOR FARMERS
kept few large farm
animals. They did
not want to take
up any of their
scarce land to grow
food for livestock.
This picture shows
a man tilling, or
plowing, with a
water buffalo.
u THESE WORKERS
didn’t have to
worry about getting
enough exercise.
With few tools to
help them with
their chores, they
did most jobs by
hand or foot. Some
spent long hours
pushing pedals to
turn a large wheel
that brought water
up a wooden channel and into the
rice paddies.
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8
The First Dynasties
hina s first d nasties the hang hou in
and an ere the ost influential in bringing the
ountr of hina together and enlarging its bor
ders. a h one left hina a lasting ultural lega .
Zhou Dynasty
(c. 1046–256 BCE)
Shang Dynasty
(c. 1600–1046 BCE)
N
N
W
W
E
E
S
S
Sea of
Japan
CHINA
Yellow
Sea of
Japan
CHINA
Anyang Sea
Yellow
Sea
Hao
East
China
Sea
Bay of
Bengal
South
China
Sea
PACIFIC
OCEAN
u THE SHANG EMPIRE grew out of the Huang He
river valley. Known as the cradle of Chinese
civilization, this area attracted early settlement
because of its fertile soil and relatively sheltered
location. Farming there required less labor than
in other places, so workers were freed up to
build roads, buildings, and walls. One of the
Shang’s creations was a 12-month, 360-day
calendar.
East
China
Sea
Bay of
Bengal
Ancient_China_8-9_v2.indd 2
PACIFIC
OCEAN
u THE ZHOU CIVILIZATION developed along the Wei
River, west of the Shang. Over time the Zhou
expanded their territory and overthrew the
Shang. They also annexed outlying areas run by
warlords, greatly increasing the empire’s size.
The Zhou dynasty was the longest lasting.
l THE NEW RELIGIONS
of Confucianism and
Daoism developed.
The Zhou worshipped
a supreme power
they called tian, or
heaven. They believed
tian gave the emperor
the right to rule,
which they called the
“Mandate of Heaven.”
u THE SHANG WERE famous for their bronze
weapons and gear, like this dagger.
l FORMAL CHINESE
writing began during
the Shang. To answer
people’s questions
about the future, oracles – or fortune-tellers
– drew symbols on animal bones called oracle
bones. They heated
the bones until they
cracked. The cracks led
to the symbol that gave
the question’s answer.
These symbols were
the ancestors of modern Chinese characters
(writing symbols).
South
China
Sea
r DURING THE ZHOU
dynasty, writing was
further developed, coins
were issued, iron was
introduced, and the
crossbow was invented.
Artists made decorative
bronze bells and beautiful lacquerware. We also
have the Zhou to thank
for chopsticks.
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9
Qin Dynasty
(c. 221–207 BCE)
Han Dynasty
(c. 206 BCE–220 CE)
N
N
W
W
E
E
S
S
Sea of
Japan
Sea of
Japan
CHINA
Xianyang
Bay of
Bengal
South
China
Sea
Yellow
Sea
Chang’an
East
China
Sea
PACIFIC
OCEAN
u TOWARD THE END of the Zhou dynasty, the
empire began to break up. China entered the
destructive Warring States period (475–221 BCE),
when various kingdoms vied with one another for
power. The brutal Qin rulers emerged victorious.
The strong founding emperor, Shi Huangdi, broke
up other kingdoms and unified northern China,
bringing the country under strict central control.
The Qin dynasty divided the land into new government districts and established one set of rules
for the entire country to follow. The Qin built much
of the first phase of China’s Great Wall.
Yellow
Sea
CHINA
Bay of
Bengal
South
China
Sea
East
China
Sea
PACIFIC
OCEAN
u DURING THE HAN dynasty, China’s borders
expanded. The Han preserved the districts and
central rule of the Qin dynasty. But because they
took very seriously the moral responsibilities laid
out in Confucianism, they were not harsh toward
their subjects.
r TRADING INCREASED
as the Silk Road was
established from the
Han capital to the
Mediterranean Sea.
