1. Adapted by Susy Pomerantz

2. China is in the shape of a moose. China is located on the continent of Asia. North America South America Africa Asia Europe Australia Antarctica

3. Land Forests The Gobi Desert Bamboo

4. Mount Everest Now slicing nearly six miles (ten kilometers) into the sky, the Himalaya became the highest mountain range on Earth. Hills & Mountains

5. The Yangtze River is called Chang Jiang in Chinese. It is the longest river in China and became well-known by its Three Gorges scenery.

6. The Great Wall of China

7.  The Great Wall is approximately 4,000 miles long.  The first section of the Great Wall took 10 years to build — at the rate of about one mile per day  The Great Wall was built entirely by hand.  It was built with dirt, stone and bricks. At the top of the wall, a roadway paved with three layers of brick connected the watchtowers. The roadways were wide enough to hold ten soldiers side by side.

9. This sign tells how the Chinese government has restored the Badaling section of the Wall for all to see.

11. If you were to visit the Great Wall nowadays, it would look something like this. It goes mostly up, but occasionally down for short distances. It also can tip to one side, as it does here. These days, many village folk sell remembrances along the Wall. They attract attention by shouting "Allo!" at every western tourist. If you don't respond, they approach you and stick their merchandise right in front of you.

12. Inventions

13. Inventions Papermaking Gunpowder Compass Yo-Yo Abacus Silk Wheelbarrow

14. Chinese legend tells that the new invention of paper was presented to the Emperor in the year 105 AD by Cai Lun. Archeological evidence, however, shows that paper was in use two hundred years before then. Either way, the Chinese were significantly ahead of the rest of the world. The craft of papermaking relied upon an abundance of bamboo fiber to produce a fine quality paper. In China the papermaker uses only the traditional materials and methods to produce fine art paper. Papermaking

15. Imagine their enemy's surprise when the Chinese first demonstrated their newest invention in the eighth century AD. Chinese scientists discovered that an explosive mixture could be produced by combining sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate). The military applications were clear. New weapons were rapidly developed, including rockets and others that were launched from a bamboo tube. Once again, the raw materials at hand, like bamboo, contributed ideas for new technologies. Gunpowder

16. Compass By the third century AD, Chinese scientists had studied and learned much about magnetism in nature. For example, they knew that iron ore, called magnetite, tended to align itself in a North/South position. Scientists learned to "make magnets" by heating pieces of ore to red hot temperatures and then cooling the pieces in a North/South position. The magnet was then placed on a piece of reed and floated in a bowl of water marked with directional bearings. These first navigational compasses were widely used on Chinese ships by the eleventh century AD.

17. The oldest toy in the world was the yo-yo. The "empty bell" was invented during the Ming Dynasty between 1386 to 1644 AD. During the Chinese festivals in the old days, the Chinese yo- yo presentations played an important role as an entertaining program. The yo-yo became popular in the North part of China in the spring. The bamboo or empty bell was made of two ends of round saucer shapes with the middle being a horizontal piece of wood. They were mounted on a string and twirled with a vibrating motion. This emitted a humming sound. YO-YO or EMPTY BELL

18. The abacus is a calculator for adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying. Tests have shown that, for operations of addition and subtraction, the abacus is still faster than the electronic calculator. Abacus

19. China is the first country in the world that discovered the use of silk. Silkworms were domesticated as early as 5000 years ago. The production of silk thread and fabrics gave rise to the art of embroidery. Historical documents record the use of embroidery in China as early as 2255 B.C. Archaeological finds, however, place the beginnings of embroidery at some point during the Shang dynasty(1766B.C.-1122 B.C.) Silk

20. The wheelbarrow was invented by the Chinese. The Chinese wheelbarrow had a single wheel in the middle of the wheelbarrow. Farmers used the wheelbarrow to take a load of produce to the market place. Builders used the wheelbarrow to carry heavy building supplies. Soldiers used the wheelbarrow to remove injured or dead people from the battlefield. Wheelbarrow

21. Climate China has a variety of plant life. There are 4 seasons.

22. The Terra Cotta Army More than 25 years ago, in 1974, Chinese farmers were digging a well in central China when they discovered an important archaeological site. They discovered fragments from the burial grounds of a Chinese emperor, Shi Huangdi (Shee-hwang-dee). His name is also spelled Shihuangdi.

