Ancient China briefly and most importantly in facts, Chinese dynasties and culture. The history of ancient China

Ancient China is one of the most mysterious countries on our planet. Even now, this state is strikingly different from its neighbors in almost everything. But the main distinguishing feature of the Chinese is that they are not mystics, but practitioners. Nowhere have so many inventions been made as in this country. And the religion and philosophy of Ancient China shows the extraordinary wisdom of this people.

The emergence of the Shan-Yin state

The most ancient period in the history of China, which can be studied from materials obtained by archaeologists, as well as from available documents, is the era dating back to the 18th-12th centuries BC. e. At this time, the state of Shang-Yin existed here. Its history remains in legends, which say that around 1400 BC. e. a certain leader named Pan Geng, along with his tribe, came to Anyang and built the beautiful city of Shang on the Yellow River. The name of the settlement was given not only to the state, but also to an entire dynasty of kings.

The legend further says that the Zhou tribes living near the Wei River in the 12th century BC. e. captured the ancient country. After the defeat of the Shang capital, which occurred in 1124 BC. e., the conquerors also gave it the name Yin. The legend also said that ruler Pan Geng lived peacefully and did not fight with anyone.

Evidence of the existence of the state

Until the 30s of the last century, the Shan-Yin era was studied only on the basis of legend. But in 1928, archaeological excavations began, during which they found monuments of material culture that confirmed the legend about the existence of the Shan state. The ruins of the city were discovered in Anyang County, near the village of Xiaotun, in the north of Henan Province (China). The history of the Ancient World appears here in all its glory. In addition to the remains of numerous houses, craft workshops, a temple and a royal palace, about 300 tombs were found, 4 of which belonged to the royal dynasty. The last burials stood out among the rest with their impressive size and luxurious decoration.

Thanks to excavations, scientists concluded that already at that time there was a significant class stratification of society. In addition to the tombs of aristocrats, archaeologists have discovered simpler burials, as well as those that belonged to the obvious poor. In addition, the royal tomb turned out to be a real treasury. About 6 thousand objects made of bronze, gold, mother-of-pearl, jade and turtle were found in it. With these archaeological finds, new opportunities have opened up in the study of the centuries-old history of China.

Nature

This country is 80% mountains and plateaus. The nature here is extremely beautiful. Western China is the world's largest highland, so it has a sharply continental climate. The eastern part of the country is located slightly lower and has access to the sea, and there are also extensive river valleys, which led to the emergence of important trade routes in these places. This region has a mild climate and therefore differs from Western China in having a greater variety of vegetation. Naturally, it was in the east that the most ancient state with its own agricultural culture was formed.

The nature of Ancient China is somewhat different from modern one. Thus, in the northern part of this state, an incomparably larger area was covered with forests than now. This was determined by the inscriptions on the oracle bones, which told about hunts, often organized for deer. And in the Book of Songs there are references to vast forests. Green areas largely contributed to more uniform precipitation. This gave the local residents the opportunity to hunt. In addition, they had a lot of wood for making tools and building houses.

Natural conditions described in legends

Ancient China has always been famous for its legends. They often told about the people’s struggle with a dangerous river and about their stubborn struggle to organize agriculture. From ancient legends it is clear that the Chinese constantly fought against floods caused by the Yellow River. The waters overflowing their banks brought with them catastrophic disasters, destroying populous villages and destroying crops. In addition, the inhabitants of Ancient China tried to distribute water as evenly as possible throughout the country using an artificial irrigation system.

Population

The mountainous regions, plateaus and steppes that adjacent to river valleys have always been inhabited by numerous nomadic tribes. The people of Ancient China, who inhabited the fertile plains, constantly defended themselves from the predatory raids of mountain, steppe and nomadic tribes, and this significantly hampered the development of not only culture, but also statehood. Gradually, the Chinese were able to colonize those regions where backward warlike peoples ruled. But nomadic cattle breeding persisted on these lands for a long time, since it was of great importance in the life of ancient states.