Both goods and ideas
were moved along
the Silk Road. In the
Han dynasty, the new
religion of Buddhism
began to spread
northward from its
birthplace in India to
China and other countries. Buddhist monks
traveled the route and
told people about their
beliefs. Buddhism
eventually became
one of the largest religions in the world.
d THE HAN RULERS
brought China into
a golden age of
learning and artistic
achievement. Paper
was invented, and
historians wrote many
important works.
u SHI HUANGDI’S RULE was harsh. He did not
honor Confucianism. He disliked educated people because they were harder to control. After
Shi Huangdi’s death the people revolted, and
the Han dynasty took power in 206 BCE. The Qin
dynasty was the shortest in Chinese history.
Ancient_China_8-9_v2.indd 3
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8
The Emperor’s
Clay Army
IN MARCH 1974, WORKERS DIGGING A WELL NEAR XIAN, CHINA,
discovered this silent, life-size army guarding the tomb of the
first emperor, Shi Huangdi of the Qin dynasty. Since that time,
archaeologists have uncovered about 8,000 terra-cotta soldiers and horses. No two faces are alike! Archaeological finds
like this have helped unlock the secrets of ancient China.
Ancient_China_10-11.indd 2
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9
Ancient_China_10-11.indd 3
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12
The Compass and
Other Chinese
Inventions
The next time you write on
paper, use a compass on a
hike at h a fire orks dis
pla arr a heav load in a
heelbarro or pla a ard
game, thank the Chinese.
he hinese ere the first
to invent all of these items,
and an ore.
u TODAY WE CALL IT
a compass, but the
ancient Chinese
knew this invention
as a “south-pointing
fish.” The Chinese
were the first to
discover that a
magnetic object
could indicate
direction. The
“south-pointing
fish” consisted of
a wooden fish with
a piece of metal
floating in a bowl of
water. It was used
for overland and
ocean voyages.
r IN 1088, A CIVIL
servant named Su
Song presented the
first water clock to
an emperor of the
Song dynasty. It
took Su Song four
years to construct
the 30-foot-high
clock, built in the
shape of a tower.
Its machinery
was driven by
water flowing
into buckets on a
waterwheel inside
the clock. As each
bucket filled, a
lever tilted, the
wheel turned, and
a new bucket was
filled. The clock had
bells and gongs
that rang every 15
minutes. Revolving
figures appeared at
the clock windows
to chime the hours.
Although Su Song’s
clock did not survive, he left such
detailed plans of it
that exact copies
have been made
from his original
drawings.
l CHINESE DOCTORS
may have accidentally discovered
how to make
gunpowder while
searching for ways
to cure illnesses.
In the 900s, the
Chinese began
making fireworks
from gunpowder.
Soon they were
Ancient_China_12-13.indd 2
stuffing the powder into hollow
sticks of bamboo
and lighting them.
Fireworks were
believed to scare
away evil spirits
and ghosts.
u THE CHINESE HAVE
flown kites for
nearly 3,000 years.
They were probably
the first people to
make kites, constructing them of
silk and bamboo.
Paper became the
favored material
soon after it was
invented. Soldiers
of the Han dynasty
sailed kites to
frighten their
enemies. In ancient
times, kite-flying
was a popular way
to celebrate at festivals.
3/1/17 3:29 PM
A Silky Secret
13
For hundreds of years, the Chinese kept the secrets
of silk-making to themselves. Eventually, Europeans
discovered how it was done and smuggled this
knowledge out of the country.
1 Silk thread comes
from the cocoon of a
caterpillar that feeds on
mulberry leaves.
2 Baby silkworms feed
on mulberry leaves until
they’ve stored enough
fat to build cocoons.
They make their silky
cocoons from a jellylike
substance in their silk
glands.
d THE CHINESE
invented the
wheelbarrow
almost 2,000 years
ago. They called
their invention the
“wooden ox” or
“gliding horse.” A
worker could push
it or pull it. Almost
1,300 years passed
before Europeans
learned of this
labor-saving device
and copied it.
Papermaking
3 After about a week,
workers steam or
bake the cocoons to
kill the worms inside.
The cocoons are then
rinsed in hot water
to loosen the tightly
woven strands of silk
thread that make up the
cocoon. The strands are
unwound onto a spool.
Each cocoon is made up
of a thread about half a
mile long. About six of
these twisted together
make one thread strong
enough for spinning.
