Huang He River Civilization:

(Page 69-71)

• The Chinese lived in relative isolation from the rest of the world.
• Called their land Zhong Guo or “the Middle Kingdom”
• Lack of outside contacts allowed the Chinese to develop on culture across many regions and a strong sense of national identity
• Oldest continuous civilization.

China’s Geography:

• Mountains make up 1/3 of area
1. Himalays (southwest)
2. Kunlun San and Tian Shan ranges (west)
• Gobi Desert lies east of the Tian Shan mtn. range
• Pacific Ocean on the east
• Some sea-goers but mostly farmers that used the fertile river valleys and plainss
• Major rivers

1. Huang He River (aka Yellow River because of large amounts of loess)

2. Chang Jiang (aka Yangtze)

3. Xi Jang (aka West River)

Like the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers, destructive flooding occur annual replacing nutrients back into the soil!

Beginning of Chinese society:

• Universe created from the body of a giant named Pan Gu, who hatched from an egg.
• Myths state Xia Dynasty (founded by Yao) was the first but evidence show that the Shang Dynasty was the first dynasty of China (1700 BC to 1000 BC)
• Kings were political and religious leader.
• Kings had special powers to call upon the ancestors. Priest would scratch question on an animal shell or tortoise shell, applied intense heat, bone would crack, and the priest would interpret the patterns of cracks as the answer to the king’s question. First examples of writing in China. Oracle Bones
• Invented a written script and bronze objects
• Shang dynasty built first cities
• Declined due to weak rulers.
• Other dynasties begin to control China and surrounding lands.

China believed that rulers governed according to a principle known as the Mandate of Heaven. (page 71)