Nationalities inhabiting the country

Ancient China was quite diverse in its ethnic composition. It is known that this country occupies a vast territory, where a quarter of the population of the entire planet lives. Therefore, it seems natural that in ancient times it was not so homogeneous. Historical documents mention various tribes that constantly clashed with each other, fought and traded. On the northern and northwestern sides, the Chinese lived adjacent to the Mongols, Tungus and Manchus, and in the south and southwest - with the tribes of Tibet, India and Burma.

Beliefs

The religion of Ancient China was not personalized. Unlike other countries of the world, temples dedicated to any specific deity were not built here, and the role of priests was most often performed by government officials. Most of all, the Chinese revered various kinds of spirits that personified nature itself, as well as the deceased ancestors of the Shang Di.

The most important place in the life of this people was occupied by a cult dedicated to the spirits of the earth. Constant sacrifices were made to them, accompanied by prayers and requests for a good harvest. Most often they were written on turtle shells or lamb shoulder blades. And all this was accompanied by special rituals that were considered matters of national importance. These ceremonies were always seriously and carefully prepared.

The religion of Ancient China divided everything into two parts - yin (masculine) and yang (feminine). The first of them personified the bright, light, strong, i.e., everything positive that is in life, and the second, on the contrary, was associated with the Moon and embodied darkness and weakness.

Exercises

The peoples inhabiting Ancient China had their own worldview system. They believed that the world is chaos, and there are life-giving particles in it - tsy. The sky was considered the progenitor of all living things on earth. But he was not revered as a God to whom one could turn and ask for anything. For the Chinese, the sky is just some kind of abstract entity, absolutely indifferent to people. That is why there are many philosophies that replace deities with them.

The teachings of Ancient China are very diverse. It is impossible to describe them all in one article. Therefore, we will briefly consider the three most common ones.

1. Confucianism is a system based on ancient traditions that include duty and humanism. For his followers, the main thing is strict adherence to all rituals and rules. The founder of this teaching was an official belonging to the ancient family of Kung Fu Tzu.
2. Chinese Buddhism emerged due to its close proximity to India around the 1st century BC. e. The Chinese generally liked the ideas of Buddhism. But they accepted two points of this teaching without enthusiasm. The fact is that Indian monks could beg for alms, but for the Chinese such behavior was considered shameful. The second point was the idea of ​​monasticism. Before the advent of Buddhism, such a way of life was not known here. The monastic order demanded that he give up his name, and for the Chinese this meant renouncing his ancestors.
3. Taoism has something in common with Confucianism. The teaching is based on the concept of Tao - a rather complex and multifaceted concept with which its followers must connect. This goal can be achieved only by observing moral laws, meditating and giving up unnecessary material values. The founder of the doctrine is the archivist Lao Tzu.

Discovery No. 1

The first of the greatest inventions of ancient China is paper. Confirmation of this fact can be found in Chinese chronicles dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty. The document says that in 105 the paper was invented by the court eunuch Cai Long. Before this, records were made on special rolled scrolls made from bamboo strips, on clay or wooden tablets, on silk scrolls, etc. More ancient writings, dating back to the 2nd century BC. e. (reign of the Shang Dynasty), were written on turtle shells.

Already in the 3rd century, paper invented by Tsai Lun was widely used. The technology for its production was as follows: a mixture of mulberry bark, hemp, fabrics and nets unsuitable for fishing was boiled until it turned into pulp. Then it was ground until smooth and a little water was added. The resulting mixture was loaded into a special reed sieve and shaken. After this procedure, an even and thin fibrous layer formed at the bottom. Then it was thrown back onto flat boards. Several such castings were made at once. Then the boards were laid on top of each other and tied tightly, while a load was also placed on top. The use of this technology made the paper sheet durable, light, smooth and convenient for writing.

Discovery No. 2

After the invention of Ancient China No. 1, printing appeared. For the first time, its entire technological process was described by the Chinese scientist Shen Ko in 1088. The book says that the invention of typeface and baked clay letters belongs to a certain master Bi Sheng.