Around 105 CE, a Chinese civil servant named
Cai Lun discovered how to make paper,
although archaeological discoveries show
that craftspeople may have discovered it
two centuries earlier. Along with the printing
press, this invention made possible rapid
changes in communications. Here’s how
paper was first made.
1 Silk rags, mulberry bark,
bamboo, and other plant materials were mixed together in a
large vat and soaked in water
to soften them.
2 The mixture was boiled,
mashed, and pounded to form
pulp, a soft, wet mass of material.
3 A fine screen was dipped
into the pulp to gather up a
thin film of fibers. The screen
was pressed to remove the
water.
4 The screen with the sheet
of paper on it was left to dry
on a heated wall. When dry,
the paper was peeled off the
screen.
Ancient_China_12-13.indd 3
Which Chinese invention has had the greatest impact on your life?
u PRINTING FIRST
developed in China,
between the 2nd
and 6th centuries
CE. An artisan
carved the surface
of a wooden block
to create a character of the Chinese
language and then
applied ink to this
surface. The printer
stamped the inked
surface on cloth or
paper. Later, the
Chinese went a
step further, learning how to make
movable type in a
wooden frame.
3/1/17 3:29 PM
14
The Great Wall and Other
Engineering Feats
The Chinese turned their skills to
building, trade, and travel. They
showed the same creative spirit that
made them such great inventors.
The most amazing feat of Chinese engineering is the Great Wall,
but a close second is the Grand Canal. The canal, a massive building
project, helped make trade and travel between parts of China easier.
One of the ancient world’s most
famous trade routes was the
4,000-mile-long Silk Road. It
served as a path for merchants traveling between China and other
parts of Asia and Europe. They carried silk, spices, and other goods.
In the 1400s, the Chinese set out
to show the world their skills as sailors. The Ming emperor Yong Lo
sent a huge fleet of ships on seven
sea voyages to show foreign rulers
that China was a great naval power.
The major constructions helped
unify the country, while the trade
links let others find out about it.
l AT 1,000 MILES
long, the Grand
Canal is the world’s
longest canal. Built
by Emperor Yang Di
(569–618 CE) during the Sui dynasty
to help transport
soldiers and grain
around the empire,
it linked the Chang
Jiang and Huang
Ancient_China_14-15.indd 2
He (Yangzi and
Yellow) rivers and
ran from Hangzou
in the south to
Beijing in the north.
It was built by connecting new and
existing canals.
Great engineering improvements
were made on the
waterway during
the Ming dynasty.
The canal worked
as the emperors
had hoped. It made
it easier to collect
taxes, distribute
grain, and transport
soldiers. During
famines, it became
a lifeline, bringing
food to starving
people.
3/1/17 3:31 PM
15
l DURING THE MING
dynasty, Admiral
Zheng He led
seven voyages into
what the Chinese
called the “Western
Ocean.” Between
1405 and 1433,
Zheng He’s fleet
visited Southeast
Asia, India, Arabia,
and Africa. Their
r THE SILK ROAD
was not one but
a series of trade
routes that connected China with
India, the Middle
East, Persia, and
the Roman Empire.
Because of this
trade, the Romans
knew China as
Serica, “Land of
Silk.” Chinese mer-
Ancient_China_14-15.indd 3
chants made great
fortunes selling
silks, spices, tea,
and Chinese crafts.
In exchange, the
Chinese received
from other traders
gold, silver, glass,
wool, pearls, and
furs. To travel safely
on the Silk Road,
merchants formed
caravans. Traveling
r ITALIAN MERCHANT
Marco Polo is one
of the Silk Road’s
best-known travelers. In 1271, he
made the trip from
Venice to China,
where he won the
favor of the rulers of the day. He
served as a valued
official in China for
nearly 20 years.
When he returned
to Italy, he wrote
Description of the
World, which gave
most Europeans
their first glimpse
of China’s
advanced society.
together lowered
their risk of being
attacked by robbers. Few merchants
went the entire
route themselves.
Instead, goods were
sold from one trad-
goal was not
conquest or trade.
They wanted to
show the world
that China was a
great naval power.
On his first voyage, the admiral’s
fleet consisted
of 63 ships and
28,000 men. After
Emperor Yong Lo’s
death, the voyages
abruptly stopped.
