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River Dynasties in China. Key Terms. Loess Oracle bone Mandate of Heaven Dynastic cycle F eudalism. The Geography of China. China is very isolated, bordered by sea, mountains and desert Two rivers here, the Y ellow River and the Yangtze River
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Key Terms • Loess • Oracle bone • Mandate of Heaven • Dynastic cycle • Feudalism
The Geography of China • China is very isolated, bordered by sea, mountains and desert • Two rivers here, the Yellow River and the Yangtze River • Yellow river has yellow colored silt in it, called loess, which is blown across the desert by the winds
Environmental Challenges • Yellow River flooding could be disastrous, swallowing cities whole. Earned river the nickname “China’s Sorrow” • No trade because of geographic isolation • Although there were some barriers, the Chinese were still susceptible to invasion, and they were invaded often throughout their history
China’s Geography • Only about 10% of the land in China is suitable for farming, which is done in the North China Plain • This is China’s heartland • This has always been the center of Chinese civilization
Civilization Emerges • China’s first cities appeared around 2000 B.C. • The first Chinese dynasty, the Xia dynasty, is said to have implemented flood control and irrigation plans in order to control the Yellow River • Around 1700 B.C., the Shang dynasty came to power and remained there for nearly 700 years. • These were the first rulers to leave written records behind
Early Cities • Anyang was one of the oldest and most important cities during the Shang dynasty. • This city was built mainly of wood, very unusual for the time. • Cities were surrounded by walls made from mud • One wall that has been found was 118 feet wide at the bottom, and circled an area nearly 1.2 miles • Scientists determined that it likely took 10,000 men more than 12 years to build this structure
Chinese Culture • The Chinese viewed anyone who was not Chinese as barbarians • Chief loyalty was to the family more than the individual • Marriages were arranged and men were more powerful than women
Social Classes • Divided between nobles and peasants • Nobles owned the land and sent tributes to Shang rulers in exchange for the control of their own land
Religion • The Chinese believed that there ancestors had the power to bring them fortune or ruin • Spirits were not viewed as gods, more as someone who demanded respect • Each family paid their respects to the ancestors of their father and regularly made sacrifices in their honor.
Religion • Shang Di was the supreme god, worshiped by those in the Shang family dynasty • Oracle bones were used to consult with the gods • After inscribing questions on an oracle bone, a hot poker would be applied and the way the bone cracked would be analyzed as the response of the gods.
Chinese Writing • In Chinese, the each character represents one syllable • This makes for a very large and complex written language. In order to be considered barely literate, over 1,500 characters had to be memorized • Who do you think learned to write and who didn’t? Why?
Zhou • Around 1000 B.C. the Zhou dynasty overthrew the Shangs and implemented their own dynasty • Zhou claimed a Mandate of Heaven, the gods had been pleased with the last Shang ruler because he was so terrible • Every time that a riot, flood, civil war, or any other disaster happened, the Mandate of Heaven would again be invoked
Feudalism • The Zhou dynasty had large amounts of land under its control, so they implemented feudalism • Nobles were granted use of lands that legally belonged to the rulers • In return, the nobles gave their loyalty and military service to the king and vowed to protect the people on their estates • Later arose in Europe and Japan
Technological Advances • The Zhou dynasty were responsible for many innovations during their tenure • Roads and canals • Coined money • Blast furnaces for producing cast iron which was used to make weapons and agricultural tools • Sickles • Knives • Spades
End of Zhou Rule • Eventually, the Zhou Dynasty started to decline and in 771 B.C. the monarch was murdered • Some of the family escaped and set up a new capital but they were powerless • Many nobles picked fights with one another for land and power • The Chinese people were in a period of chaos and violence
