hat is Chin W a’s Curse? Ancient 8,000 SILENT SOLDIERS STANDING STILL

A Home with 9,999 Rooms

The First Fireworks

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Ancient_China_FC.indd 1 3/1/17 3:04 PM 2 ties. n the longlasting pire ol lapsed as the last emperor stepped down. The Chinese uring the tie of the epire the peo China is very old. Its written history goes ple of China accomplished a great deal. back 3,500 years. he invented printing gunpoder fi re In 221 BCE, when European kingdoms works, the compass, and kites. Chinese and states ere still fi ghting aong the workers built the world’s longest wall and selves one of hinas fi rst great rulers its longest canal. From studying the eating united warring states in China to form a habits of tin aterpillars the hinese dis great empire. For more than 2,000 years – overed the serets of silkaking. ro a from 221 BCE until 1912 CE – the empire sogg iture of old rags bark and developed under the watchful eyes of more boo, they created paper. The list of Chinese than a doen ruling failies alled dnas ahieveents is long. ets fi nd out ore about these people and their empire.

THIS EARTH-AND- that long), it was stone wall is built to protect China’s most the country from famous landmark. enemies. Although Known as the Great parts offered pro- Wall, it’s the lon- tection from minor gest human-made attacks, it could construction in the not have stopped world. Stretching a major invasion. at least 5,500 Several thousand miles along China’s miles of the wall northern border still stand today, a (some say it was symbol of China’s more than twice power and unity.

The Chinese Dynasties A dynasty is a grown so powerful series of rulers that it was able all belonging to to take control of the same family. much of China. Ancient China’s Here are China’s first dynasty was major dynasties. the Shang. By A representative about 1600 BCE, the piece of art is SHANG ZHOU Shang family had shown for each. C. 1600–1046 BCE C. 1046–256 BCE C. 221–207 BCE C. 206 BCE–220 CE

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r CHINA TAKES ITS Qin sounds like Shi Huangdi built a name from the “chin” – hence our strong central gov- dynasty started word “China.” The ernment. He made by the powerful first emperor ruled sure his strict laws first emperor, Shi for only 11 years, were obeyed and Huangdi, of the from 221 BCE until required everyone . (In his death in 210 to pay taxes. His earlier dynasties, BCE, but he united capital was at kings and their the country by Xianyang, in the nobles ruled.) In defeating the local strategic He Chinese, the word rulers of the states. river valley.

DURING ITS EARLY tribes. But the history, China had extreme terrain limited contact also made China with the rest of difficult to gov- the world. Its ern. The Chinese mountain ranges traditionally saw and deserts dis- themselves as the couraged trade center of the uni- and travel and verse, calling their protected it from country Zhongquo, invasion by neigh- meaning “Middle boring “barbarian” Kingdom.”

SUI TANG YUAN MING QING C. 581–618 C. 618–907 C. 960–1279 C. 1279–1368 1368–1644 1644–1912

Ancient_China_2-3.indd 3 3/1/17 3:07 PM 4 food for everyone. Craftspeople made Ancient Chinese Society tools, weapons, furniture, and household Ancient Chinese society was like a ladder. goods for the upper classes. Near the bot- On the very top step – the highest rank in tom of the ladder stood the merchant class. society – stood the emperor and the royal Although many of this class were rich, family. They possessed the most power such as traders and shopkeepers, they and wealth. Just below them stood civil were looked down upon because they servants. These government workers were made their wealth from trading goods pro- highly respected because they served the duced by others – not by their own hand. royal family and because they could read On the very bottom step of the ladder and write. Below civil servants stood the stood entertainers, soldiers, and servants. peasants and the craftspeople. Although People on the bottom of the social ladder peasants were farmers and had little mon- had little hope of climbing up, though a ey, China depended on them to produce lucky few did.

l CIVIL SERVANTS ects, and judged played a key role in court cases. They bringing order and also kept the offi- stability to society. cial written records They collected tax- of the empire. In es, enforced laws, cities and towns, organized workers their jobs included for building proj- registering births, deaths, marriages, and changes in u STUDENTSWHO – could take the land ownership. hoped to join the civil-service exam, civil service spent which was first many hours study- given in the Song ing the teachings dynasty. Only about of the philosopher one percent of test Confucius. Most takers passed the candidates came exam. They were from rich, land- guaranteed jobs as owning families. court ministers and However, any might marry into male – rich or poor the royal family.

l PEOPLE WHO tools, and cook- factories owned by worked with their ing utensils. They the government. hands (artisans or wove silk cloth Customers for their craftspeople), held or made bronze, goods included a respected place jade, or clay into the families of the in society. They works of art and emperor, civil ser- used their skills to religious objects. vants, and wealthy make weapons, Some worked in merchants.