New Ming rulers
forbade Chinese
ships to sail outside of coastal
waters and greatly
reduced Chinese
contact with foreigners.
u IN SOME PLACES
the Great Wall is
as high as a threestory building and
wide enough for
several horses to
travel side by side.
Soldiers stood
guard at watchtowers all along
the wall, sending
messages to each
other by runners,
mirrors, and smoke
signals.
er to another until
at last the precious
cargo reached its
destination.
u HUNDREDS OF
thousands of workers died while
building the Great
Wall. That earned
it the nickname
“Longest Cemetery
on Earth.” Workers
ate little and worked
long hours carving
granite blocks, digging trenches, and
pushing backbreaking loads up steep
hillsides. Most died
of overwork and
exhaustion.
3/1/17 3:32 PM
16
society has faced
great changes since
the last emperor lost
his throne in 1912,
evidence of ancient
China is everywhere
in the modern world.
Chinese cooking,
medicine, and exercise contain elements thousands of
years old. The paintings and pottery of
the artists of the past
inspire the young
artists of today. Two
of the world’s great
belief systems –
Confucianism and
Daoism – began in
China. The ideas of
their founders have
had an impact on everything from politics to cooking to
martial arts.
Chinese Medicine
Through thousands of years of experimenting
dating back to the Han dynasty, the Chinese
developed many ways to care for the sick and
improve health. Herbal medicine, massage,
u DO YOU WANT
clearer skin?
Perhaps an herbalist can help. Herbal
treatments may
combine herbs,
leaves, roots, and
bark, plus dried
l CONFUCIUS IS
China’s best-known
thinker. Born in 551
BCE, he lived during
a time of constant
warfare in China,
and his ideas
show his desire
to restore peace.
Confucius taught
that the relationships between ruler
and ruled, parent
and child, older and
younger sibling,
and husband and
Ancient_China_16-17.indd 2
and acupuncture are all forms of traditional
Chinese medicine. Chinese healers try to treat
illness by bringing the body back to its natural
balance.
l ACUPUNCTURE IS
an old form of
Chinese medicine.
Chinese doctors
believe energy
flows along 12
lines in the body.
Doctors ease
pain and treat
certain illnesses
by sticking very
fine needles
into the skin at
special points
along these lines.
This 600-yearold acupuncture
chart shows the
arm’s main needle
points.
and powdered
animal horn, snake,
or lizard. One skin
treatment recommends swallowing
a mixture that
contains ground-up
pearls.
Chinese Teachings
u HAVE YOU EVER
seen one of these
signs? This is the
yin-yang symbol.
It is often linked
with Daoism (also
called Taoism). The
ancient Chinese
l DAOISM IS ONE
of two major belief
systems that began
in China. Dao
means “the way”
in Chinese. The
founder of Daoism
was Lao Zi, who
was born in about
600 BCE. Lao Zi
believed there was
a balance in nature
that should not be
disturbed, and he
wanted people to
live simple lives
in harmony with
nature.
believed that the
forces in nature
balance each
other. The darker
half of this symbol
is yin, which is
earthly, female,
dark, and wet. The
lighter half is yang,
thought to be heavenly, male, light,
and dry. Happiness
requires an equal
balance between
yin and yang.
wife were important
in keeping order
in society. In each
relationship, the
“superior” person’s
duty is to look after
the “inferior” person,
whose job is to follow and obey. For
example, sons and
daughters respect
and obey their parents, and the people
do the same with
their ruler.
The Changing Chinese Language
Legacies
of Ancient
China
Although Chinese
Chinese Art
r ALTHOUGH THE ART
of cloisonné (kluhWAH-zun-ay) was
probably invented
in the Middle East,
Chinese artists
perfected this process of decorating
metal containers
with enamel paint.
The artist makes
designs on the
metal with tiny
wires called
cloisons. Brightly
colored enamel
paints cover the
spaces between
the wires. The
metal object is
heated to bind
the enamel to it.
