Ancient China Early Chinese Civilization – Lesson 2

The Shang Dynasty 2000 BC – farming settlements near Huang He and Chang Jiang Grew into villages – then kingdoms 1766 BC – Tang the Successful brought villages under his rule - beginning of Shang Dynasty Lasted 600 years

The Shang Dynasty Invented writing, used bronze Had social classes and monarchy Ruled by force War chariots, bronze-tipped spears helped conquer kingdoms.

The Shang Dynasty Most people were farmers grain, livestock, silk worms Buildings made of wood and mud, so none left Artifacts: marble and jade figurines, silk fabrics, bronze containers

Early Writing and Oracle Bones Shang writing system consisted of symbols to represent whole words Present-day Chinese writing has roots in Shang characters Oracle bones – writing on animal bone and turtle shells Used by diviners to speak to gods and ancestors.

The Zhou Dynasty Longest-ruling dynasty 1122 BC – 256BC China became powerful Began Wei River Valley

The Zhou Dynasty Worshipped a god Tian “Heaven” King Wu won victory over Shang. – began Zhou dynasty. King Wu felt Tian let him win because Shang kings were cruel Mandate of Heaven = Tian gave certain people power to rule as long as they were virtuous

The Zhou Dynasty Rulers set up 3 class social structure King Nobles Peasants Each class were expected to show virtue by offering services to other classes

The Zhou Dynasty Each class were expected to show virtue by offering services to other classes Nobles got land from king in return for military support Peasants worked the nobles land and paid them for its use with goods and services Peasants had hard life – also expected to serve in military

The Zhou Dynasty Each class were expected to show virtue by offering services to other classes This system in called feudalism – exchanging land for loyalty

Decline of the Zhou By 800 BC Zhou kings weak Nomads from north invaded Power struggle within because nobles began to rule own land and want indepenedence Warring Kingdoms Period

Decline of the Zhou Time of cultural growth Introduced cavalry, iron tools and weapons, plows pulled by animals Kingdoms came up with different governments: Chu kings divided kingdoms into counties and chose leaders based on skill A Zheng king created first written laws in China

The Ideas of Confucius Teacher and thinker during Zhou dynasty Concerned with fighting and problems of government He spent his life thinking about how to return goodness and order to China

The Ideas of Confucius He had short sayings to teach his ideas His goal was for people to live and work well together Confucius taught that the family was a model for government Filial piety = children honor and respect their parents. Rulers should love and protect their subjects

The Ideas of Confucius Daoism = opposed violence Lao Zi Believe people should follow laws of nature and the universe