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rMANY MEMBERS of the royal fam- ily owned large amounts of land, often in the countryside. They had few money worries, and they didn’t have to work because their wealth came from their landholdings.

u THE HIGHEST- special privileges. columns wide. A ranking civil By law, the very third-level official servants served top officials could was allowed a the emperor in own a house house with five the royal court. with five columns columns, but not These officials had and a gate three the wide gate.

r A PEASANT’S LIFE was hard. In addi- tion to raising food for others, peasants served in the army and d MERCHANTS WERE who did often worked on gov- important for their sent their sons to ernment building role in trade. Until schools where they projects. They built the , trained to become canals, roads, and they were not civil servants. the walls that pro- allowed to become Their daughters tected many cities. civil servants. found husbands in However, some the upper classes grew rich through and moved up the their work. Those social ladder.

Ancient_China_4-5.indd 3 3/1/17 3:12 PM 6 food and had ore leisure tie. How the Rich Lived China’s richest man was the emperor. In ancient China, it was easy to tell who uring the ing and ing dnasties the was rich. From head to toe, the wealthiest eperor lived in an area that as offliits had the fi nest lothes. ebers of the ro to ordinar people the orbidden it. al fail and highranking offi ials dangled o one eept the eperor ould enter it ade gold or silver braelets fro their at night. oda its an palaes are open ars. he ate ore and bettertasting to the publi.

l DURINGSOME dynasties, strict rules governed what materials could be used for jewelry. Royals, the wealthy, and civil servants could EMPRESS’S THRONE wear gold, silver, or jade, but those u THE EMPRESS’S below them had palace was to be content with called the Palace copper or iron. of Terrestrial Shown here is a Tranquillity, while antique jade disk. the emperor’s was known as the Palace of Celestial Purity. No one could enter the Gate of Celestial Purity except the emperor. ful. Tiny feet The empress, her u THE PRACTICE OF forced women to female servants, binding the feet of take small steps. and other mem- young girls with Foot binding bers of her royal long strips of cloth spread to other household lived began among the classes of society. in palaces behind rich during the Song However, farm the gate, but they dynasty, because girls, who were couldn’t enter or small feet were needed in the exit through the admired. Foot bind- fields, escaped same gate as the THE FORBIDDEN CITY sits in the Hall of ing stopped the this torture. The emperor. contains 9,999 Supreme Harmony. growth of the feet custom died out in rooms! That num- Outside the hall, and was very pain- the early 1900s. ber is a symbol 25,000 officials for long life and often gathered in long rule for the the courtyard for emperor. His throne orders.

in some dynasties r FEW WEALTHY only the rich were women were allowed to wear allowed to work u DURING THE TANG home, rich people u ALTHOUGH FASHIONS it. During the Qing outside the home, dynasty, royal amused them- in men’s and dynasty, men and so they had lots of men and women selves and their women’s clothes women wore robes leisure time. They enjoyed playing guests by inviting changed over time, tied at the waist filled it by listening polo on horse- musicians, acro- the fabric they wore with a large sash. to music, writing back on the bats, and dancers did not. The rich Wealthy women poetry, weaving, palace grounds to perform. wore silk. It was a wore silk slippers embroidering, and at Chang’an. At status symbol, and with wooden soles. sewing.

Ancient_China_6-7.indd 2 3/1/17 3:21 PM 7 times sold their daughters to become ser- How the Poor Lived vants of the rich. Even in good times, farm- While the rich lived a life of ease, the poor ers kept little of their harvest, because it worked very hard. Few could read or write, helped feed everyone else in society. When and most were farmers, living on small plots rops failed beause of drought or floods of land. Some owned their land, but others farmers risked losing their land. The Huang worked for rich landowners, giving them e river overfloed so often that the poor part of each harvest. Poor families some- called it “China’s Curse.”