The discovery of printing in the 9th century brought with it a change in weaving techniques. At the end of the Tang era, books that were previously in the form of scrolls turned into a stack of paper that resembled a familiar brochure. During the reign of the Yuan dynasty, which is 1271-1368, the spine of the book began to be made of stiffer paper, and later stitched with thread. Fortunately, many books from ancient China have survived to this day. The Diamond Sutra is considered the first full-fledged printed publication. It was made during the Tang Dynasty, which ruled from 618 to 907. The length of the Diamond Sutra scrolls is 5.18 m.

Discovery No. 3

The next most important invention is gunpowder, which appeared in the 10th century. It was used as filling for incendiary projectiles. Judging by Chinese chronicles, barreled gunpowder weapons were first used in battles in 1132. It was a bamboo tube into which gunpowder was placed and set on fire. Thus, noticeable burns were inflicted on the enemy. 125 years later, the Chinese invented a gun, but this time it fired bullets. It was a bamboo tube that was loaded with gunpowder and bullets. Around the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th centuries, iron cannons that fired stone cannonballs appeared in China.

But gunpowder was used not only for military purposes. It was used as a disinfectant in the treatment of all kinds of wounds and ulcers, as well as during numerous epidemics. Almost the entire Ancient East, China was no exception, believed that all evil spirits were afraid not only of loud sounds, but also of bright lights. Therefore, since time immemorial, on Chinese New Year, bonfires were traditionally lit in courtyards in which bamboo was burned. Starting to burn, it hissed and burst with a crash. With the advent of gunpowder charges, which created much more noise and light, the old way of celebrating began to be abandoned. Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine the New Year without multi-colored fireworks, which are used almost all over the world.

Discovery No. 4

The next invention is the compass. Its prototype appeared during the Han Dynasty, which ruled from 202 BC. e. to 220 AD But its original purpose was fortune telling, not navigation. The ancient compass looked like a plate with a spoon placed on it, the handle of which pointed strictly south. This device, which determines the cardinal directions, was first described in the Chinese book “Wujing Zongyao” in 1044. Another type of compass was cast from iron or steel blanks in the shape of a fish, which was placed in water. To accurately determine the course, two of the above-mentioned devices were usually used at once.

A more advanced design of this device was described by the same Chinese scientist Shen Ko in 1088 in “Notes on the Brook of Dreams.” In his work, he described in detail the magnetic declination, which indicates true north, as well as the structure of the compass itself with a needle.

Other inventions

Some discoveries of the Chinese greatly contributed to the fact that most areas of culture and art became accessible not only to rich people, but also to the broad masses of the common population. It is quite difficult to list absolutely all the inventions of Ancient China. Here are just a few of them: tea, silk, fork, porcelain, toothbrush, money, noodles, gong, drum, playing cards, crossbow and many more. etc. But most scientists believe that the main inventions were paper, printing, compass and gunpowder.

Chinese ancient civilization is about 5000 years. Found ancient sources prove that China is no less 3500 years. For several centuries after the death of the first emperor, China was torn apart by war. By 626 BC. The country has once again entered a golden age. Power passed to the first emperor of the dynasty Tan - Taizong . To the capital of the empire, which moved to Chang'an, merchants arrived along the Great Silk Road. Markets were bustling all over the city. Different religions coexisted peacefully. For the first time, ordinary people, and not just nobles, could hold government positions. Everyone who expected to get a place in the civil service had to pass an exam. The population worked in the production of salt, paper, and iron. Arts and crafts flourished. Peasants sold their goods on the streets, and many were drafted into the army.

