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Ancient China Geography Isolates China • To the west high mountain ranges border China • Tian Shan, Himalayas • To the south, thick rainforests separate China from Southeast Asia • To the north, the massive Gobi desert • To the east, the Pacific Ocean Chinese Civilization Begins • On the flatlands of eastern China settlements begin to appear along the Huang River • Called the Yellow River due to the color of the silt it carried • The buildup of silt on the bottom of the river would cause the river to flood often • Chinese peasants would have to build and repair dikes to keep it from overflowing • The constant need for work on the river led to the need for a strong, centralized government. The Shang Dynasty • China’s first dynasty, the Shang Dynasty started around 1766 B.C. • King Tang led his people in revolt over the tyrannical ruler Jie • Set up their capitol in the city of Anyang. • Relied on the loyalty of princes and heads of local clans. • Clan: a group of families who claim a common ancestor King Tang of the Shang Dynasty The Zhou Dynasty • Longest lasting Chinese dynasty. From 1122 B.C. until 256 B.C. • Rewarded their followers by granting them control over different regions. • Feudalism: a system of government in which local lords governed their own lands but owed military and other support to the ruler • Chinese use money for the first time Zhou dynasty-era copper coin The Dynastic Cycle • Dynastic cycle is an important political theory in Chinese history. • According to this theory, every dynasty goes through a culture cycle of the rise and fall of successive ruler families • The dynastic cycle is the belief that the rise and fall of dynasties is controlled by Heaven. This is called the Mandate of Heaven. • A dynasty’s Mandate of Heaven could be withdrawn if its rulers became oppressive, incompetent, neglectful or failed to govern responsibly Confucius • Was born in 551 B.C. and grew up to be a brilliant scholar, hoping to be an advisor to a local ruler. • Unable to find a position, he turned instead to teaching. • Attracted students from all over, including Siddhartha Gautama and Socrates • Never wrote down any of his ideas, his students collected many of his sayings in the Analects. Confucius Confucianism • Originally not a religion, but a philosophy concerning social order and good government • Confucianism stressed good conduct and careful thought in all things and encouraged qualities like loyalty, obedience, self discipline and respect for your ancestors, elders and superiors. • It was incorporated into China’s government, bureaucracy and education system. Chinese Achievements • Silk • Made thread from the cocoons of silkworms • Woven into cloth, dyed with brilliant colors • Once only available to nobles, soon became China’s most valuable export • Writing • Each character represents a whole word or idea • Must memorize thousands of symbols in order to understand • Soon became an art form known as calligraphy • Books • Chinese were the first to make books • Thin strips of wood and bamboo bound together The Great Wall of China