l IN MANY PARTS of China, good farmland is scarce. Mountains cover about four-fifths of the land. The remaining fifth is flat, but half of that level land is not good for farming either, due to poor soil and lack of rainfall. To make good use of every uIN NORTHERN CHINA, bit of land, farmers the poor ate wheat carved terraces – noodles, steamed narrow, flat fields bread, and bean – out of hills and curd. In the south, mountainsides. rice was the staple of the diet. Meals that included meat were rare. The poor ate their food in small bowls. Along with their r WHILE A RICH meals they drank person’s house green tea. In the was often made of dry, colder north, wood, with a tiled the farmers’ main roof, the poor made u THESE WORKERS crops were millet, do with mud and didn’t have to wheat, and barley. straw. A sunken worry about getting In the warmer, wet- pit in the center enough exercise. ter south, farmers of the house held u POOR FARMERS With few tools to grew rice in flooded a heating and kept few large farm help them with fields called pad- cooking fire. Many animals. They did their chores, they dies. Water flowed built their houses not want to take did most jobs by into the fields partially under- up any of their hand or foot. Some through carefully ground to keep scarce land to grow spent long hours constructed irriga- them warmer in the food for livestock. pushing pedals to tion channels. winter. This picture shows turn a large wheel a man tilling, or that brought water l WOMEN WORE loose cotton shirt. u WHEN THE POOR plowing, with a up a wooden chan- simple wool gar- Both wore shoes did have a little water buffalo. nel and into the ments in winter and made of straw. time to relax, they rice paddies. cotton in summer. Once children were liked to play card They never wore silk. old enough to walk, games, watch Peasant men wore they wore child-size plays, and listen to baggy pants made versions of their storytellers. of sturdy cloth and a parents’ clothes.

Ancient_China_6-7.indd 3 3/1/17 3:21 PM 8 hinas fi rst dnasties the hang hou in The First Dynasties and an ere the ost infl uential in bringing the ountr of hina together and enlarging its bor ders. ah one left hina a lasting ultural lega.

Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE) (c. 1046–256 BCE)

N N

W E W E

S S Sea of Sea of Japan Japan CHINA CHINA Yellow Yellow Anyang Sea Hao Sea East East China China Sea Sea

South PACIFIC South PACIFIC Bay of China OCEAN Bay of China OCEAN Bengal Sea Bengal Sea

u THE SHANG EMPIRE grew out of the Huang He u THE ZHOU CIVILIZATION developed along the river valley. Known as the cradle of Chinese River, west of the Shang. Over time the Zhou civilization, this area attracted early settlement expanded their territory and overthrew the because of its fertile soil and relatively sheltered Shang. They also annexed outlying areas run by location. Farming there required less labor than warlords, greatly increasing the empire’s size. in other places, so workers were freed up to The Zhou dynasty was the longest lasting. build roads, buildings, and walls. One of the Shang’s creations was a 12-month, 360-day l calendar. THE NEW RELIGIONS of and Daoism developed. The Zhou worshipped a supreme power they called tian, or heaven. They believed tian gave the emperor the right to rule, u THE SHANG WERE famous for their bronze which they called the weapons and gear, like this dagger. “Mandate of Heaven.”

l FORMAL CHINESE writing began during the Shang. To answer people’s questions about the future, ora- r DURING THE ZHOU cles – or fortune-tellers dynasty, writing was – drew symbols on ani- further developed, coins mal bones called oracle were issued, iron was bones. They heated introduced, and the the bones until they crossbow was invented. cracked. The cracks led Artists made decorative to the symbol that gave bronze bells and beauti- the question’s answer. ful lacquerware. We also These symbols were have the Zhou to thank the ancestors of mod- for chopsticks. ern Chinese characters (writing symbols).

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Qin Dynasty (c. 221–207 BCE) (c. 206 BCE–220 CE)

N N

W E W E

S S Sea of Sea of Japan Japan CHINA Yellow CHINA Yellow Sea Sea Xianyang East Chang’an East China China Sea Sea

South PACIFIC South PACIFIC Bay of China Bay of China OCEAN OCEAN Bengal Bengal Sea Sea

u u TOWARD THE END of the Zhou dynasty, the DURING THE HAN dynasty, China’s borders empire began to break up. China entered the expanded. The Han preserved the districts and destructive (475–221 BCE), central rule of the Qin dynasty. But because they when various kingdoms vied with one another for took very seriously the moral responsibilities laid power. The brutal Qin rulers emerged victorious. out in Confucianism, they were not harsh toward The strong founding emperor, Shi Huangdi, broke their subjects. up other kingdoms and unified northern China, bringing the country under strict central control. r TRADING INCREASED The Qin dynasty divided the land into new gov- as the Silk Road was ernment districts and established one set of rules established from the for the entire country to follow. The Qin built much Han capital to the of the first phase of China’s Great Wall. Mediterranean Sea. Both goods and ideas were moved along the Silk Road. In the Han dynasty, the new religion of began to spread northward from its birthplace in India to China and other coun- tries. Buddhist monks traveled the route and told people about their d THE HAN RULERS beliefs. Buddhism brought China into eventually became a golden age of one of the largest reli- learning and artistic gions in the world. achievement. Paper was invented, and historians wrote many important works.

u SHI HUANGDI’S RULE was harsh. He did not honor Confucianism. He disliked educated peo- ple because they were harder to control. After Shi Huangdi’s death the people revolted, and the Han dynasty took power in 206 BCE. The Qin dynasty was the shortest in Chinese history.

