Satellite View of ChinaSatellite View of ChinaSatellite View of ChinaSatellite View of China

China’s ProvincesChina’s ProvincesChina’s ProvincesChina’s Provinces

China—Asia’s SuperpowerChina—Asia’s SuperpowerChina—Asia’s SuperpowerChina—Asia’s Superpower

China vs. the U. S. in SizeChina vs. the U. S. in SizeChina vs. the U. S. in SizeChina vs. the U. S. in Size

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000250Miles

China

United States

Comparing China & Comparing China & the U. S.the U. S.

Comparing China & Comparing China & the U. S.the U. S.ChinaChina United United

StatesStates

SizeSize 3.7 million 3.7 million square milessquare miles

3.6 million 3.6 million square milessquare miles

Main physical Main physical barrierbarrier

HimalayasHimalayas RockiesRockies

Main RiverMain River Yangtze / Yangtze / East - WestEast - West

Mississippi / Mississippi / North – SouthNorth – South

PopulationPopulation East CoastEast Coast East CoastEast Coast

Connectivity Connectivity problemsproblems

North - SouthNorth - South East - WestEast - West

Pacific “Rim of Fire”Pacific “Rim of Fire”Pacific “Rim of Fire”Pacific “Rim of Fire”

Bodies of WaterBodies of WaterBodies of WaterBodies of Water

Huang-He

River

Yellow Sea

Yangtze River

Pacific Ocean

Amur River

Xi River

SouthChinaSea

Sea of

Japan

China’s Climate ZonesChina’s Climate ZonesChina’s Climate ZonesChina’s Climate Zones

Precipitation in ChinaPrecipitation in ChinaPrecipitation in ChinaPrecipitation in China

Arable LandArable LandArable LandArable Land

““Brown” China vs. “Green” Brown” China vs. “Green” ChinaChina

““Brown” China vs. “Green” Brown” China vs. “Green” ChinaChina

Rice DominantW

heat

Dom

inan

t

Pasture and Oasis

Double-crop rice

China as % of World China as % of World PopulationPopulation

China as % of World China as % of World PopulationPopulation

The Population of The Population of ChinaChina

The Population of The Population of ChinaChina

105 755 10831210

1381 15621650 1753

18121851

18871911

19491953

1970

1981

1995

2000

2050

2

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

0 500 1000 1500 2000

thousands

The Polluted Yellow River!The Polluted Yellow River!The Polluted Yellow River!The Polluted Yellow River!

VOCABULARY

Loess

The Yellow River

Huang He 2,920 Miles: Tibet to the Yellow Sea Deposits (loess) fertile, light colored soil

– No need for metal tools for generous harvests

Periodic flooding: “China’s sorrow”

Prehistoric Society: Yangshao

5000-3000 BCE Middle region of the Yellow River valley Banpo Village

– Found in 1952 Painted pottery Bone tools Population increase necessitated

organized authority

The Earliest Dynasties Xia

– C. 2200 BCE– Legend -> Founded by Yu– Organized through village

network– Hereditary monarchy– Flood control– Rise of cities,

bureaucracy, & bronze weapons

Bronze Age EmpiresBronze Age EmpiresBronze Age EmpiresBronze Age Empires

Shang Dynasty - 1766-1122 BCE Bronze metallurgy

– State monopoly of copper & tin ores. Horse-drawn chariots, other wheeled vehicles Large armies – 3,000 – 13,000 strong Demand of agricultural tribute Political organization: network of fortified cities, loyal to

center– 1000 cities

– Capital moved six times• Impressive architecture at Ao (33 x 66 wall), Yin

Other regional kingdoms coexist: Sanxingdui

Shang Dynasty Burial Practices Hierarchical social structure Live burials alongside deceased

member of ruling class– Sacrificial victims, mostly slaves– Wives, servants, friends, hunting

companions– Later replaced by statuary, often

monumental

Shang Religion Animism – The belief that spirits inhabit

everything. Ancestor Worship Shang Di – A god who controlled the

forces of nature Oracle Bones

Oracle BonesOracle BonesOracle BonesOracle Bones

Oracle Bones and Early Chinese Writing Used for communicating with spirit world,

determining future– Question written on animal bones, turtle shells – Then heated over fire, cracks examined for

omens Early archaeological evidence of Chinese

writing Evolution of Chinese script

– Pictograph to ideograph

Oracle Bone from Shang Dynasty

The Evolution of Chinese The Evolution of Chinese Writing DuringWriting During

The Evolution of Chinese The Evolution of Chinese Writing DuringWriting During

PictograpPictographshs

Semantic-Semantic-PhoneticsPhonetics

Zhou Literature The reflections of Confucius Book of Changes

– Manual for divination Book of History (Zhou propaganda) Book of Etiquette (Book of Rites) Book of Songs (…of Poetry or …of Odes) Little survived

– Often written on perishable bamboo strips

– Many destroyed by Emperor of Qin dynasty in 221 BCE

Axe Scepter – Axe Scepter – 1100 BCE1100 BCE - Jade - JadeAxe Scepter – Axe Scepter – 1100 BCE1100 BCE - Jade - Jade

Ceremonial Dagger – Ceremonial Dagger – 1028 BCE1028 BCECeremonial Dagger – Ceremonial Dagger – 1028 BCE1028 BCE