23. Q in was the name of the part of China he ruled. He had his army of more than one million soldiers conquer the entire country in 221 B.C. He united all the little kingdoms he conquered and became an emperor. An emperor is the supreme ruler of an empire. Like most Chinese, he believed in taking the real world with him when he died. He wanted his tomb to be spectacular, and he certainly would need an army to protect him when he died. Therefore, he ordered a terra cotta (clay) army be built. He ordered that the terra cotta soldiers be set up in formation with their backs to him. The terra cotta soldiers and horses would stand guard in order to protect him from attack.

24. As many as 700,000 people worked for more than thirty years to make the 7,000 - 8,000 soldiers, horses and chariots. When they were first made more than 2,000 years ago, the soldiers were brightly painted and held real weapons. While molds were used to make the bodies, no two soldiers were alike. They had different hair styles, shoes, expressions and uniforms. Over the years, the paint has faded, and vandals have taken the weapons. Most of the bodies are smashed because the wooden ceiling that was above them fell, and terra cotta breaks easily. Therefore, most of the soldiers are in bits and pieces. Archaeologists carefully sift through the dirt inch by inch to find the tiniest parts.

25.  Most of the people of ancient China were peasant farmers who grew crops on small plots of land. Every member of the family helped grow and harvest the crops.  Farmers supplied food to the army and to people in the city.  Farmers in the north grew wheat, millet, and barley to eat. Farmers in the south grew rice to eat.  Farmers may have kept pigs and chickens, but dairy cows were not kept due to a lack of pasture land.  Oxen and water buffalo were used to pull carts and plows. Farming and Life

26.  Villagers dug ditches and canals to water the fields.  Many farmers used simple wooden or stone tools even after bronze and iron weapons were invented.  The lives of peasant farmers consisted of many long, back-breaking hours tending to crops.  Peasant farmers also had to serve in the army and help with government projects such as building walls and canals.  Poor people spent most of their time growing and preparing food, or doing heavy work such as digging and carrying large loads.  Farmers use a method known as terracing which is cutting flat plains into hillsides. They would farm on the flat plains. The flat plains looked like shelves coming out of the side of a hill. Cutting flat plains into the hillside would also slow erosion in a hilly area. Farming & Life continued

27.  Poor people ate simple meals. Their main foods were rice, grains, millet, vegetables, and beans. If they ate meat, it was usually chicken or wild bird. Once in a while, they ate fish.  Wealthy people ate pork, lamb, venison, duck, goose, pigeon. For special occasions they might eat snakes, dogs, snails, sparrows, or bear claws.  Both rich and poor people used spices, salt, sugar, honey, and soy sauce to add flavor to the food.  Vegetables and fruits were always included in a wealthy person's diet.  To save fuel, food was chopped into small pieces and cooked quickly in an iron frying pan, or wok, for a few minutes only.  Steaming was also a common cooking method with the rich and poor.  People usually drank tea.  Water was usually boiled before drinking it. Food

28.  Clothing was a mark of class in ancient China. The type of fabric, the color and decorations on the fabric, jewelry, headgear and footwear all told something about the wearer's position in society.  High-ranking people dressed in the finest silk in public.  Peasants wore a long, shirt-like garment, made of un-dyed hemp fiber. Hemp is a rough fabric woven from plant fibers.  The type of jewelry worn showed the position of that person in society.  A man almost always wore a hat in public. The hat showed the wearer's occupation and status in society. Clothing

29.  Women's long hair was arranged in topknots and held in place by hairpins and other ornaments.  Wealthy women wore elaborate make-up.  People wore thick padded clothing in winter.  From the Sui dynasty onward, only the emperor was allowed to wear yellow. Ordinary people had to dress in blue and black. White was for mourning, and children could not wear white while their parents were alive. Clothing continued

30.  Farmers usually made their homes from mud bricks with reed or tile roofs. The bottom floor was often built below ground to help keep the family warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.  Some Chinese built their house with timber or bamboo poles. A timber frame held up the roof. The outer walls were sometimes made of brick. The Chinese preferred wood to stone for building because it looked more natural and it was less likely to injure people if the house collapsed during an earthquake.  Poor people often cooked outside in the open air. Wealth people had a kitchen indoors on the bottom floor. Servants would also live on the bottom floor.  Charcoal or coal was burned in the fireplace to keep the house warm.  A traditional home was divided into different sections by courtyards. Homes

