2. The development of civilization in early China was aided by features like long
rivers, fertile soils, temperate climates, and isolated valleys.
● China’s first civilizations
developed in river valleys
● Two major rivers supplied
water for earliest civilizations
● Chang Jiang, also called
Yangzi
● Huang He, or Yellow River
● Both flow east from Plateau of
Tibet to Yellow Sea
Rivers, Soils, Climates
● Annual floods deposited rich
soil, loess, on flood plains
● Valley of Huang He
particularly fertile due to loess
● Fine dusty soil
● Carried into China by desert
winds
Loess
China’s Geography
3. Yellow River Civilization
● China’s two major
rivers are the Yangtze
and the Hwang He.
Both empty into the
Pacific Ocean draining
China’s heavily
populated fertile plains.
● The earliest Chinese
civilizations were found
along the Hwang He
(Yellow) river which
suffers violent flooding
each year. It’s
nickname is China’s
sorrow.
4. Isolation
● Combination of rivers for irrigation, fertile soil for planting allowed Chinese to
thrive, as did China’s relative isolation
● Mountains, hills, desert protected China from invasion
● Himalaya Mountains separate southern China from India, rest of southern
Asia; vast Gobi Desert prevented reaching China from west
Crops
● Most of eastern China covered with fertile soils; some regions better suited
than others for growing certain crops
● Southern China—warm, receives plenty of rainfall, excellent region for
growing rice
● Further north—climate cooler, drier; suitable for grains, wheat, millet
5. ● Archaeological discoveries suggest
Chinese civilization began in Huang He
valley
● People started growing crops there
9,000 years ago
Beginnings of Civilization
China’s Geography
7. According to ancient Chinese records, the Shang dynasty formed around
1766 BC, although many archaeologists believe it actually began somewhat
later than that.
● China ruled by
strong monarchy
● At capital city,
Anyang, kings
surrounded by court
● Rituals performed
to strengthen
kingdom, keep safe
Government and
Society
● King’s governors
ruled distant parts of
kingdom
● King also had large
army at disposal
● Prevented
rebellions, fought
outside opponents
Order
● Shang China
largely agricultural
● Most tended crops
in fields
● Farmers called on
to fight in army, work
on building
projects—tombs,
palaces, walls
Agricultural Society
The Shang Dynasty
8. Leisure
● Ruling elite had free time to
pursue leisure activities, hunting
for sport
● Wealthy enjoyed collecting
expensive bronze, jade objects
Afterlife
● Tombs held remains of
sacrificed prisoners of war
● Believed in afterlife where ruler
would need riches, servants
Artifacts
● Much of what is known comes
from studying royal tombs
● Contained valuable items made
of bronze, jade
Ancestor Worship
● Shang offered gifts to deceased
ancestors to keep them happy in
afterlife
● Steam from ritual meals
nourished ancestors’ spirits
Shang Culture
9. Oracle Bones
As part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for
advice
● Sought advice through use of oracle bones
● Inscribed bits of animal bone, turtle shell
● Living person asked question of ancestor
● Hot piece of metal applied to oracle bone resulting in cracks on
bone’s surface
● Specially trained priests interpreted meaning of cracks to learn
answer
11. Writing
● Development of Chinese writing closely tied to use of oracle bones
● Earliest examples of Chinese writing, questions written on bones themselves
● Early Shang texts used picture symbols to represent objects, ideas
End of Dynasty
● Shang ruled for more than 600 years, until about 1100 BC
● Ruling China’s growing population proved too much for Shang
● Armies from nearby tribe, Zhou, invaded, established new ruling dynasty
Bronze
● Shang religion led to great advances in working with bronze
● Highly decorative bronze vessels, objects created for religious rituals
● Also built huge structures like tombs; created calendar, first money systems
Shang Achievements and Decline
