Political Organization in Political Organization in Early chinaEarly china

Xia DynastyXia Dynasty• King Yu, founder of the dynasty, King Yu, founder of the dynasty,

which was established around 2200 which was established around 2200 B.C.E.B.C.E.

• Capital city was believed to be Capital city was believed to be Erlitou, but it is not quite certainErlitou, but it is not quite certain

• Archeological discoveries of this Archeological discoveries of this dynasty have been recently madedynasty have been recently made

Shang DynastyShang Dynasty• Unlike the Xia dynasty, many records Unlike the Xia dynasty, many records

have been discovered have been discovered • The rise of this dynasty is due to the The rise of this dynasty is due to the

technology.technology.• Along with the technology, the bronze Along with the technology, the bronze

metallurgy first went to China and metallurgy first went to China and India with the Indo-European India with the Indo-European immigrants.immigrants.

Zhou DynastyZhou Dynasty• rulers took the title “son of Heaven”, rulers took the title “son of Heaven”,

because it was thought that they served because it was thought that they served as a link between heaven and earthas a link between heaven and earth

• Marriages were also arranged to Marriages were also arranged to strengthen political alliesstrengthen political allies

• Iron production expanded rapidly (Iron Iron production expanded rapidly (Iron metallargy) they were not in control of the metallargy) they were not in control of the bronze production, and iron was bronze production, and iron was inexpensive.inexpensive.

Society And Family In Society And Family In Ancient ChinaAncient China

The Social OrderThe Social Order• Xia, Shang, and Xia, Shang, and

early Zhou ruled early Zhou ruled most royal positions.most royal positions.

• Resided in large, Resided in large, palatial compounds palatial compounds made of pounded made of pounded earth.earth.

• Bronze was mostly Bronze was mostly owned by the owned by the wealthy.wealthy.

• Hereditary Hereditary aristocrats from aristocrats from Shang and Zhou had Shang and Zhou had at least elementary at least elementary training, and had training, and had better standard of better standard of living then most.living then most.

• Worked at Worked at administrative and administrative and military tasks.military tasks.

Continued…Continued…• Had manuals of Had manuals of

etiquette: gulping etiquette: gulping down food, down food, unpleasant noises, unpleasant noises, playing with food, playing with food, etc…etc…

Specialized LaborSpecialized Labor• Small class of free artisans and Small class of free artisans and

craftsmen who served as modern day craftsmen who served as modern day butlers.butlers.

• Did necessary jobs for the house and Did necessary jobs for the house and had a reasonably comfortable had a reasonably comfortable environment.environment.

• Also consisted of Jewelers, bronze Also consisted of Jewelers, bronze smiths, and others.smiths, and others.

Merchants and TradeMerchants and Trade• Used horse-drawn chariots.Used horse-drawn chariots.• Later used sea routes.Later used sea routes.• King Yu, founder of Xia dynasty, invented King Yu, founder of Xia dynasty, invented

the sails.the sails.• Peasants and slaves took up much of the Peasants and slaves took up much of the

population. Used as warriors for battles, population. Used as warriors for battles, performed hard labor, and victims of performed hard labor, and victims of sacrifice during funerary, religious, and sacrifice during funerary, religious, and other ritual observances.other ritual observances.

Family and patriarchyFamily and patriarchy

• Early dynasties ruled their territories Early dynasties ruled their territories largely through family and kinship largely through family and kinship groups.groups.

Veneration of AncestorsVeneration of Ancestors• Chinese families would believe in their Chinese families would believe in their

ancestors presence and influence.ancestors presence and influence.• Bury belongings with the dead.Bury belongings with the dead.• Offer sacrifices at the graves.Offer sacrifices at the graves.• Believed that a family could only Believed that a family could only

prosper in all the people, present and prosper in all the people, present and past, worked cooperatively. past, worked cooperatively.

Patriarchal SocietyPatriarchal Society• Women played a larger role then the Women played a larger role then the

men.men.• Not until later did the men focus on Not until later did the men focus on

the society and also overthrew the the society and also overthrew the women’s rights and powers.women’s rights and powers.

Writing and Cultural Writing and Cultural Development of Early China Development of Early China

Early China’s Religious Early China’s Religious ViewpointViewpoint

• Unlike other early Unlike other early societies, organized societies, organized religion did not play an religion did not play an important role in China important role in China and was not structured and was not structured or practiced on a large or practiced on a large scale.scale.

