Ancient China Civilization
September Winzer
202 US Africa & the World
Ancient China Analysis
Many people pose the question of why China matters, but in actuality China matters a lot. Ancient China gave off cultural advances and by 1600 CE; China was the most advanced state in the world. China is praised admired because they had their own way of creating a civilization, other than mocking Egyptian ways. Geographically, Ancient had two major rivers in which they produced from, the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, which is where the first civilization emerged out of. Ancient China also had natural borders such as mountains, deserts, and bodies of water because they were xenophobic. China is important because of religion, leadership, and their philosophies.
In Ancient China there was no solid religion. The people of China answered to the Kings. These Kings advised the population to practice “Te”. Te is known as communing with nature from the spirit within you. These practices mainly involved environmental forces such as water, trees, wind, etc. This religion made the people appreciate their lives through the serene spirits they communed with. Although life was harsh, they appreciated nature and their religious life very much. The practice of Te then translated into the philosophy of Taoism.
The Ancient Chinese civilization was ruled by two major dynasties, The Shang Dynasty and the Zhou Dynasty. The Shang Dynasty came about around 1766 BCE from the Yellow River. The Shang brought upon a very large population and was a warrior culture. Ideas of Kingship were practiced as well as poems and folk art about war, love, and death. The first king of China, Wu Ding was a part of the Shang Dynasty. King Wu was known for being polygamist and wanting to expand his power. He was also thought of as ruthless because of his quote “bloody business of leadership.” He ran a very patriarchal and male dominated society and government which consisted of royals, warriors, nobles, and farmers. The Shang
202 US Africa & the World
Ancient China Analysis
Many people pose the question of why China matters, but in actuality China matters a lot. Ancient China gave off cultural advances and by 1600 CE; China was the most advanced state in the world. China is praised admired because they had their own way of creating a civilization, other than mocking Egyptian ways. Geographically, Ancient had two major rivers in which they produced from, the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, which is where the first civilization emerged out of. Ancient China also had natural borders such as mountains, deserts, and bodies of water because they were xenophobic. China is important because of religion, leadership, and their philosophies.
In Ancient China there was no solid religion. The people of China answered to the Kings. These Kings advised the population to practice “Te”. Te is known as communing with nature from the spirit within you. These practices mainly involved environmental forces such as water, trees, wind, etc. This religion made the people appreciate their lives through the serene spirits they communed with. Although life was harsh, they appreciated nature and their religious life very much. The practice of Te then translated into the philosophy of Taoism.
The Ancient Chinese civilization was ruled by two major dynasties, The Shang Dynasty and the Zhou Dynasty. The Shang Dynasty came about around 1766 BCE from the Yellow River. The Shang brought upon a very large population and was a warrior culture. Ideas of Kingship were practiced as well as poems and folk art about war, love, and death. The first king of China, Wu Ding was a part of the Shang Dynasty. King Wu was known for being polygamist and wanting to expand his power. He was also thought of as ruthless because of his quote “bloody business of leadership.” He ran a very patriarchal and male dominated society and government which consisted of royals, warriors, nobles, and farmers. The Shang
Bibliography: " BBC Radio 4 - China: As History Is My Witness, The Duke of Zhou: The Ancestor ." BBC - Homepage. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nbsv9 (accessed October 28, 2012). Clark Atlanta University History Department. The United States, Africa, and the World: A History Reader. Atlanta, Georgia.: 2012-2013 Edition. Cunningham-Cross, Lindsay, and William A. Callahan. "Ancient Chinese Power, Modern Chinese Thought." The Chinese Journal of International Politics 1 (2011). http://cjip.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/12/12/cjip.por018.full.pdf+html (accessed October 28, 2012). "Interesting Facts & Information: Blog Archive » Ancient China Government." Professional Translation Services | Interpreters | Intercultural Communication | Cross Cultural Training. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/china/ancient-china-government/2379 (accessed October 29, 2012). JeeLoo Liu, An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy: from Ancient Philosophy to Chinese Buddhism. Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Upshur, Jiu- Hwa L., Janice J. Terry, James P. Holoka, Richard D. Goff, and George H. Cassar. World History. Belmont, Calif.: Thomson Woodsworth, 2005