Ancient_China_8-9_v2.indd 3 3/1/17 3:26 PM 8 The Emperor’s Clay Army

IN MARCH 1974, WORKERS DIGGING A WELL NEAR , CHINA, discovered this silent, life-size army guarding the tomb of the first emperor, Shi Huangdi of the Qin dynasty. Since that time, archaeologists have uncovered about 8,000 terra-cotta sol- diers and horses. No two faces are alike! Archaeological finds like this have helped unlock the secrets of ancient China.

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Ancient_China_10-11.indd 3 3/1/17 3:28 PM 12 The Compass and Other Chinese Inventions The next time you write on paper, use a compass on a hike ath a fi reorks dis pla arr a heav load in a heelbarro or pla a ard game, thank the Chinese. he hinese ere the fi rst to invent all of these items, and an ore.

r IN 1088, A CIVIL servant named Su Song presented the first water clock to an emperor of the Song dynasty. It u TODAY WE CALL IT took Su Song four a compass, but the years to construct ancient Chinese the 30-foot-high knew this invention clock, built in the as a “south-pointing shape of a tower. fish.” The Chinese Its machinery were the first to was driven by discover that a water flowing magnetic object into buckets on a figures appeared at could indicate waterwheel inside the clock windows direction. The the clock. As each to chime the hours. “south-pointing bucket filled, a Although Su Song’s fish” consisted of lever tilted, the clock did not sur- a wooden fish with wheel turned, and vive, he left such a piece of metal a new bucket was detailed plans of it floating in a bowl of filled. The clock had that exact copies water. It was used bells and gongs have been made for overland and that rang every 15 from his original ocean voyages. minutes. Revolving drawings.

l CHINESE DOCTORS stuffing the pow- u THE CHINESE HAVE soon after it was may have acciden- der into hollow flown kites for invented. Soldiers tally discovered sticks of bamboo nearly 3,000 years. of the Han dynasty how to make and lighting them. They were probably sailed kites to gunpowder while Fireworks were the first people to frighten their searching for ways believed to scare make kites, con- enemies. In ancient to cure illnesses. away evil spirits structing them of times, kite-flying In the 900s, the and ghosts. silk and bamboo. was a popular way Chinese began Paper became the to celebrate at fes- making fireworks favored material tivals. from gunpowder. Soon they were

Ancient_China_12-13.indd 2 3/1/17 3:29 PM 13 For hundreds of years, the Chinese kept the secrets of silk-making to themselves. Eventually, Europeans discovered how it was done and smuggled this knowledge out of the country.

1 Silk thread comes from the cocoon of a caterpillar that feeds on

A Silky Secret mulberry leaves.

2 Baby silkworms feed on mulberry leaves until they’ve stored enough fat to build cocoons. They make their silky cocoons from a jellylike substance in their silk glands. u PRINTING FIRST d THE CHINESE developed in China, invented the 3 After about a week, between the 2nd wheelbarrow workers steam or and 6th centuries almost 2,000 years bake the cocoons to CE. An artisan ago. They called kill the worms inside. carved the surface their invention the The cocoons are then of a wooden block “wooden ox” or rinsed in hot water to create a charac- “gliding horse.” A to loosen the tightly ter of the Chinese worker could push woven strands of silk language and then it or pull it. Almost thread that make up the applied ink to this 1,300 years passed cocoon. The strands are surface. The printer before Europeans unwound onto a spool. stamped the inked learned of this Each cocoon is made up surface on cloth or labor-saving device of a thread about half a paper. Later, the and copied it. mile long. About six of Chinese went a these twisted together step further, learn- make one thread strong ing how to make enough for spinning. movable type in a wooden frame.

Around 105 CE, a Chinese civil servant named two centuries earlier. Along with the printing Papermaking Lun discovered how to make paper, press, this invention made possible rapid although archaeological discoveries show changes in communications. Here’s how that craftspeople may have discovered it paper was first made. 1 Silk rags, mulberry bark, 2 The mixture was boiled, bamboo, and other plant mate- mashed, and pounded to form rials were mixed together in a pulp, a soft, wet mass of mate- large vat and soaked in water rial. to soften them.

