Geography of China

China was isolated. Why?

Would you want to cross these to get into China?

Cliffs along Huang He in Gansu

a. Mountains: south- Himalayaswest- Kunlun and Tien Shan

b. Large deserts: north- Gobi west- Takla Makan

c. Pacific Ocean- east

1. Natural Barriers

Impact of Isolation

Ethnocentric society developed

Ethnocentrism- the belief that your race or culture is better than all others.

Called China “Zhongguo” or Middle Kingdom because they believed they were between Heaven and Earth.

3. Population Distribution

a. 96% of pop. live along coast and river valleys because 2/3 of China is mountains and deserts

How people distribute themselves in an How people distribute themselves in an areaarea

There’s There’s farmable farmable

land land along the along the

coast coast and river and river valleys.valleys.

b. Modern China’s population: ~1.6 Billion people

1 Child Law- To control the population, Chinese families are only allowed to have one child. There are many exceptions.

4. Agriculture

a. Only 11% of the land is arable.b. Arable = farmable

Farmers practice:1. subsistence farming-

producing just enough to meet your basic needs (little or no surplus)

2. terrace farming- carving steps into the sides of mountains for farming

5. Rivers in Chinaa. Huang He (Yellow River)- where the earliest

Chinese civilization developed.

-loess- fine, windblown soil, very fertile, settles in river causing flooding

- known as “China’s Sorrow” because of flood damage

Xi River

b. Chang (Yangtze)

1. Longest river

2. commercial

c. Xi (Si)

1. southern-

most river

2. commercial

6. Coastline

a. Long and irregular (jagged) with excellent harbors

Used for trade and transportation

The 4 Ancient The 4 Ancient River Valley River Valley CivilizationsCivilizations


a. supervised flood control projects

(Yellow R.)

b. developed an accurate calendar

c. developed a form of writing

ideographs- symbols that represent ideas

Oracle Bones- pictograms on bone used to predict the future

The Evolution of The Evolution of ChineseChinese

Writing during the Writing during the ShangShang



PictograpPictographshs

IdeographIdeographss

(“Joe”) 2.

a. supervised flood control projects

(Yellow R.)

b. developed an accurate calendar

c. developed a form of writing

ideographs- symbols that represent ideas

Oracle Bones- pictograms on bone used to predict the future





PictograpPictographshs

IdeographIdeographss

(“Joe”) 2.

a. Philosophies of Confucianism, Legalism and Daoism

developed

b. Economy grew (because of iron) population grew

c. Broke into warring states

d. Developed the

Mandate of Heaven- a dynasty’s divine right to rule

Dynastic Cycle- cycle of how dynasties rise and fall

Ritual Food Vessel, Ritual Food Vessel, bronze bronze

11c BCE (Western 11c BCE (Western Zhou)Zhou)

Ritual Food Vessel, Ritual Food Vessel, bronze bronze

11c BCE (Western 11c BCE (Western Zhou)Zhou)

TheDynastic

Cycle

TheDynastic

Cycle

A new dynasty

comes to power.

A new dynasty

comes to power.

Lives of common people improved;

taxes reduced;farming encouraged.

Lives of common people improved;

taxes reduced;farming encouraged.

Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)

Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)

Taxes increase;men forced towork for army.

Farming neglected.

Taxes increase;men forced towork for army.

Farming neglected.

Govt. increasesspending; corruption.

Govt. increasesspending; corruption.

Droughts,floods,

famines occur.

Droughts,floods,

famines occur.

Poor loserespect for govt.They join rebels

& attack landlords.

Poor loserespect for govt.They join rebels

& attack landlords.

Rebel bands findstrong leader who

unites them.Attack the emperor.

Rebel bands findstrong leader who

unites them.Attack the emperor.

Emperor isdefeated !!

Emperor isdefeated !!

The emperorreforms the govt.& makes it more

efficient.

The emperorreforms the govt.& makes it more

efficient.

Start here

a. believed in Legalist principles

b. united China & started Great Wall

c. Emperor Shi Huangdi’s Tomb with his Terra Cotta Army

Shi Huangdi’s Terra Cotta Army

Shi Huangdi’s Terra Cotta Army

a. Used Civil Service Exam based on Confucian ideas

- Emperor Wudi- improved life

b. Made achievements in medicine (acupuncture), science and agriculture

c. overthrown by foreign invasions

c. invented paper [105 B.C.E.]

d. Est. Silk Road trade route

(618 -907 CE)

a. spread Chinese culture in Asia

b. The printing press, gunpowder,

small pox vaccine,

and

Each of the eight dragons had a bronze ball in its mouth. Whenever there was even a slight earth tremor, a mechanism inside the seismograph would open the mouth of one dragon. The bronze ball would fall into the open mouth of one of the toads, making enough noise to alert someone that an earthquake had just happened. Imperial watchman could tell which direction the earthquake came from by seeing which dragon's mouth was empty.

the earthquake detectorwas invented.

6. Song Dynasty (Sung) 960- 1279 CEa. China experienced a “Golden Age”

with a stable government

b. Culture flourished- grew & succeeded

c. Silk Road grew

- trade between China and the Fertile Crescent increased. It was 4,000 miles of harsh terrain.

7. Yuan Dynasty (Mongol) 1279 -1368 CE

a. Kublai Khan (non-Chinese) ruled China

b. Marco Polo visited China. Europeans became interested in China from his book.

Kublai Khan Genghiz Khan Marco Polo

8. Ming Dynasty 1369 – 1644 CE

a. Revived arts and literature but isolated China when Europeans began developing advancing.

Ming Painting and Calligraphy, early 16cMing Vases, 18c

Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho)China’s “Columbus?”

Zheng He’s treasure ship was 400 ft. long in comparison to Columbus’ Santa Maria, which was 85 ft. long. That’s a BIG difference!

9. Ch’ing Dynasty (Manchu) 1644 – 1911 CE

a. The last of China’s dynastic families came from Manchuria

b. Could not prevent Europeans from gaining power in China.

Foot-Binding in Ancient ChinaFoot-Binding in Ancient ChinaBroken toes by 3 years of age.

Size 5 ½ shoe on the right

Mothers bound their daughters’ feet.

For upper-class girls, it became a new custom.

The Results of Foot-BindingThe Results of Foot-Binding

Geography of China

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