First Emperor

Before 221 BC China was divided into several kingdoms, each with its own ruler, which fought among themselves for more than 250 years. The state won Qin(from this word comes the name of China in European languages). Its ruler took the title Qin Shi Huang, which means "first emperor of Qin". He ascended the throne at just 13 years old. A brilliant commander and politician, he swept away anyone who stood in his way. Because of his tough temperament he was nicknamed " Qin tiger". Qin He ordered books that contradicted his ideas to be burned, and dissenting scientists to be thrown into a pit. But the emperor was afraid to die. In his magnificent palace there were more 1000 bedrooms, and every night he changed his sleeping place, fearing to be killed in his sleep.
Qin Shi Huang sought to maintain the unity of the empire. He removed the previous rulers from power, settling them in the capital Chang'an, re-divided the country into regions and appointed his own officials. On his instructions, a network of roads and canals was built. To secure the northern border, the emperor ordered the construction of a gigantic structure - the Great Wall of China, part of which has survived to this day. The emperor undertook to restore the strength and wealth of the country after long wars. Writing was unified. All products, even bricks, had to have the name of the manufacturer: the craftsmen could be punished for poor work. The length of the cart axles had to be the same, corresponding to the rut cut out on the roads. Chinese kingdoms minted their own coins. At Qin Shi Huang all the coins were round, with a hole for a cord.
Despite all efforts, the empire collapsed soon after his death Qin Shi Huang, V 210 BC

the great Wall of China

For a long time, China was threatened by the nomadic tribes of the Xiongnu (Xiongnu, or Huns) who lived to the north of it. Local rulers tried to protect themselves by building large walls. IN 214 BC the emperor ordered to connect them into one gigantic border wall more than 3460 km. The construction was supervised by a military commander Meng Tian, who sent officials to monitor the work. The wall was built by thousands of peasants. Overseers with a whip constantly monitored the pace and speed of work. Soldiers guarded the construction site from enemy attacks. Cold, dampness and dangerous working conditions killed people. The dead were buried right where they fell.

The workers used simple tools - picks, shovels, baskets and wheelbarrows. To lift huge cobblestones, slabs and stones, scaffolding made from tied bamboo poles was used. The mound of stones and earth was covered with stone slabs.

The height of the wall was 9 meters, and the width is such that a chariot could drive along it. Watchtowers were built in the upper parts of the fortification. Slit-like openings were also constructed in the wall for shooting from bows and crossbows.

Ultimately it was believed that Great Wall has a silhouette Chinese dragon head to the west and tail to the east.

Capital of China - Chang'an

During the Tang dynasty Chang'an became the largest city in the world. Chang'an means " forever safe". The city was home to more than a million permanent residents and many foreign merchants, travelers and scientists. The clothes were made of colored silk. Only the emperor could wear yellow clothes. The emperor's palace, surrounded by a high wall, was located in the northern part of the city. Musicians and dancers. Houses made of wood were varnished. Roof tiles were constructed on the roofs of the houses.

Life of the rich nobility

The rich lived large. Wealthy families had beautiful houses of 2-3 floors. Lush silk robes, luxurious feasts at which servants served pork or venison dishes and drinks made from millet and rice. Long hours were devoted to enjoying music and poetry, playing chess and cards. Homes were decorated with luxury items made of gold and silver, jade and porcelain. Lacquerware and painting on silk were popular. Noble Chinese moved around the city in a stretcher - a palanquin.

Great inventions

The Chinese were great inventors. In 2nd century BC they invented paper, and later printing using wooden stamps. They also constructed an instrument to determine the strength of earthquakes. During the Tang Dynasty, mechanical water clocks, a magnetic compass, paper playing cards and fine porcelain appeared. Gunpowder was invented, which was used to set off fireworks. The Chinese invented printing. The pages were connected into a long strip, the book was rolled up like a scroll.

The Great Silk Road

The Tang emperors encouraged trade. Caravans of camels and horses carried silk, porcelain, salt, tea and paper along the Great Silk Road, which was more than 7000 km. It connected China with the Mediterranean and went through Central Asia, Persia, and Syria. The Chinese bought furs, horses, gold, and spices from their neighbors. Fur products were brought from the north.
The journey along the Great Silk Road was long. Merchants set off in caravans. We set up camp for the night. The Great Silk Road was named so because of the enormous importance of the silk trade.

