1. Geography & Shang Dynasty
Ancient China
Geography & Shang Dynasty

2. China’s Geography Rivers, Soils, Climates Loess
The development of civilization in early China was aided by features like long rivers, fertile soils, temperate climates, and isolated valleys.
China’s first civilizations developed in river valleys
Two major rivers supplied water for earliest civilizations
Chang Jiang, also called Yangzi
Huang He, or Yellow River
Both flow east from Plateau of Tibet to Yellow Sea
Rivers, Soils, Climates
Annual floods deposited rich soil, loess, on flood plains
Valley of Huang He particularly fertile due to loess
Fine dusty soil
Carried into China by desert winds
Loess *

3. Yellow River Civilization
China’s two major rivers are the Yangtze and the Hwang He. Both empty into the Pacific Ocean draining China’s heavily populated fertile plains.
The earliest Chinese civilizations were found along the Hwang He (Yellow) river which suffers violent flooding each year. It’s nickname is China’s sorrow.

4. Crops
Most of eastern China covered with fertile soils; some regions better suited than others for growing certain crops
Southern China—warm, receives plenty of rainfall, excellent region for growing rice
Further north—climate cooler, drier; suitable for grains, wheat, millet
Isolation
Combination of rivers for irrigation, fertile soil for planting allowed Chinese to thrive, as did China’s relative isolation
Mountains, hills, desert protected China from invasion
Himalaya Mountains separate southern China from India, rest of southern Asia; vast Gobi Desert prevented reaching China from west *

5. Beginnings of Civilization
China’s Geography
Archaeological discoveries suggest Chinese civilization began in Huang He valley
People started growing crops there 9,000 years ago
Beginnings of Civilization *

6. Shang: BCE

7. Government and Society
The Shang Dynasty
According to ancient Chinese records, the Shang dynasty formed around BC, although many archaeologists believe it actually began somewhat later than that.
China ruled by strong monarchy
At capital city, Anyang, kings surrounded by court
Rituals performed to strengthen kingdom, keep safe
Government and Society
King’s governors ruled distant parts of kingdom
King also had large army at disposal
Prevented rebellions, fought outside opponents
Order
Shang China largely agricultural
Most tended crops in fields
Farmers called on to fight in army, work on building projects—tombs, palaces, walls
Agricultural Society *

8. Shang Culture Leisure Artifacts Afterlife Ancestor Worship
Ruling elite had free time to pursue leisure activities, hunting for sport
Wealthy enjoyed collecting expensive bronze, jade objects
Artifacts
Much of what is known comes from studying royal tombs
Contained valuable items made of bronze, jade
Afterlife
Tombs held remains of sacrificed prisoners of war
Believed in afterlife where ruler would need riches, servants
Ancestor Worship
Shang offered gifts to deceased ancestors to keep them happy in afterlife
Steam from ritual meals nourished ancestors’ spirits *

9. As part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for advice
Oracle Bones
As part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for advice
Sought advice through use of oracle bones
Inscribed bits of animal bone, turtle shell
Living person asked question of ancestor
Hot piece of metal applied to oracle bone resulting in cracks on bone’s surface
Specially trained priests interpreted meaning of cracks to learn answer *

10. Oracle Bones

11. Shang Achievements and Decline
Writing
Development of Chinese writing closely tied to use of oracle bones
Earliest examples of Chinese writing, questions written on bones themselves
Early Shang texts used picture symbols to represent objects, ideas
Bronze
Shang religion led to great advances in working with bronze
Highly decorative bronze vessels, objects created for religious rituals
Also built huge structures like tombs; created calendar, first money systems
End of Dynasty
Shang ruled for more than 600 years, until about 1100 BC
Ruling China’s growing population proved too much for Shang
Armies from nearby tribe, Zhou, invaded, established new ruling dynasty *