Geography of China and Shang Dynasty

1. Ancient China
Geography & Shang
Dynasty

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

6. Shang: 1523-1028 BCE

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

10. Oracle Bones

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