• Ancient China did not Ancient China did not believe in a divine believe in a divine spirit that would spirit that would intervene in human intervene in human lives. lives.

• Did not support a class of Did not support a class of priests like other civilizations priests like other civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and India.and India.

• Early China explained the Early China explained the world, people, and craft’s world, people, and craft’s origins in myths and origins in myths and legends.legends.

• Believed in an impersonal Believed in an impersonal heavenly power called heavenly power called “Tian”, which was “Tian”, which was responsible with giving and responsible with giving and taking from rulers the taking from rulers the mandate of heaven.mandate of heaven.

Early Chinese WritingEarly Chinese Writing • Most early Chinese writings were on silk or bamboo and Most early Chinese writings were on silk or bamboo and

corroded, but Oracle bones shed light on early Chinese text.corroded, but Oracle bones shed light on early Chinese text. • Oracle bones were used by fortunetellers to forecast future Oracle bones were used by fortunetellers to forecast future

omens by heating wide bones and examining the cracks omens by heating wide bones and examining the cracks that formed. Usually the oracle would write on the bones that formed. Usually the oracle would write on the bones the answer they saw, and the events that followed.the answer they saw, and the events that followed.

• During the 19During the 19thth century workers in the fields around Anyang century workers in the fields around Anyang found oracle bones and called them “dragon bones”.found oracle bones and called them “dragon bones”.

• By the late 1980’s oracle bones were examined by scholars By the late 1980’s oracle bones were examined by scholars and historians who found that the early Chinese writing is and historians who found that the early Chinese writing is the direct descendant of modern characters. Over time the the direct descendant of modern characters. Over time the symbols have been simplified and stylized. symbols have been simplified and stylized.

Continued…Continued…• Literature only began expand during the Zhou dynasty where books Literature only began expand during the Zhou dynasty where books

were used and emphasized by rulers such as thewere used and emphasized by rulers such as the Book of History Book of History which was a collective documentation of the Zhou states rule. which was a collective documentation of the Zhou states rule.

• Manners and Etiquette were accentuated in the Manners and Etiquette were accentuated in the Book of RitesBook of Rites. . • The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes was guide for diviners in foretelling the future. was guide for diviners in foretelling the future. • The most notable work was the The most notable work was the Book of SongsBook of Songs, which was a , which was a

collection of early Chinese poetry, music, and verses. collection of early Chinese poetry, music, and verses. • After the Gin dynasty was victorious over the Warring States Period, After the Gin dynasty was victorious over the Warring States Period,

the new emperor removed all literature that did not have an the new emperor removed all literature that did not have an immediate conventional use in daily life, any writing that would immediate conventional use in daily life, any writing that would encourage independence was banished and few text has survived encourage independence was banished and few text has survived from that period. from that period.

Early Society in East AsiaEarly Society in East Asia

By: Antonio Romero, Max By: Antonio Romero, Max Smiley, Juhi Israni, and Gabby Smiley, Juhi Israni, and Gabby

MarchandisMarchandis

Nomadic SocietyNomadic Society• Nomadic people were herders because of Nomadic people were herders because of

the steppe lands.the steppe lands.• Nomads exchanged products between Nomads exchanged products between

Chinese Farmers.Chinese Farmers.• Nomads relied on grains and Nomads relied on grains and

manufactured goods of the Chinese. manufactured goods of the Chinese. • Nomads did not follow the Chinese Nomads did not follow the Chinese

political or social traditions as they moved political or social traditions as they moved constantly, herding their animals.constantly, herding their animals.

The Yangzi ValleyThe Yangzi Valley• The Yagnzi River was The Yagnzi River was

depended on for the depended on for the growth of rice and growth of rice and other agriculture.other agriculture.

• The expansion of The expansion of agriculture brought agriculture brought many cultivators and many cultivators and formed a new formed a new societysociety

Continued…..Continued…..• Many were assimilated into Chinese Many were assimilated into Chinese

agricultural society agricultural society • Some were pushed to hills and Some were pushed to hills and

mountains mountains • Some migrated to Taiwan, Vietnam, Some migrated to Taiwan, Vietnam,

Thailand Thailand

Continued…Continued…• The state of Chu in The state of Chu in

the central region the central region of Yanzi of Yanzi

• Challenged the Challenged the Zhou for supremacy Zhou for supremacy

• Adopted Chinese Adopted Chinese political and social political and social traditions and traditions and writingwriting