Craft and art of China

The Chinese have learned to extract salt from underground salty waters. The brine was raised to the surface and sent through bamboo pipes into vats where the water evaporated. In the 2nd century BC. paper began to be made in China. Pulp was made from mulberry wood and dried on wooden frames. Buddhist monks first brought tea bushes from the Himalayas, which they soon began to grow. Farmers plowed the fields before planting millet and grew rice. Irrigation made it possible to develop new lands for crops .About 6th century BC. The Chinese learned to make silk from silkworm cocoons. Craftsmen learned to build blast furnaces and smelt steel. Their weapons and tools became stronger. Road workers compacted the earth to build a road.
Was very popular in China calligraphy- the art of beautiful writing. Artists decorated ceramic dishes with colored glazes. The outlines of the superb beautiful rock scenery in South China have become a favorite subject of painters and artists.

Philosophy and the path of knowledge

The Chinese have never believed in one God. They deified nature, worshiping the spirits of mountains, rivers and trees. They also developed two religious and philosophical schools, indicating the norms of human relations. These are the teachings of Laozi (Taoism) and Confucius (Confucianism). The basis of Taoism is the belief in harmony with nature. Confucians placed their faith in virtue, family, and social stability. However, when in 1st century BC. was borrowed from India Buddhism, it has spread very widely. Monk Xuan Zang returned to India with Buddhist treatises for his learned brethren in 629. Pilgrims walked to the sacred “Caves of a Thousand Buddhas”. More than in 1000 caves there were wall paintings, Buddhist sculptures and an extensive library.
Taoist sages contemplated the symbol Yin Yang. The Chinese believed that yin and yang have great power with the universe, and their balance ensures the harmony of the world.
The Chinese believed that in the human body there is a network of pathways through which energy flows. Needles inserted into special points affect the flow of energy and heal diseases. This treatment method is called

Since ancient times, the Chinese have buried their dead along with items for the afterlife. In the graves of rulers they find not only food, drinks and personal property, but also the bodies of servants who were supposed to remain in eternal service to their master. The Chinese revered their dead ancestors, believing in their help and protection.
Princess Dou Wan buried in a robe made of pieces of jade joined with gold. Jade was supposed to protect her body from decay.
Buried in the emperor's tomb was a life-size replica of his army, made from terracotta: 7,500 infantry, archers, officers, chariots and horses. The crossbows were cocked to fire during the robbery attempt. There were models of palaces, and channels filled with mercury driven by wheels, depicting a river Yangtze. Thousands of people worked to create this. IN 1974 The tomb was accidentally discovered by workers digging a well.
Imperial tomb with " terracotta army"built on Mount Li. The bodies of the figures were made separately, then the head and arms were attached. Inside the tomb, in the underground corridors, row after row stood warriors and horses. The face of each warrior was different from the other.

China - begin in the Tibetan Plateau and carry a lot of sand and silt to the Pacific Ocean. The sea into which the Huang He flows is called Yellow. River sediments are very fertile, people have long settled on the banks of rivers. But the Yellow River and Yangtze often overflowed their banks and changed the position of their riverbed, which led to severe floods and the death of many people. Over thousands of years, the Chinese built thousands of kilometers of dams—protective earthworks—along the Yellow River and Yangtze. But floods still threaten the country. The nature of China, its state structure, and the customs of the people were described by Marco Polo upon his return.

History of Ancient China

• 1766-1027 BC e. - reign of the Shang Dynasty.
• 1027-221 BC e. - reign of the Zhou dynasty.
• OK. 722-481 BC e. — the kings of the Zhou dynasty lose power. Wars between nobles (Spring and Autumn periods).
• 481-221 BC e. - seven kingdoms are at war with each other (the era of the warring states, or the period of the Warring States).
• 221-210 BC e. - reign of Qin Shi Huang, the first Chinese emperor.
• 202 BC e. - 220 AD e. - Han Dynasty.

Shang Dynasty

By about 1765 BC. e. a huge part of China was under the rule of the royal family (or dynasty) of the Shang.