3 A fine screen was dipped 4 The screen with the sheet

into the pulp to gather up a of paper on it was left to dry Which Chinese invention has had the greatest impact on your life? thin film of fibers. The screen on a heated wall. When dry, was pressed to remove the the paper was peeled off the water. screen.

Ancient_China_12-13.indd 3 3/1/17 3:29 PM 14 The Great Wall and Other Engineering Feats The Chinese turned their skills to building, trade, and travel. They showed the same creative spirit that made them such great inventors. The most amazing feat of Chi- nese engineering is the Great Wall, but a close second is the Grand Ca- nal. The canal, a massive building project, helped make trade and trav- el between parts of China easier. One of the ancient world’s most famous trade routes was the 4,000-mile-long Silk Road. It served as a path for merchants trav- eling between China and other parts of Asia and Europe. They car- ried silk, spices, and other goods. In the 1400s, the Chinese set out to show the world their skills as sail- ors. The Ming emperor Yong Lo sent a huge fleet of ships on seven sea voyages to show foreign rulers that China was a great naval power. The major constructions helped unify the country, while the trade links let others find out about it.

l AT 1,000 MILES He (Yangzi and the . long, the Grand Yellow) rivers and The canal worked Canal is the world’s ran from Hangzou as the emperors longest canal. Built in the south to had hoped. It made by Emperor Di Beijing in the north. it easier to collect (569–618 CE) dur- It was built by con- taxes, distribute ing the dynasty necting new and grain, and transport to help transport existing canals. soldiers. During soldiers and grain Great engineer- famines, it became around the empire, ing improvements a lifeline, bringing it linked the Chang were made on the food to starving Jiang and Huang waterway during people.

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l DURING THE MING goal was not death, the voyages dynasty, Admiral conquest or trade. abruptly stopped. He led They wanted to New Ming rulers seven voyages into show the world forbade Chinese what the Chinese that China was a ships to sail out- called the “Western great naval power. side of coastal Ocean.” Between On his first voy- waters and greatly 1405 and 1433, age, the admiral’s reduced Chinese Zheng He’s fleet fleet consisted contact with for- visited Southeast of 63 ships and eigners. Asia, India, Arabia, 28,000 men. After and Africa. Their Emperor Yong Lo’s

u IN SOME PLACES guard at watch- the Great Wall is towers all along as high as a three- the wall, sending story building and messages to each wide enough for other by runners, several horses to mirrors, and smoke travel side by side. signals. Soldiers stood

r ITALIAN MERCHANT official in China for Marco Polo is one nearly 20 years. of the Silk Road’s When he returned best-known travel- to Italy, he wrote ers. In 1271, he Description of the made the trip from World, which gave Venice to China, most Europeans where he won the their first glimpse favor of the rul- of China’s ers of the day. He advanced society. u HUNDREDS OF served as a valued thousands of work- ers died while building the Great r THE SILK ROAD chants made great Wall. That earned was not one but fortunes selling it the nickname a series of trade silks, spices, tea, “Longest Cemetery routes that con- and Chinese crafts. on Earth.” Workers nected China with In exchange, the ate little and worked India, the received long hours carving East, Persia, and from other traders granite blocks, dig- the Roman Empire. gold, silver, glass, ging trenches, and Because of this wool, pearls, and pushing backbreak- trade, the Romans furs. To travel safely together lowered went the entire er to another until ing loads up steep knew China as on the Silk Road, their risk of being route themselves. at last the precious hillsides. Most died Serica, “Land of merchants formed attacked by rob- Instead, goods were cargo reached its of overwork and Silk.” Chinese mer- caravans. Traveling bers. Few merchants sold from one trad- destination. exhaustion.

Ancient_China_14-15.indd 3 3/1/17 3:32 PM 16 Chinese Medicine Legacies Through thousands of years of experimenting and acupuncture are all forms of traditional dating back to the Han dynasty, the Chinese Chinese medicine. Chinese healers try to treat developed many ways to care for the sick and illness by bringing the body back to its natural of Ancient improve health. Herbal medicine, massage, balance.

