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Ancient China
Global Studies 9
Mrs. Hart and
Mrs. Bernier
Geography of China
The physical
features of China –
mountains, deserts,
jungles and ocean –
geographically
isolated Chinese
culture.
Geographic Isolation
The geographic isolation of China led to
ethnocentrism, the belief that their culture was
superior to those of other people. They believed
that their civilization was the center of the earth, so
they called it the Middle Kingdom.
Yangzi and Huang He Rivers
Like in other regions of the
world, Neolithic people in
China learned to farm in the
Yangzi and Huang He
(Yellow) River valleys. The
Huang He got its name for
the loess or fine windblown
soil that settled in the river.
When it sank, it raised the
water level and could cause
flooding. It earned the name
“River of Sorrows”.
The Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty came to power
about 1650 B.C. Clans, groups of
families, controlled most of the land.
They ruled China until about 1027 B.C.
Shang Social Structure
1. Shang Emperor
2. Royal Family/
Noble Warriors
3. Merchants/Craftspeople
4. Peasants
Shang Religion
The Shang were
polytheistic. The king
was the link between
the people and their
chief god, Shang-di.
The Chinese believed
they had to pray to
their ancestors
because they were
closer to the gods. This
was called ancestor
worship.
Yin and Yang
The ancient
Chinese also
believed that the
universe was held
in delicate
balance between
two forces, the
yin and yang.
Yin and Yang
Yin was linked to
Earth, darkness, and
female forces, while
yang was associated
with Heaven,
lightness, and male
forces.
Chinese Writing
The Chinese system of
writing used pictographs
and ideographs, signs
that expressed thoughts
or ideas. There are more
than 10,000 characters
that make up the Chinese
written language. They
also turned a fine, fancy,
handwriting into an art
form known as
calligraphy.
Chinese Oracle Bones
Oracle bones have some of the oldest examples of
Chinese writing. They are animal bones or turtle
shells, on which Shang priests wrote questions
addressed to the gods or spirit of an ancestor. The
priest then heated it until it cracked. He then
interpreted the pattern of the cracks, providing
answers or advice from ancestors.
The Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou overthrew the Shang in 1027 B.C.
and set up their own dynasty which lasted
800 years. They believed that they had
become the gods’ chosen people to rule.
Mandate of Heaven
The idea that the gods gave a certain dynasty
the right to rule became known as the Mandate of
Heaven. It later became part of the dynastic cycle,
or the rise and fall of dynasties.
Zhou Feudalism
The Zhou ruled under a
system known as
feudalism. Under this
system, the Zhou king
granted control of large
areas of land to their
supporters, local lords.
The lords controlled their
own regions, but owed
military service to the
king.
Chinese Achievements
*Astronomy – studied
movement of the planets
and recorded eclipses of the
sun.
*Calendar with 365 ½ days.
*Silk – made silk threads from
the cocoons of silkworms.
*Silk Road – the trade route
that developed linking China
and the Middle East.
*First books – made from
bamboo or wood.