31.  Families in China usually included many generations living together - often under the same roof. The oldest male was usually in charge of everyone in the house.  There was little individualism in Chinese families. Decisions were made that benefited the entire family and family honor and family achievements were more important than individual needs or achievements.  Age demanded respect. The old were considered wise and were treated with honor.  Children were taught to respect and obey their elders.  Children were taught that they must care for their mothers and fathers in sickness and old age.  Boys learned their family's trade, and girls learned to manage a household. Beliefs and Customs

32.  Poor people enjoyed storytelling.  The Chinese played card games,board games and chess.  In the Chinese game of mah-jong, players use small tiles with pictures or symbols on them instead of cards. Mah-jong is similar to the game of Rummy.  The wealthy hunted and raced horses. They grew and arranged flowers. They grew miniature trees (bonsai).  Dogs were popular pets of the rich. A poor family might have a songbird or a cricket in a cage.  Juggling was a common form of entertainment.  The ancient Chinese loved entertainment. People who could afford it loved to attend theater and magic shows. They enjoyed watching acrobatics and martial arts displays. Dancing and musical instruments were popular. Entertainment and Pets

33.  Wealthy people spent their leisure hours practicing calligraphy, composing poetry, or listening to music.  Kite flying, wrestling, and horse racing were outdoor recreations enjoyed by all Chinese.  The ancient Chinese liked puzzles because they taught the people to think creatively. A favorite Chinese puzzle is the Tangram. A Tangram is a square cut into seven different shapes. A person tries to put the seven pieces together to remake the square. The seven pieces are also used to create other shapes such as animals.  Badminton was played and actually originated in China.  Both children and adults in ancient China liked to play a game similar to our modern-day Frisbee toss.

34.  Most Chinese worked from dawn to dusk with no days off.  The Chinese calendar was based on the moon, and it was divided into twelve groups. Each group was named after an animal.  The Chinese New Year was the most important festival. It was in the spring and offerings were made to the spirits. Farmers gave thanks for the earth's abundance. Festivals

35.  The emperor was at the top of the social system.  Ancient China was divided into four main classes. Scholars were respected above everyone else because they could read and write. Peasants were the next most important because the country depended on them to produce food. Artisans (people who worked with their hands) were next because they used their skills to make things that everyone needed, such as weapons, tools, and cooking utensils. The lowest class were merchants because they made nothing. All they did was trade goods.  Soldiers who made a career of being in the army were not highly regarded and did not belong to a class of their own. Social Class

36. The Chinese Zodiac is a twelve-year cycle. It started from Buddhism. According to the story, Buddha called all the animals of China to his bedside, but only twelve animals came. Because he wanted to honor the animals for their devotion, he created a year for each animal. The twelve animals that appeared were the rat, ox, tiger, hare (rabbit), dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and the pig. Each animal has its own special characteristics. Many people believe that these characteristics affect events that happen during the year. In addition, some people believe that people born in a certain year will have qualities of that year's animal. Chinese Zodiac

37. 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Rat charming, bright, creative, thrifty AnimalDatesCharacteristics steadfast, dependable, methodical 1949, 1961, 1973 1985, 1997, 2009 Ox dynamic, warm, sincere, a leader 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Tiger humble, artistic, clear-sighted 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Hare/Rabbit flamboyant, lucky, imaginative 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Dragon discreet, refined, intelligent 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Snake social, competitive, stubborn 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Horse

38. AnimalDatesCharacteristics artistic, fastidious, indecisive 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Sheep witty, popular, good-humored, versatile 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Monkey aggressive, alert, perfectionist 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 Rooster honest, conservative, sympathetic, loyal 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 Dog caring, industrious, home-loving 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019 Boar/Pig

39. Writing Starting from about the fifth century BC, we begin to find examples of writings on bamboo strips. Chinese is written with characters known as hànzi There are tens of thousands of Chinese characters, many of which are archaic or obscure. Knowledge of about 5,000 characters is sufficient to read modern standard written Chinese competently. This takes at least 5 years of full-time study to acquire.

40. Modern China