Zhou Dynasty

Around 1027 BC e. The Shang dynasty was defeated by the Zhou tribe. The new rulers of the Zhou dynasty allowed noble people to own land. In return, they had to remain loyal to them and help them during wars.

Over time, the nobility became so powerful that power began to slip out of the hands of the Zhou dynasty. The nobles founded their own small kingdoms and constantly fought with each other, trying to grab a larger piece of land.

Qin Dynasty

Han Dynasty

Soon after the death of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, rebellions broke out and the Qing Empire collapsed. In 202 BC. e. General Liu Bang, having extended his power over the entire country, proclaimed himself emperor. He became the founder of the new Han dynasty, which ruled China for the next four hundred years. The capital of the ancient emperors of the Han Dynasty was the city of Handan.

Officials

The emperors of the Han Dynasty had many officials to help them run their empire. Officials collected taxes, monitored the condition of roads and canals, and checked whether all subjects were obedient to the law.

Anyone who wanted to become an official had to pass a test. The applicant was asked questions about ancient poetry and the teachings of the philosopher Confucius.

Silk Road

From about 105 BC. e. Chinese merchants cross Asia and enter into trade relations with people in the west. Since then, along the legendary Silk Road, which stretched from China to the Mediterranean Sea, they began to carry Chinese silk, spices and precious stones on camels.

Wars with the Huns

The emperors of the Han dynasty fought wars to defend the empire from the Hunnic tribes to the north, and eventually prevailed over them. The Huns no longer raided China and went west.

Fall of the Han Dynasty

The emperor's power was weakened by discord between the royal family and their courtiers. In 220 AD e. The last emperor of the Han Dynasty abdicated the throne and the empire collapsed.

Trade

Ambassadors, warriors, and merchants of China reached the center of Asia along the Great Silk Road. It received this name from the main transported product - Chinese silk. China is the birthplace of silk, paper, and porcelain.

Europeans began trading with China during the times of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Then it passed into the hands of Arab merchants.

Life and life in Ancient China

• OK. 5000 BC e. — Agriculture penetrates into China.
• OK. 4000 BC e. — they begin to grow rice.
• OK. 2700 BC e. - the beginning of silk weaving.
• OK. 1400 BC e. - writings on oracle bones.
• 551 BC e. - birth of Confucius.
• OK. 1 - 100 n. e. - spread of Buddhism from India.
• OK. 100 AD e. - invention of paper.

Writing of Ancient China

Writing appeared in China around 1400 BC. e. The priests, wanting to predict the future, carved questions on the fortune-telling bones. The bones were heated until they began to crack, and then they read the patterns formed by the cracks, trying to find answers to their questions.

Architecture of Ancient China

the great Wall of China

2,300 years ago, the Chinese built a huge stone wall about 5,000 km long to protect themselves from raids by nomadic herders. Part of it has survived to this day. It is clearly visible from space and is often depicted on geographical maps.

Confucius

A thinker named Kongzi (or Confucius) lived during a troubled era in ancient China. He taught that wars will stop only when people understand how they should behave. Subjects must obey their ruler, and a ruler must be kind to his people. Material from the site

Science of Ancient China

The ancient Chinese were the first to invent paper. They lowered a bamboo sieve into a mixture of crushed tree bark, plants and rags. A thin layer of mass remained on the sieve, which was dried.

Chinese scientists invented many instruments that are still used today: a compass, a wheelbarrow and a ship's rudder. The ancient Chinese invented a device for detecting earthquakes - a bowl, on the sides of which there were metal dragon heads with a ball in its mouth. During an earthquake, the ball fell into the mouth of a toad statue located under each dragon head - this is how the direction of the earthquake was determined.

Silk production

The Chinese were the first to learn how to unwind cocoons and weave fabric from silk threads. Silk thread is secreted by silkworm caterpillars (a type of butterfly), which weave a cocoon from it. Before unwinding, the cocoons were washed in a vat of hot water. To maintain the flame, women blew on the fire.