l ACUPUNCTURE IS China an old form of Chinese medicine. Although Chinese Chinese doctors society has faced believe energy great changes since flows along 12 lines in the body. the last emperor lost Doctors ease his throne in 1912, pain and treat evidence of ancient certain illnesses by sticking very China is everywhere fine needles The Changing in the modern world. u DO YOU WANT and powdered into the skin at clearer skin? animal horn, snake, special points Chinese cooking, Perhaps an herbal- or lizard. One skin along these lines. medicine, and exer- ist can help. Herbal treatment recom- This 600-year- cise contain ele- treatments may mends swallowing old acupuncture combine herbs, a mixture that chart shows the ments thousands of leaves, roots, and contains ground-up arm’s main needle years old. The paint- bark, plus dried pearls. points. ings and pottery of the artists of the past Chinese Teachings l DAOISM IS ONE inspire the young of two major belief artists of today. Two believed that the systems that began forces in nature in China. of the world’s great balance each means “the way” belief systems – other. The darker in Chinese. The half of this symbol founder of Daoism Confucianism and is yin, which is was Lao Zi, who Daoism – began in earthly, female, was born in about China. The ideas of u HAVE YOU EVER dark, and wet. The 600 BCE. Lao Zi seen one of these lighter half is yang, believed there was their founders have signs? This is the thought to be heav- a balance in nature had an impact on ev- yin-yang symbol. enly, male, light, that should not be erything from poli- It is often linked and dry. Happiness disturbed, and he with Daoism (also requires an equal wanted people to tics to cooking to called ). The balance between live simple lives martial arts. ancient Chinese yin and yang. in harmony with nature. l CONFUCIUS IS wife were important China’s best-known in keeping order thinker. Born in 551 in society. In each BCE, he lived during relationship, the a time of constant “superior” person’s r ALTHOUGH THE ART designs on the warfare in China, duty is to look after of cloisonné (kluh- metal with tiny and his ideas the “inferior” person, WAH-zun-ay) was wires called show his desire whose job is to fol- probably invented cloisons. Brightly to restore peace. low and obey. For in the Middle East, colored enamel Confucius taught example, sons and Chinese artists paints cover the that the relation- daughters respect perfected this pro- spaces between ships between ruler and obey their par- cess of decorating the wires. The and ruled, parent ents, and the people metal containers metal object is and child, older and do the same with with enamel paint. heated to bind younger sibling, their ruler. The artist makes the enamel to it. and husband and

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d THE CHINESE words. The strokes raphy. In China, the r CHANGES IN THE language is made that make up each work of a master CHINESE CHARACTER up of more than character have to calligrapher is con- “MOUNTAIN” 40,000 signs, or be written in the sidered equal or Chopsticks characters. Some proper order. The superior to paint- stand for sounds, Chinese made writ- ing. Calligraphers The Chinese and others are pic- ing into a fine art use special brush- may have eaten tures or symbols of form called callig- es and inks. with chopsticks 3,000 years ago. r THE CHINESE (right, top) looked Chopstick use written language like a mountain. spread to other developed during Like many oth- parts of East Asia. the . ers, this character Today, chopsticks At first, many changed until it come in wood, Chinese charac- reached its present bamboo, plastic, ters were picture shape. Can you find and even silver symbols for whole any reminders of and ivory. words. Notice how the original charac- The Changing Chinese Language The Changing the earliest char- ter in the one used acter for mountain today (bottom)?

Rest the bottom Martial Arts chopstick between l MARTIAL ARTS ARE your thumb and fighting skills that the third finger. developed in Asia This chopstick hundreds of years never moves. ago. Today, people all over the world d MANY STYLES OF practice these skills kung fu have for exercise, self- movements recall- defense, and fun. The Art of Chinese Cooking In the ing such animals The martial arts u THE WOK IS THE d EMPERORS PICKED Hold the top chop- as the dragon, that began in China Chinese cook’s their chefs care- centuries before stick like a pencil. leopard, and tiger. are called wushu. main cooking pot, fully. To be certain refrigeration, the This chopstick The kung fu style Americans know used especially the food was not Chinese found moves up and known as wing them as kung fu, for stir-frying. The poisoned, trusted creative ways to down. Keep the chun was invented words meaning rounded bottom servants put a preserve foods. tips of the chop- by a nun called “good effort.” Kung allows heat to silver rod into each One invention sticks even with Yim Wing Chun. fu is at least 2,000 spread evenly so dish before the was the so-called each other. Its movements are years old and may food cooks quickly. emperor ate it. 1,000-year-old based on those have started in Steaming, boil- If the rod turned egg. Do you know of the crane and northern China. ing, deep-frying, black, it had how the Chinese snake. Today the Chinese or stir-frying are touched arsenic, a traditionally make practice hundreds all ways to cook deadly poison. these eggs? of styles of kung fu. Chinese food. The Now move the top Chinese developed chopstick up and stir-frying to save down while hold- time and costly ing the bottom one fuel. Food is cut still. into small, bite-size pieces so that it cooks faster.