3/1/17 3:33 PM
The Changing Chinese Language
13
d THE CHINESE
language is made
up of more than
40,000 signs, or
characters. Some
stand for sounds,
and others are pictures or symbols of
words. The strokes
that make up each
character have to
be written in the
proper order. The
Chinese made writing into a fine art
form called callig-
r CHANGES IN THE
CHINESE CHARACTER
“MOUNTAIN”
raphy. In China, the
work of a master
calligrapher is considered equal or
superior to painting. Calligraphers
use special brushes and inks.
r THE CHINESE
written language
developed during
the Shang dynasty.
At first, many
Chinese characters were picture
symbols for whole
words. Notice how
the earliest character for mountain
(right, top) looked
like a mountain.
Like many others, this character
changed until it
reached its present
shape. Can you find
any reminders of
the original character in the one used
today (bottom)?
Martial Arts
d MANY STYLES OF
kung fu have
movements recalling such animals
as the dragon,
leopard, and tiger.
The kung fu style
known as wing
chun was invented
by a nun called
Yim Wing Chun.
Its movements are
based on those
of the crane and
snake.
l MARTIAL ARTS ARE
fighting skills that
developed in Asia
hundreds of years
ago. Today, people
all over the world
practice these skills
for exercise, selfdefense, and fun.
The martial arts
that began in China
are called wushu.
Americans know
them as kung fu,
words meaning
“good effort.” Kung
fu is at least 2,000
years old and may
have started in
northern China.
Today the Chinese
practice hundreds
of styles of kung fu.
The Chinese
may have eaten
with chopsticks
3,000 years ago.
Chopstick use
spread to other
parts of East Asia.
Today, chopsticks
come in wood,
bamboo, plastic,
and even silver
and ivory.
Rest the bottom
chopstick between
your thumb and
the third finger.
This chopstick
never moves.
The Art of Chinese Cooking
u THE WOK IS THE
Chinese cook’s
main cooking pot,
used especially
for stir-frying. The
rounded bottom
allows heat to
spread evenly so
food cooks quickly.
Steaming, boiling, deep-frying,
or stir-frying are
all ways to cook
Chinese food. The
Chinese developed
stir-frying to save
time and costly
fuel. Food is cut
into small, bite-size
pieces so that it
cooks faster.
l A CHINESE ARTIST
made this piece by
painting a wooden
box with up to 35
thin coats of lacquer, a sticky liquid
that comes from
the sap of a tree.
Ancient_China_16-17.indd 3
Chopsticks
d EMPERORS PICKED
their chefs carefully. To be certain
the food was not
poisoned, trusted
servants put a
silver rod into each
dish before the
emperor ate it.
If the rod turned
black, it had
touched arsenic, a
deadly poison.
Artists covered
wood or bamboo
kitchen tools with
lacquer layers so
they could withstand high heat.
Lacquerware was
often colored with
In the
centuries before
refrigeration, the
Chinese found
creative ways to
preserve foods.
One invention
was the so-called
1,000-year-old
egg. Do you know
how the Chinese
traditionally make
these eggs?
Hold the top chopstick like a pencil.
This chopstick
moves up and
down. Keep the
tips of the chopsticks even with
each other.
Now move the top
chopstick up and
down while holding the bottom one
still.
black, red, brown,
or gold lacquer. The
babies of the rich
ate from lacquer
spoons and bowls.
3/1/17 3:33 PM
18
Activities
WRITE A COMPARECONTRAST ESSAY
In many ways, the Qin and Han
dynasties could not have been more
different; yet they also shared some
important qualities. Write notes to
organize your thinking about how
these dynasties are alike and different. Creating a T-chart or a Venn
diagram may be helpful. Be sure to
include information on the political
contributions of each dynasty. Use
your notes to write a comparecontrast essay. Be sure to include
an introductory paragraph, two or
more body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
WRITE A SUMMARY
Think about the problems in China in the time
of Confucius and about Confucius’s teachings.
Some of Confucius’s central ideas were based
on the idea that all people should respect each
other. What else did you learn in the magazine
about how Confucius believed people should
live? Write a summary of the difficulties in
China at the time and how Confucius sought to
solve them.
Ancient_China_18-19.indd 18
3/1/17 3:34 PM
19
MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THESE RELATED TITLES
Ancient India
Indian Empires
Language
The story of Ancient India is filled with
mystery and fascination. Much of what
we know comes from two major cities,
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. These
ancient trading hubs were carefully
planned, with advanced plumbing
systems and graceful public buildings. You’ll also discover the roots of
Hinduism, and learn about the caste
system.
