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2000 BCE
China's First State
China's First State was from the late Neolithic period (3000-2000 BCE), along the Yellow River Valley. The first state consisted of many people from different communities united as one; society was becoming more complex. These people learned how to cast Bronze for tools to eat and drink. This civilization would eventually cover the entire central plane of north China. -
2000 BCE
Xia Dynasty
The Xia Dynasty was the first government to rise up in ancient China. It was the first dynasty in China and set a construct on how a government could be ran. The Xia rose up from a tribal system in prehistoric China -
1600 BCE
The Shang Dynasty
The Shang State was a Bronze age civilization, meaning they utilized bronze for all it could be used for. The Shang were brilliant metal workers and made very intricate products. Bronze was very important to the Shang and gave many people jobs. The Shang city had a temples and palaces and housing places for the middle class people. -
1200 BCE
Lady Hao
Lady Hao was the wife of Shang leader, king Wu Ding, and also a military leader of the Shang army. She is very unusual because she is unlike women of that time because she holds a place of such authority. Lady Hao led multiple military campaigns against the neighboring tribes of the Shang. -
850 BCE
The Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou state was planted on the Wei River in Northwest China. There were three great rulers of the Zhou Dynasty; King Wen, King Wu, and the Duke of Zhou, they made the Zhou very strong. The Zhou period was the first time that text ever been transmitted between oracle bones -
770 BCE
Spring and Autumn Period
After the Shang was defeated by the Zhou, the Zhou kings sent out trusted people from their government to start smaller kingdoms all over the nation. As time passed, these regional kingdoms started to gain more power. They would fight with other regional kingdoms for power over the land. It is considered a dark period in Chinese history. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWP0185VBcI&vl=en -
600 BCE
Daoism
Laozi, the founder of Daoism, is considered a legendary figure. He worked as a wise official for the Zhou government, and one day left for the west because he became tired of the lack of ethics and morals around him. When Laozi came to the mountain pass, the guardian of the pass would not let him though until he had written down all his teachings. This document that he wrote was called the Daodejing. video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edd2-FT84dY -
500 BCE
Confucius
Confucius was a philosopher who came from Northeast China in the Spring and Autumn period. Confucius's mission was to spread good in the world and try to mend society to a state of harmony. In the end Confucius was disappointed that he did not influence any rulers, but his disciples organized his teachings into a book called the Analects. -
300 BCE
Legalism
Legalism is the belief that humans are inclined to more bad than good because they are motivated by self interest. Legalism comes from the philosopher Han Feizi. This philosophy was developed during a time where war was prevalent in every day life. -
200
Buddhism
Traders travelling along the Silk Road brought Buddhism with them. At first, Buddhism was only exclusive to the foreigners of China. Many Chinese drew parallels between Daoism and Buddhism. After a while, Buddhism was becoming very popular with the Chinese. The landscape of China was quickly changed due to the many Buddhist temples. -