l A CHINESE ARTIST Artists covered black, red, brown, made this piece by wood or bamboo or gold lacquer. The painting a wooden kitchen tools with babies of the rich box with up to 35 lacquer layers so ate from lacquer thin coats of lac- they could with- spoons and bowls. quer, a sticky liquid stand high heat. that comes from Lacquerware was the sap of a tree. often colored with

Ancient_China_16-17.indd 3 3/1/17 3:33 PM 18 Activities WRITE A COMPARE- CONTRAST ESSAY In many ways, the Qin and Han dynasties could not have been more different; yet they also shared some important qualities. Write notes to organize your thinking about how these dynasties are alike and differ- ent. Creating a T-chart or a Venn diagram may be helpful. Be sure to include information on the political contributions of each dynasty. Use your notes to write a compare- contrast essay. Be sure to include an introductory paragraph, two or more body paragraphs, and a con- clusion.

WRITE A SUMMARY Think about the problems in China in the time of Confucius and about Confucius’s teachings. Some of Confucius’s central ideas were based on the idea that all people should respect each other. What else did you learn in the magazine about how Confucius believed people should live? Write a summary of the difficulties in China at the time and how Confucius sought to solve them.

Ancient_China_18-19.indd 18 3/1/17 3:34 PM 19 MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THESE RELATED TITLES

Ancient India Indian Language The story of Ancient India is filled with India’s geography, with its steep moun- Language is more than just the words mystery and fascination. Much of what tain ranges and long distances, made and sounds we use to communicate. we know comes from two major cities, it difficult for any one ruler to unite the The study of language helps us under- Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. These country. But in 320 BCE, Chandragupta stand our past. From ancient hiero- ancient trading hubs were carefully Maurya founded the Maurya Empire, glyphs and the first papyrus scrolls to planned, with advanced plumbing India’s first true empire. Learn about sign language and computer program- systems and graceful public build- the rise and spread of Buddhism and ming, language has long been at the ings. You’ll also discover the roots of Hinduism, the reign of Ashoka, and the center of human society. Hinduism, and learn about the caste emergence of the Gupta Empire. system.

CALIFORNIA STANDARDS

6.6 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of China. 6.6.1 Locate and describe the origins of Chinese civilization in the Huang-He Valley during the Shang Dynasty. 6.6.2 Explain the geographic features of China that made governance and the spread of ideas and goods difficult and served to isolate the country from the rest of the world. 6.6.3 Know about the life of Confucius and the fundamental teachings of Confucianism and Taoism. 6.6.4 Identify the political and cultural problems prevalent in the time of Confucius and how he sought to solve them. 6.6.5 List the poli- LEARN MORE ONLINE! cies and achievements of the emperor Shi Huangdi in unifying northern China under the Qin Dynasty. 6.6.6 Detail the political contributions of the Han Dynasty to the development of the imperial bureaucratic state and • The three major reli- thing. Nature and emotions the expansion of the empire. 6.6.7 Cite the significance gions of ancient China – were important to them. In of the trans-Eurasian “silk roads” in the period of the Confucianism, Daoism, and contrast, Confucianism had Han Dynasty and Roman Empire and their locations. Buddhism – became popular many rules about ethical 6.6.8 Describe the diffusion of Buddhism northward to China during the Han Dynasty. between the 6th century BCE behavior. and the 1st century CE. But before then, the people prac- • Confucius didn’t write much Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills: ticed folk religions and wor- about women, so Ban Chronological and Spatial Thinking shipped a variety of deities took up the challenge. Written 3. Students use a variety of maps and documents to (gods). in 106 CE, her practical hand- identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, book, Lessons for Women, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical • People who practiced Daoism applies Confucian rules of migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems. believed a spiritual force devotion and humility to flows through every living female lives.

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EDITOR: Jennifer Dixon FACT-CHECKER: Nayda Rondon, Patricia ART DIRECTION: Brobel Design Fogarty DESIGNERS: Ian Brown, Ed Gabel, David Ricculli, Jeremy Rech AUTHOR: Linda Scher, Camille Cauti PHOTO RESEARCH: Ted Levine, AUTHOR TEAM LEAD: Amy K. Hughes Elisabeth Morgan ACTIVITIES WRITER: Marjorie Frank PRESIDENT AND CEO: Ted Levine PROOFREADER: Jennifer Dixon CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER: Mark Levine