India’s geography, with its steep mountain ranges and long distances, made
it difficult for any one ruler to unite the
country. But in 320 BCE, Chandragupta
Maurya founded the Maurya Empire,
India’s first true empire. Learn about
the rise and spread of Buddhism and
Hinduism, the reign of Ashoka, and the
emergence of the Gupta Empire.
Language is more than just the words
and sounds we use to communicate.
The study of language helps us understand our past. From ancient hieroglyphs and the first papyrus scrolls to
sign language and computer programming, language has long been at the
center of human society.
CALIFORNIA
STANDARDS
6.6 Students analyze the geographic, political,
economic, religious, and social structures of the
early civilizations of China.
LEARN MORE ONLINE!
• The three major religions of ancient China –
Confucianism, Daoism, and
Buddhism – became popular
between the 6th century BCE
and the 1st century CE. But
before then, the people practiced folk religions and worshipped a variety of deities
(gods).
• People who practiced Daoism
believed a spiritual force
flows through every living
Ancient_China_18-19.indd 19
thing. Nature and emotions
were important to them. In
contrast, Confucianism had
many rules about ethical
behavior.
• Confucius didn’t write much
about women, so Ban Zhao
took up the challenge. Written
in 106 CE, her practical handbook, Lessons for Women,
applies Confucian rules of
devotion and humility to
female lives.
6.6.1 Locate and describe the origins of Chinese
civilization in the Huang-He Valley during the Shang
Dynasty. 6.6.2 Explain the geographic features of
China that made governance and the spread of ideas
and goods difficult and served to isolate the country
from the rest of the world. 6.6.3 Know about the
life of Confucius and the fundamental teachings of
Confucianism and Taoism. 6.6.4 Identify the political
and cultural problems prevalent in the time of Confucius
and how he sought to solve them. 6.6.5 List the policies and achievements of the emperor Shi Huangdi in
unifying northern China under the Qin Dynasty. 6.6.6
Detail the political contributions of the Han Dynasty to
the development of the imperial bureaucratic state and
the expansion of the empire. 6.6.7 Cite the significance
of the trans-Eurasian “silk roads” in the period of the
Han Dynasty and Roman Empire and their locations.
6.6.8 Describe the diffusion of Buddhism northward to
China during the Han Dynasty.
Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills:
Chronological and Spatial Thinking
3. Students use a variety of maps and documents to
identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods,
cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical
migration of people, expansion and disintegration of
empires, and the growth of economic systems.
3/1/17 3:35 PM
hmhco.com
EDITOR: Jennifer Dixon
ART DIRECTION: Brobel Design
DESIGNERS: Ian Brown, Ed Gabel,
David Ricculli, Jeremy Rech
PHOTO RESEARCH: Ted Levine,
Elisabeth Morgan
ACTIVITIES WRITER: Marjorie Frank
PROOFREADER: Jennifer Dixon
FACT-CHECKER: Nayda Rondon, Patricia
Fogarty
AUTHOR: Linda Scher, Camille Cauti
AUTHOR TEAM LEAD: Amy K. Hughes
PRESIDENT AND CEO: Ted Levine
CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER: Mark Levine
GRADE 6 TITLES
World’s Early People
Ancient India
Mesopotamia
Indian Empires
Ancient Egypt
Ancient China
Archaeology
Early Romans
Language
Roman Empire
Ancient Hebrews
Christianity and Rome’s Legacies
Early Greeks
Olmec and Maya
Greece’s Golden Age
Civil Rights
Ancient Persia
ON THE COVER: Yang Ti, Sui emperor of China (604–618), and his fleet of sailing raft
including a dragon boat being pulled along the Grand Canal. Painted silk scroll, 18th
century. Granger Collections, NYC.