ShangShangUrnUrn

ShangShangUrnUrn

Shang BronzesShang BronzesShang BronzesShang Bronzes

Ritual Wine Ritual Wine Vessel – Bronze, Vessel – Bronze,

13c BCE13c BCE

Ritual Wine Ritual Wine Vessel – Bronze, Vessel – Bronze,

13c BCE13c BCE

Western Zhou:Western Zhou:1027-771 BCE1027-771 BCEWestern Zhou:Western Zhou:1027-771 BCE1027-771 BCE

Zhou Dynasty, 1122-256 BCE No law codes: rule by decree

– “Mandate of Heaven” Aggregation of villages opposed to Shang

leadership– Decentralization of authority– Lacked organization efficiency

Development of cheap iron weaponry ends Shang monopoly on Bronze

Early money economy

Zhou Coins - BronzeZhou Coins - BronzeZhou Coins - BronzeZhou Coins - Bronze

““T’ian Ming”T’ian Ming”““T’ian Ming”T’ian Ming”The Mandate of HeavenThe Mandate of HeavenThe Mandate of HeavenThe Mandate of Heaven

1.1.The leader must lead by ability The leader must lead by ability and and virtue. virtue.

2.2.The dynasty's leadership must The dynasty's leadership must be be justified by succeeding justified by succeeding generations.generations.

3.3.The mandate could be revoked The mandate could be revoked by by negligence and abuse; the will negligence and abuse; the will of of the people was important. the people was important.

The Dynastic

Cycle

The Dynastic

Cycle

A new dynasty

comes to power. “Son of Heaven”

A new dynasty

comes to power. “Son of Heaven”

Lives of common people improved;

taxes reduced;farming encouraged.

Lives of common people improved;

taxes reduced;farming encouraged.

Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)

Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)

Taxes increase;men forced towork for army.

Farming neglected.

Taxes increase;men forced towork for army.

Farming neglected.

Govt. increasesspending; corruption.

Govt. increasesspending; corruption.

Droughts,floods,

famines occur.

Droughts,floods,

famines occur.

Poor loserespect for govt.They join rebels

& attack landlords.

Poor loserespect for govt.They join rebels

& attack landlords.

Rebel bands findstrong leader who

unites them.Attack the emperor.

Rebel bands findstrong leader who

unites them.Attack the emperor.

Emperor isdefeated !!

Emperor isdefeated !!

The emperorreforms the govt.& makes it more

efficient.

The emperorreforms the govt.& makes it more

efficient.

Start here

Heaven, unpitying, has sent down ruin on the Shang. The Shang has lost the Mandate, and we, the Zhou have received it. I dare not say

that our fortune would continue to prosper, even though I believe that heaven favors

those who are sincere in their intentions. I dare not say, either that it would end in certain

disaster…The Mandate of Heaven is not easy to gain. It

will be lost when men fail to live up to the reverent and illustrious virtues of our

forefathers. Duke of Shao, quoted in The Chinese Heritage

Early Ideology

Yin and Yang Yin: female, dark, weak, wet, passive Yang: male, bright, strong, dry, active Balance of opposites

Zhou Contributions

Aristocrats Feudalism

– Kings > Local Lords > Peasants• Feudal Lords Gain Power

Iron Age The First Bound Books Astronomers Study Planets & Eclipses

Decline of the Zhou Dynasty Decentralized leadership style allows for

building of regional powers– Increasing local independence, refusal to pay

Zhou taxes Iron metallurgy allows for widespread

creation of weaponry Northern invaders weaken Zhou dynasty,

beginning 8th c BCE Internal dissention: the Period of the Warring

States (403-221 BCE)

China during the Period of the Warring States, 403-221 BCE

““Chung Kuo”Chung Kuo”(The “Middle Kingdom”)(The “Middle Kingdom”)

““Chung Kuo”Chung Kuo”(The “Middle Kingdom”)(The “Middle Kingdom”)

Social Order Ruling classes great advantage

– Palatial compounds, luxurious lifestyle– Supported by agricultural surplus, tax revenues– Defended by monopoly on bronze weaponry– Hereditary privilege

Support class of artisans, craftsmen Evidence of long-distance trade, merchant

class Large class of semi servile peasants Slave class (mostly POW’s)

Family and Patriarchy

Devotion to family, ancestor veneration– Family responsible for socialization of

children and preservation of cultural traditions

Connection of spirit world to physical world– Ritual sacrifices

Father ritual head of family rites (rather than priests)

Earlier prominence of individual female leaders fades in later Shang, Zhou dynasties

Genealogy

Nomadic Peoples of Central Asia Despite geographic boundaries, long distance

trade exists while limited in scope Steppe nomads

– Poor lands for cultivation, extensive herding activities

– Horses domesticated c. 4000 BCE, bronze metallurgy in 2900 BCE

– Organized under charismatic warrior chiefs Extensive trade with sedentary cultures in

China Tensions: frequent raiding Ethnocentrism/Xenophobia

The Yangtze RiverThe Yangtze RiverThe Yangtze RiverThe Yangtze River

Southern Expansion of Chinese Society

Yangzi Valley– Peaceful flooding– Yangzi river: Chang Jiang, “long river”– Excellent for rice cultivation– Irrigation system developed

The State of Chu– Autonomous, challenged Zhou dynasty– Culture heavily influenced by Chinese