Chinese
Chinese
Dynasties
1. Shang
Religion was 1st based of belief in # of gods and spirits in nature
New bronzeworking
Decimal sys.
12 month calendar
Fine pottery
Silk textiles
Jade ornaments
3000 character writing sys.
2. Chou
From central Asia
Overthrew Shang dyn. Created longest dyn ever
Time of turmoil. China was divided w/ a lot of civil wars b/t the states
Breakthrough in philosophy; called Hundred Schools period b/c of many
competing philosophers of the time.
Lao Tzu Taoism freedom, simplicity, mystical contemplation of nature.
Confucious Confucianism code of social conduct and stressed
importance of discipline, morality, and knowledge
3. Ch’in
Used to be a state, overthrew all other states
Unified China, but dyn was overthrown in 15 yrs
Strengthened central gov., divided China into provinces, built roads connecting
parts of empire.
Patched up Northern Great Wall of China
Standardized Chinese writing sys
4. Han
Lasted 400 years
Strengthened central gov., expanded borders, improved educational sys,
advanced in arts and sciences.
Established trade with Europe and Western Asia, which intro. Buddhist religion
from India.
5. T’ang
Followed period of disunity after end of Han dyn
Lasted 300 yrs Golden Age of Chinese Civilization; Golden Age of Chinese
Poetry
Art flourished
Empire extended to boarders of Persia and India
Established world’s most effective sys of gov.
Economy expanded dramatically; invented gun powder and block printing
Ch’ang-an Largest and most cosmopolitan city in world. People came and
spread Chinese influence back to Europe.
Peasant revolts ended this dyn
6. Sung
Era of delicacy and refinement
Serene Black and White landscape paintings
Philosophers in this era created Neo-Confucianism b/c of the prevalence of
Buddhiam. They wanted to go back to the main ideas of Confucius. It began to
combine w/ Buddhism by seeking enlightenment through combo of meditation
and moral action
7. Yuan
Mongol invasion
oNorthern China was overran by Mongol invaders lead by Genghis Khan.
oKublai Khan (grandson) completed quest for China and established the
Yuan dyn, the 1st foreign dyn in China
8. Ming
Chinese dyn that restored China and took over from Mongols
China limited contact w/ outside world after the Mongols
9. Ch’ing
Foreigners took over, but were like the Ming dyn
This is when China’s overpopulation became a huge problem. It toppled the
Manchu regime and put an end to imperial rule. Imp rule had lasted 2000 yrs.