Use of metal

During the Shang Dynasty, Chinese artisans learned to make weapons and utensils from bronze. The population preferred to prepare food and wine for their deceased ancestors, whom they considered gods, in bronze cauldrons with complex patterns.

Pictures (photos, drawings)

• Map of China during the Shang Dynasty

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  A nobleman from the Zhou dynasty in his war chariot

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  Map of China during the Han Dynasty

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  Chinese nobleman

• Wooden figurine of a nobleman from the Han Dynasty

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  An official with his servants

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  Officials are taking an exam

• Chinese silk banner

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  Funeral costume of Princess Tu Wang made of jade

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  Wooden bowl coated with shiny varnish

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  Bronze cauldron

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  Divination bone

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  Paper production

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  Chinese earthquake detection device

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  China is one of the largest and most populous countries in the world; it also occupies a leading position in the export of products. In addition, the Celestial Empire can easily boast of a multi-thousand-year history of the state, which, according to various estimates, begins from 3,500 to 5,000 years ago.

  History of existence

  To a greater extent, Ancient China was an imperial country, but some other eras can also be distinguished.

  So, the largest periods of existence:

  • pre-imperial time (from the beginning of the Paleolithic until the emergence of the first state);
  • Ancient China (early forms of government and early empires);
  • classical period (from the 3rd century to 1912);
  • modern era.

  Five Emperors and Three Dynasties

  The early history of China is considered somewhat mythical during the reign of five emperors, who changed one after another:

  • Yellow Emperor;
  • Zhuan-xu;
  • Gao-Xin;
  • Shun.

  These emperors at different times waged a fierce struggle for power in order to be on the throne. This has continued since the 27th century BC. e. and until the 23rd century BC. e.

  After this there was a lull in the form of the first Xia dynasty, which ruled from the beginning of the 23rd century BC. e. and until the middle of the 18th century BC.

  

  The eastern country began its active development during the reign of the next dynasty - Shang-Yin, which ruled in the 17th-11th centuries. BC e. and was divided into two eras - early Shang-Yin and late.

  

  At this time, writing was born, so more is known about this period. The first political foundations of the state were also formed, and agriculture acquired a new form of soil cultivation.

  The power struggle of the next dynasty, the Zhou, led to the overthrow of Shang-Yin.

  The Zhou era in the early stages of the Western period (11th century BC - 771 BC) had exclusively central authority. But gradually decentralization of power occurred, especially in the Eastern period (771-475 BC).

  The Zhou dynasty in ancient China is replaced by a period of warring kingdoms, where several independent states begin to fight for power and territory. The biggest of them were:

  • Zhao;
  • Qin;
  • Han.

  Development of the eastern country

  Despite the constant struggle that was waged during the times of warring kingdoms, Ancient China is changing in all areas of life. Bronze is replaced by iron, new crafts appear, cities expand.

  

  Many works of art were created that are still very popular.

  Two main philosophical and religious schools appeared - Confucianism and Taoism - thanks to Confucius and Lao Tzu. Both schools gained popularity over time, and in modern China a large part of the population professes these teachings.

  Unification under the Kingdom of Qin

  In 221 BC. e. The Qin dynasty manages to unite all the lands in a single state, which was facilitated by a single language, culture, and religion.

  The Qin kingdom probably had the shortest reign - only 11 years, but during this time incredible reforms were carried out that affected almost all areas of the lives of ordinary people.
  

  Emperor Qin Shi Huang was able to do something that no early emperor could do. In addition, the construction of one of the wonders of the world, which has survived to this day, the Great Wall of China, began precisely under this emperor.

  Han era in Chinese history

  The Han Empire quickly replaced the Qin, but during this period nothing was lost, but on the contrary, there was a significant expansion of territory: from the Gobi Desert to the South China Sea, from the Pamir Mountains to the Liaodong Peninsula.

  

  Ancient China was great and militant during the Han era, because it was possible to crush the strong Huns and establish the Great Silk Road, which began to bring great profits to the state.

  It is with the Han Dynasty that the history of Ancient China ends and the classical era begins.

