Has Geography Helped or Hurt China?

Chinese Civilization Begins Chinese Civilization Begins Along the Yellow River Cradle of Chinese Civilization. Fertile land, fresh water, mud, transportation

China’s Sorrow Hwang-he River Flooding is unpredictable and very dangerous. Yellow River Floods have killed many Chinese and destroyed many crops.

Answer Unlike the Hwang-he River, the Nile River Flooding was predictable. What did the Egyptians create because of this?

Yangtze River The Yangtze River is China’s other great river. It too provided many benefits but also has deadly unpredictable flooding. 3 Gorges Dam currently being built.

Grand Canal Man made waterway connecting north and south China. Longest Man Made River Allowed Chinese cities to trade and grow economically.

China’s Eastern 1/3 China’s Major Rivers are in the Eastern 1/3 of the Country. This is the most fertile part of China. How do you think this affects China’s population distribution?

Eastern 1/3 Because this is the most fertile part of China, this is the most overcrowded part of China. The majority of China’s population lives on only 1/3 of the land. Overcrowded, High Population density.

Answer? What does it mean to be isolated? Whose invasion of India ended Indian isolation? How do we know their was contact between Egypt, Mesopotamia, and South Asia?

Chinese Isolation China was isolated from Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Europe. China was not isolated from South, Central, and Eastern Asia. Geography has much to do with Chinese Isolation.

Chinese Isolation Deserts Mountains Seas Isolate China from much of the World, BUT NOT THE REST OF ASIA.

Chinese Deserts Gobi Desert Taklamakan Desert.

Important Chinese Mountains Tian Shan Himalayas Kunlun Pamir

Ethnocentrism Belief that your culture is superior to all other cultures. Your way/culture is better than other cultures.

Chinese Ethnocentrism Chinese isolation led to attitude of ethnocentrism in China. China views non-Chinese as barbarians. China views itself as the “Middle Kingdom” or center of the world.

Silk Road Exception Series of Trade Routes between China, India, Central Asia, and the Eastern Roman Empire. Buddhism comes to China this way. China has contact and trade with India and Central Asia. China was not as isolated as many used to think.

Korean “Bridge” The Korean Peninsula served as a cultural bridge connecting China and Japan. Early Japan was influenced by China. Ex. Nara and Xian

Help??? How might the mountains, seas, and deserts helped ancient China?

Northern Weakness China had no natural barriers in the north. Threats from Manchus and Mongols. What do you think they built to make up for weakness?

The Great Wall Built to protect China from the North. Stop Manchus and Mongols. Fails to stop either as both invade and take over China.

The Great Wall First Built by Qin Shi Huangdi around 200 BC. Rebuilt by Ming Dynasty around 1300. 4,000 Miles Long 2.5 Million Chinese Die building it.

Answer: Was China helped or hurt by its geography? Why do some say China was isolated? What is some evidence that China was not isolated?