MW

Ancient CHina History

Lesson 1: Ancient China Overview

The Shang Dynasty

  • Ruled for about 600 years (c. 1600-1046 BCE)

  • Known for bronze work and oracle bones

  • First Chinese dynasty with written records

The Zhou Dynasty

  • Longest-lasting Chinese dynasty (1046-256 BCE)

  • Introduced the "Mandate of Heaven" concept

  • Saw the rise of influential philosophies (Confucianism, Taoism)

The Qin Dynasty

  • Short but impactful (221-206 BCE)

  • United China under Emperor Qin Shi Huang

  • Built much of the Great Wall

  • Standardized writing, currency, and measurements

The Han Dynasty

  • Golden age of ancient China (206 BCE - 220 CE)

  • Expanded territory and trade (Silk Road)

  • Advancements in art, science, and technology

Lesson 2: Geography

China's Geography

  • Located in East Asia

  • World's 3rd or 4th largest country by land area

  • Stretching from east to west

Major Rivers

  • Yangtze River: Longest river in Asia, crucial for agriculture

  • Yellow River: Cradle of Chinese civilization

  • Xi River

  • Pearl River

Natural Boundaries

  • Great Wall: Northern border

  • Gobi Desert

  • Pacific Ocean

Lesson 3: Social Hierarchy

Social Structure

  • Hierarchical system with 4 main classes

  1. The Shi (士) → The Nobles: ruled and administered

  2. The Nong (农) → Peasant farmers

  3. The Gong (工) → Artisans and craft people

  4. The Shang (商) → Merchants and traders

  • Most people belonged to lower groups

  • Rigid system with limited social mobility

  • Based on Confucian principles

  • Total population of ~60,000

The Emperor

  • Most important person, ruled the 4 groups

Peasants

  • 90% of population were peasants

  • Highly valued class

Lesson 4: Daily Life in Ancient China

Food and Drink

  • Staple foods: rice, millet

  • Common vegetables: soybeans, broad beans

  • Domesticated animals: pigs, dogs, sheep, oxen, cattle

Clothing

  • Varied based on social status

  • Silk for the wealthy, hemp and ramie for commoners

  • Robes were common

Housing

  • Varied greatly depending on social class

  • Peasants: simple mud huts

  • Wealthy: grand houses with courtyards

  • Heating methods: charcoal braziers

Entertainment

  • Music and dance were popular

  • Board games like Go and Liubo

  • Festivals and celebrations

Education

  • Confucian classics were the core curriculum

  • Focused on moral education and government service

  • Writing and calligraphy were highly valued

Lesson 5: Religions

Daoism

  • Founded by Laozi

  • Emphasis on harmony with nature

  • Concept of "The Way" (Dao)

  • Balance and non-action (Wu wei)

Confucianism

  • Ethical system and way of governance

  • Emphasis on relationships, virtue, and moral conduct

  • Official religion of the government

Buddhism

  • Introduced from India

  • Teaches the Four Noble Truths

  • Aims to end suffering

  • Concepts of karma and rebirth

  • Nirvana as the ultimate goal

  • Spread rapidly, adapting to Chinese culture

Lesson 6: Ancient Life

Domestic Life

  • Extended family system

  • Patriarchal society

  • Respect for elders

  • Ancestor worship

  • Women's roles limited (mostly domestic)

Agriculture

  • Backbone of the economy

  • Rice cultivation in the south

  • Millet and wheat in the north

Trade and Commerce

  • Silk Road established during Han Dynasty

  • Trade with Central Asia, Middle East, and Rome

  • Exported silk, jade, and other luxury goods

  • Imported horses, wool, and glassware

Technology

  • Four Great Inventions: compass, gunpowder, papermaking, printing

  • Advanced irrigation systems

  • Seismograph invented by Zhang Heng

Lesson 7: Everyday Life

Clothing & Fashion

  • Hanfu: traditional garment

  • Varied based on social class and era

  • Silk for the wealthy, hemp for commoners

Food

  • Tea: important drink

  • Regional cuisines developed

  • Use of chopsticks for eating

  • Importance of balance in flavors

Architecture

  • Use of wood and brick

  • Emphasis on symmetry and enclosed courtyards

  • Distinctive roof styles (curved, tiled)

City Life

  • Walled cities with grid layouts

  • Markets and trading centers

  • Complex urban planning

Lesson 8: Burial Practices

Funerary Customs

  • Elaborate preparations for death

  • Belief in afterlife influenced burial practices

  • Items buried with the deceased to use in afterlife

Tombs

  • Varied based on social status

  • Nobility had elaborate tombs with extensive decorations

Terracotta Army

  • Famous burial site of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

  • Thousands of life-sized terracotta warriors buried with the emperor

Lesson 9: The Growth of the Empire

Territorial Expansion

  • The Shang Kingdom covered about 250,000 square kilometers

  • Gradually expanded through conquest and alliances

  • Under the Han, China grew to about 6 million square kilometers

Frontier Regions

  • Northern frontiers faced nomadic threats

  • The Great Wall was expanded as a defensive measure

  • Southern expansion into tropical regions

Farming Methods

  • Irrigation systems developed

  • Terracing of hillsides for agriculture

  • Iron tools improved farming efficiency

  • New crops introduced through trade

Lesson 10: Silk and the Silk Road

Silk Production

  • Chinese kept the secret of silk production for centuries

  • Process: silkworms fed mulberry leaves, cocoons harvested

  • High-value product used for:

    • Luxury clothing

    • Diplomatic gifts

    • Currency

    • Musical instruments

  • Exported to other Asian and European countries

The Silk Road

  • Network of trade routes connecting China to the Middle East and Europe

  • Named after the lucrative silk trade

  • Facilitated exchange of goods, technologies, and ideas

  • Lasted for over 1,500 years

  • Significant impact on cultural and religious exchange

  • Introduced Buddhism to China from India

Lesson 11: Science and Technology

The 4 Great Inventions

  • Paper

  • Printing

  • Gunpowder

  • The compass

Other Significant Inventions

  • Cast iron production

  • Kites

  • Tea cultivation

Agriculture and Food

  • Irrigation systems improved farming

  • Tea processing methods developed

Medicine and Health

  • Traditional Chinese medicine developed

  • Use of herbs and acupuncture

  • Concept of balance in health (yin and yang)

Mathematics

  • Development of the decimal system

  • Use of the abacus for calculations