HIS-1110 Lecture Notes - Analects, The Guardians Of Time, First Dynasty Of Egypt
Culture of Ancient China : Confucius
(Sep 18, 2017)
How have we defined culture so far?
-kinship
-religious development
-Sumerian culture is a good example of how civilization begins
ofarming – agricultural surplus – then other characteristics follow
Is there only one path to civilization? Or are there different paths ?
-Is there only one defn or only one way to get to civilization? Or can there be
many?
-Is Chinese civilization similar or different to Sumerian culture
Chinese society still exists : when we talk about this civilization from the beginning, we
are talking about ancestors of a culture/society that still exists.
-Great long lasting cultural continuity
CHINESE GEOGRAPHY: river systems
-lge territory far eastern Asian continent
-4 main river systems – all flow east to the Pacific
oyellow river
owest river
oYangtze
oRed river (in modern Vietnam)
~4000 BCE along yellow river = Neolithic farming settlements – when a people become
a civilization
Early Neolithic Societies in China
*look a lot like middle eastern societies*
Yangshao culture:
ofarming villages
oburial of the dead
oegalitarian
ohouses and cemeteries suggest kinship groups
- Evidence of religion : shawmanism
Key religious figures = the shawman
“Shamanism” implies belief in two worlds/realities: heavenly and
earthly
-Shaman:
oA religious “specialist”
oHas ability cross border between heavenly and earthly
worlds
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
oAssisted by animal “helpers
Longshan Culture
- begin 3000 BCE
Evidence of “civilization:
oHierarchy
oSpecialization
oSettlements protected by earthen enclosures
oWarfare: competition over land, forests, and other resources
ouse of jade as resource – artwork
Bi = Jade disk
Cong = jade square
^^^ the circle represent some sort of heaven (bi) cong represents earth – relation
between the spiritual( heavenly realm) and the earthly physical
realm
An Explanation : The Guoyu
oText 4th century BCE:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Culture of ancient china : confucius (sep 18, 2017) How have we defined culture so far? kinship religious development. Sumerian culture is a good example of how civilization begins: farming agricultural surplus then other characteristics follow. Is chinese civilization similar or different to sumerian culture. Chinese society still exists : when we talk about this civilization from the beginning, we are talking about ancestors of a culture/society that still exists. Chinese geography: river systems lge territory far eastern asian continent. 4 main river systems all flow east to the pacific: yellow river, west river, yangtze, red river (in modern vietnam) ~4000 bce along yellow river = neolithic farming settlements when a people become a civilization. Yangshao culture: farming villages, burial of the dead, egalitarian, houses and cemeteries suggest kinship groups. Shamanism implies belief in two worlds/realities: heavenly and earthly. Shaman: a religious specialist , has ability cross border between heavenly and earthly worlds, assisted by animal helpers.
