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The Great Wall was built for China’s protection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB4nXADdPPY

Essential Understanding

Classical China was centered on the Huang He (Yellow River) and was geographically isolated.

The Huang He 6th Longest River at 3,395 miles Called the Yellow River, named for the color of the silts that

are carried downstream in its flow. One of the most creative uses of the river occurred during

World War II. Chinese troops under Chiang Kai-Shek broke the levees on the Huang He in order to flood a valley and stop the advance of invading Japanese troops. The resulting flood was massive, and the death toll of the invaders topped 900,000.

More Understandings…

Of Chinese contributions to civilization, Confucianism and Taoism are among the most noted.

Take a deep breath and begin…Qin Shi Huangdi built the Great Wall to keep out invaders (Invaded from the North)

Governed by a line of ruling families called dynasties.

Mandate of Heaven- Chinese rulers were divine but still had to rule justly

The Silk RoadThe Silk Road helped trade and contact between China and other cultures as far away as Rome.

The Silk Road

Contributions of classical China1. Civil service system2. Paper3. Porcelain4. Silk

Civil Service Exam

How it was done.Test could take from

24-72 hoursSmall roomsTest takers were numbered

Two boards were placed in room

Exams were recopied by a 3rd party

Civil Service Exam

Confucius

Analects

Impact of ConfucianismBelief that humans are good, not bad

Respect for eldersFilial piety

Code of politenessEducationAncestor worship

LaoziDaodejingClassic of the Way and of Virtue

Dao means the “way of the cosmos”

Does nothing yet accomplishes everything

Wuwei

Impact of Taoism

HumilitySimple life and inner peace

Harmony with nature

Confucians by day…Daoists by night

Yin and yang represented opposites for Confucianism and Taoism.

Chinese forms of Buddhism spread throughout Asia.