Ancient China

Mr. Scherman’s Core China-Geography

• Food – Feasts were important to the Chinese. They ate beans, grains, and vegetables they also had peanuts, tofu, ginger, green and red chili peppers and noodles. – The Chinese drank a lot of tea and to save fuel they chopped food into small pieces so it would cook quickly. – By drying food it made it more long lasting. • Crops – The Chinese had good irrigation and they had a machine were two people peddled a wheel that was connected to a chain and it carried water out from streams and watered the land. China-Geography – Farmers used terracing when they were growing crops on hilly terrain. They grew millet, wheat, and rice. – They had a machine called a human hammer which was like a sea-saw and was used for smashing grain. •Climate – The north of Ancient China is sub-arctic, the South is almost tropical, the east is fertile plains, and the west is desert. • Bodies of Water – Some bodies of water in China are the Huang He River, Pacific Ocean and the Yangzi river. China - Jobs

• Agriculture – Chinese people farm – Farming, thought to be the best job – Raised millet, beans, and rice – Chinese people grow wheat mostly in North China • Irrigation – Made of dams, canals and chain pumps – Chain pump: invented in 100 BC used paddles connected by a chain, the wheel turned by people walking. Also, it could raise the water 15 feet from rivers or ditches to the crops. China - Jobs

• Music – People made their own music – They used bone chimes – Most majestic instrument, bronze bells – Bells used for ceremonies, and funerals – Took 100’s of men to make these bells China – Jobs

• Inventions – abacus was like an old calculator, The first ones used rods, the next kinds use little, more circular pieces al put on circular wooden rods – People put silkworms in special rooms on mulberry trees – Silk was very valuable China - Jobs

• Servants – Many of the highest-ranking civil servants lived and worked in the imperial capital China-Government

• Empire – Starting in the Qin dynasty, China was one Empire. – It was established by Qin Shihuangdi in 221 BC after a long war beginning in 234 BC. – It included all of present day North-Central China. – “Qin” (pronounced “Chin”) origin of the word “China”. China-Government

• Policies – Qin Shihuangdi made the capital of China at Xianyang, near present day Xian. – harsh ruler – executed dissident scholars and burned their books – He divided the country in to provinces ruled by both a military and civil governor. – He standardized weights and measures. China-Government

• Dynastic Change – In 206 BC, the Qin dynasty was replaced by the Han dynasty. – Large scale wars like this carried out with infantry, cavalry iron weapons, and leather amour. – The weapons included swords, longbows, crossbows, and halberds. China-Government

• Civil Service – Many civil servants were recruited by Gaozu, the first Han emperor. – They all worked at various government tasks including tax collecting, overseeing government construction, and ruling small areas as magistrates. China-Government

• Written records – Records kept of reigns of emperors, prophecies, and other government activities such as taxation. – Common people could not read characters, as they were complicated. – Writing restricted to scholars and officials. China-Government • Money – Money in Qin and Han china consisted of round copper coins with square holes in the middle. Travel In Qin and Han dynasties, worn footpaths were available, but the easiest method of transport was by barge along China’s huge network of canals. The Chinese used primitive locks 2,000 years ago. China-Government

•Cities – Chinese cities were sometimes very large. – Chang’an, the capital of China at one point had 1 million people. – The city was centrally planned. – The city’s plan included many parks. China-Government

• International Relations – China was strict in dealing with its “barbarian” neighbors. – It demanded that its neighbors pay a tribute to the emperor to be allowed to trade with China and be recognized. China - Family and Society

• Housing – 3 Generations of the same family lived in the same house.

– Poor people laid on mats in there house and put their heads on pillows made of wood and pottery.

– Houses were made of wood because if there was an earthquake, and their house fell done it wouldn’t hurt people as much as it would have if it was made of stone.

– Most houses had eaves overhanging on their house so the water doesn’t hit their house, instead it hits the ground. China - Family and Society

– Tiled Roof were on some rich peoples houses to show that they were rich.

– The top room in peoples houses were used as a military look-out.

•Birth

– A 100 hundred day old baby means more presents for the baby.

– Mom’s parents would send flowers, food, sweets, and clothes. China - Family and Society

• Animals – Pigs, Elephants, Wild Chickens, Leopards, Oxen, Monkeys, Rabbits, Pandas, Crickets, Ducks, and Vole

• Recreation/Social Classes

– Plays, Music, Sports, Holidays, Weddings, and Funerals China - Family and Society

– Ruling class, farmers, artists, solders – In the Han dynasty, about 2/3 of people were peasant farmers.

• Education – 15 or up can read and write – Learned how to do things at home – Many people taught themselves China - Family and Society

• Family – Must learn loyalty, and obedience to be with father – Valued sons more than daughters – Young husbands share in shopping, house cleaning, cooking, and taking care of children China – Family and Society

•Women – Some women like wives or relatives to emperor were able to gain power in court and helped with important decisions – Women work outside – Supposed to be humble yielding and respectful China – Family and Society

• Clothes – Cotton tunics – Sandals made of rush or straw – Style and color were laid down by law for the rich people – Only emperors could wear yellow or have dragon patterns – Some people grew their pinkie fingernail long China- Family and Society

– Made their own clothes – Costumes – Headgear stuff that goes on head – Similar clothing

• Names – Last name came before first name – Chinese Americans had more than 1 name, paper son names as well China – Family and Society

•Slavery – Many Chinese people were slaves – Worked in fields – Emperor owned hundreds of slaves – Some slaves were born as slaves because their parents were China-culture

• Medicine - Mulberry, is in medicine for inner ear problems - Teasel root, used as ointment for pain - Chinese yam, used to treat fatigue - Had a book full of desises and the symptoms and cures - Acupuncture used for 2,000 years in China - Chinese based on using herbs - Doctoring requires skill China-culture

• Religion -Statues of servant made to be put by peoples tomb -Tombs and temple decorated with wall paintings and carving -Confucianism showed people to respect each other -Respect in family is important -Buddhism: devote to personal peace -Reborn in different ways -insect or animal -Daoism: they thought you could be impartial supernatural powers