GRADE 6 TITLES Library/G. Nimatallah: p.19 top center (the Great Stupa); Keren Su: p.7 center middle (farm house); Yann Layma: p.7 bottom center (Chinese playing cards). Corbis: In Pictures World’s Early People Ancient India Ltd.: p.16 top center (herbal pharmacy in Beijing, China); STR/AFP: p.12 bottom left hinese fireorks uul and runo orandi pp. full reat all of hina. Mesopotamia Indian Empires Granger Collection, NYC: p.2 middle left (Shi Huangdi), p.12 top right (astronomical clock), p.12 middle left (Chinese compass), p.16 top right (acupuncture chart), p.16 Ancient Egypt Ancient China bottom left (Confucius), p.16 middle right (Lao Zi); CPA Media/Pictures from History: Archaeology Early Romans p.8 center middle (Emperor of Northern Zhou), p.9 bottom left (Qin Shi Huangdi); Language Roman Empire Jan van Grevenbroeck: p.15 middle right (Marco Polo); Wang Juzheng: p.13 middle right (spinning silk). iStock Photos: CaoChunhai: p.17 top center (Chinese calligraphy); Ancient Hebrews Christianity and Rome’s Legacies chinaphotographer: p.12 bottom right (dragon kite); yoyojete: p.14 bottom left Early Greeks Olmec and Maya (Zhouzhuang). Science Source: An Keren: p.2 bottom center (Qin soldier); M. Patterson: p.15 bottom right (Silk Road); Paolo Koch: p.15 middle right (worker on Great Wall). Greece’s Golden Age Civil Rights Shutterstock: Anton Nagy: p.13 top right (silkworms); Aphotostory: p.15 middle right Ancient Persia (Great Wall of China); Asia Glab: p.18 top (terra-cotta warriors); Atthapol Saita: p.13 top right (silkworm cocoons); Beibaoke: p.9 middle right (Jiaohe ruins); Brian Kinney: p.6 center middle (empress’s throne); Delpixel: p.7 center middle (Chinese farmer with water buffalo fired pp. full terraotta ar rigvovan p. botto left hinese farer ith hoe hanapon p. top right hopstik and noodles aakuar ON THE COVER: Yang Ti, Sui (604–618), and his fleet of sailing raft p.19 top left (Lord Shiva); Kojihirano: p.17 middle left (sandhill cranes); L.F.: p.2 middle including a dragon boat being pulled along the Grand Canal. Painted silk scroll, 18th right (Guilin of China); Malchev: p.18 bottom (cartoon of Confucius); Pixel Homunculus century. Granger Collections, NYC. Stock: p.7 middle right (farmers planting rice); researcher97: p.16 middle left (yin-yang); rongyiquan: p.6 middle right (Forbidden City); stockphoto for you: p.17 center middle PICTURE CREDITS: Art Resource, NY: p.3 bottom left (Tang equestrian); Bridgeman- (cooking wok); testing: p.17 middle left (Wudang Martial Arts Show, Shanghai, China); Giraudon: p.2 bottom left (Shang wine vase), p.2 bottom center (Zhou tripod), p.3 Vladimir Zhoga: p.19 top right (Japanese hieroglyphs); Wantanee Chantasilp: p.19 bottom left (Sui musician), p.4 middle right (civil service exam), p.6 top left (jade pi botto onfuius. on tone ages ann aa p. top enter terraed fields. disk rih essing p. botto right an fling horse p. botto enter ong vase iStock Images: aristotoo: p.7 top left (noodles). Shutterstock: BeeBright: p.19 top right p. botto enter uan figure p. botto right ing ontainer p. botto (chinese lantern) right flute plaer ational useu of istor aipei aian p. iddle left hang bronze dagger-ax), p.9 bottom right (writings and drawings, Han Dynasty); RMN-Grand ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS: Palais: p.8 bottom left (Shang ); The Metropolitan Museum of Art: p.8 bottom Brobel Design: ll aps pp.. right (Zhou bronze bell); V&A Images, London: p.6 bottom left (polo game); Werner Forman: p.3 bottom right (Qing pin). Bridgeman Images: Bernisches Historisches Acme Design Company: Papermaking, p.13; chopsticks, p.17. Museum, Bern, Switzerland: p.6 middle left (foot binding); Lennox Money Antiques Ltd., London, UK: p.6 bottom left (traditional robe); Christie’s Images: p.13 top left (wooden Michael Kline Illustration: Silkworms, p.13, Chopstick Manners, p.17. type set); J. Dadley/Major George Henry: p.13 center middle (Chinese wheelbarrow); Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK: p.16 bottom right (Ming vase); Saint Louis Art Wood Ronsaville Harlin, Inc.: ro top to botto pp. aren arnes and and Museum, Missouri, USA: p.17 bottom left (lacquer box). Getty Images: DEA Picture ea pp. heng e p. atthe re.

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