  If you want to learn more about the existence of Ancient China and its rule, we recommend that you watch the following video:

  
  

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  War elephants are effective weapons of antiquity in capable hands. And even though these animals are now used only for peaceful purposes, they have already fully fulfilled their role in the history of battles and conquests. You can read about how war elephants were used in ancient wars in our article.

  
  

  Three thousand years ago, the first Chinese began to populate the Great Chinese Plain between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. Despite the fact that the first states quickly began to appear on this territory, their inhabitants considered themselves a single people with a single culture and language.

  The emergence of Ancient China took place almost the same as in Ancient Egypt, Sumer and Ancient India - on the banks of large rivers. In the Yellow River Valley (in Chinese - “Yellow River”), ancient Chinese civilization arose. The first kingdom arose in the 2nd millennium BC. e. and was called Shang or Yin. Archaeologists have excavated the capital of this kingdom, the Great City Shan and the tombs of the Shan kings - the Vanir.

  In 1122 BC e. The warlike Zhou tribe, led by Wu-wan, defeated the Shang and established its supremacy, and Shang-Yin enslaved most of the population of the country. But in the 8th century BC. e. the Zhou state collapsed under the attacks of nomads; now one or another kingdom is moving to the main role, of which the largest state was the kingdom of Jin (7th–5th centuries BC). With the collapse of the Jin state, the Zhanguo (“Warring States”) period began, when China was divided into two dozen small principalities warring with each other, poorly subordinate to the Zhouskomuwan.

  6th–5th centuries BC e. - the time of the appearance of the first philosophical teachings of ancient China. Of all the sages of this time, Confucius was especially revered by the Chinese. His teachings about the “noble man,” about respect for elders, about modesty, about the importance of education, about the attitude towards the ruler as the head of the family for a long time became in China the ideal of relationships between people - both in the family and in the state.

  In 221 BC, the Qin ruler Ying Zheng united large territories into a single empire and took the title Qin Shi Huang, which means “First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty.” To prevent people from grumbling, they were kept in constant fear. Qin Shi Huang cruelly suppressed any resistance, using the most terrible types of execution, for example, they could be boiled alive in a cauldron. For the slightest offense, a person was beaten on the heels with a bamboo stick or his nose was cut off. If a person broke the law, then his entire family was punished: the relatives of the convicted person were turned into slaves who were used for heavy construction work.

  Having established his full power in the empire, Qin Shi Huang began a war with the nomadic Huns who were attacking his borders from the north. He decided to consolidate his victory forever by building a powerful border wall, called the Great Wall of China. It was built from stone blocks and bricks by hundreds of thousands of convicted criminals and ordinary peasants. The height of the wall was as high as a three-story building. Two carts could pass on the top without any difficulty. There were guards on duty in the towers. They lived at the bottom, and on the upper platform the sentries carefully monitored the surroundings and, in case of danger, lit a fire, the smoke of which could be seen far away. At his signal, a large detachment of warriors hurried to this place.

  With the fall of the Qin dynasty, one of the leaders of the peasant war, Liuban, came to power. He lowered taxes and abolished the most brutal laws introduced in China by Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Liuban became the founder of the Han dynasty. During the Han era, the main features of the Chinese state were formed, which were inherent in it until the beginning of the 20th century.

  Collecting taxes in a large country required Han officials to have knowledge of geometry and arithmetic. To teach the basics of mathematics, special textbooks and collections of problems were used. Ancient Chinese astronomers accurately calculated the length of the solar year and compiled a perfect calendar; They knew hundreds of stars and constellations, and they calculated the periods of revolution of the planets. The foundations of Chinese civilization and its culture - science, literature, art - were laid in Ancient China.

  The death of the Han Dynasty was associated with the Yellow Turban Rebellion that swept the country in 184. Although the uprising was brutally suppressed, it dealt a severe blow to the country. In 220, the Han dynasty fell, and several independent states were formed on its territory. This event is generally considered to be the end of the ancient period in Chinese history.