PICTURE CREDITS: Art Resource, NY: p.3 bottom left (Tang equestrian); BridgemanGiraudon: p.2 bottom left (Shang wine vase), p.2 bottom center (Zhou tripod), p.3
bottom left (Sui musician), p.4 middle right (civil service exam), p.6 top left (jade pi
disk ri h essing p. botto right an fl ing horse p. botto enter ong vase
p. botto enter uan figure
p. botto right ing ontainer p. botto
right flute pla er ational useu of istor aipei ai an p. iddle left hang
bronze dagger-ax), p.9 bottom right (writings and drawings, Han Dynasty); RMN-Grand
Palais: p.8 bottom left (Shang oracle bone); The Metropolitan Museum of Art: p.8 bottom
right (Zhou bronze bell); V&A Images, London: p.6 bottom left (polo game); Werner
Forman: p.3 bottom right (Qing pin). Bridgeman Images: Bernisches Historisches
Museum, Bern, Switzerland: p.6 middle left (foot binding); Lennox Money Antiques Ltd.,
London, UK: p.6 bottom left (traditional robe); Christie’s Images: p.13 top left (wooden
type set); J. Dadley/Major George Henry: p.13 center middle (Chinese wheelbarrow);
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK: p.16 bottom right (Ming vase); Saint Louis Art
Museum, Missouri, USA: p.17 bottom left (lacquer box). Getty Images: DEA Picture
Library/G. Nimatallah: p.19 top center (the Great Stupa); Keren Su: p.7 center middle
(farm house); Yann Layma: p.7 bottom center (Chinese playing cards). Corbis: In Pictures
Ltd.: p.16 top center (herbal pharmacy in Beijing, China); STR/AFP: p.12 bottom
left hinese fire orks uul and runo orandi pp.
full reat all of hina .
Granger Collection, NYC: p.2 middle left (Shi Huangdi), p.12 top right (astronomical
clock), p.12 middle left (Chinese compass), p.16 top right (acupuncture chart), p.16
bottom left (Confucius), p.16 middle right (Lao Zi); CPA Media/Pictures from History:
p.8 center middle (Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou), p.9 bottom left (Qin Shi Huangdi);
Jan van Grevenbroeck: p.15 middle right (Marco Polo); Wang Juzheng: p.13 middle
right (spinning silk). iStock Photos: CaoChunhai: p.17 top center (Chinese calligraphy);
chinaphotographer: p.12 bottom right (dragon kite); yoyojete: p.14 bottom left
(Zhouzhuang). Science Source: An Keren: p.2 bottom center (Qin soldier); M. Patterson:
p.15 bottom right (Silk Road); Paolo Koch: p.15 middle right (worker on Great Wall).
Shutterstock: Anton Nagy: p.13 top right (silkworms); Aphotostory: p.15 middle right
(Great Wall of China); Asia Glab: p.18 top (terra-cotta warriors); Atthapol Saita: p.13 top
right (silkworm cocoons); Beibaoke: p.9 middle right (Jiaohe ruins); Brian Kinney: p.6
center middle (empress’s throne); Delpixel: p.7 center middle (Chinese farmer with water
buffalo fired pp.
full terra otta ar
rigvovan p. botto left hinese
far er ith hoe hanapon
p. top right hopsti k and noodles a aku ar
p.19 top left (Lord Shiva); Kojihirano: p.17 middle left (sandhill cranes); L.F.: p.2 middle
right (Guilin of China); Malchev: p.18 bottom (cartoon of Confucius); Pixel Homunculus
Stock: p.7 middle right (farmers planting rice); researcher97: p.16 middle left (yin-yang);
rongyiquan: p.6 middle right (Forbidden City); stockphoto for you: p.17 center middle
(cooking wok); testing: p.17 middle left (Wudang Martial Arts Show, Shanghai, China);
Vladimir Zhoga: p.19 top right (Japanese hieroglyphs); Wantanee Chantasilp: p.19
botto
onfu ius . on tone ages ann a a p. top enter terra ed fields .
iStock Images: aristotoo: p.7 top left (noodles). Shutterstock: BeeBright: p.19 top right
(chinese lantern)
ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS:
Brobel Design: ll aps pp.
.
Acme Design Company: Papermaking, p.13; chopsticks, p.17.
Michael Kline Illustration: Silkworms, p.13, Chopstick Manners, p.17.
Wood Ronsaville Harlin, Inc.: ro top to botto
ea pp.
heng e p.
atthe re .
pp.
aren arnes
and and
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