The Chinese Civilisation

The Chinese prevented flooding of the river Hwang-Ho by building dykes and embankments to lessen the damage caused by the floods.

The social setup of the ancient Chinese society is described below:

1. Class divisions existed in the Chinese society. The king was at the top position.
2. The nobles came next to the King.
3. The merchants and craftsmen were third in position.
4. The farmers were the fourth in position.
5. Finally slaves constituted the lowest class of the society. They were usually the prisoners of war.
6. The soldiers formed an important category in Chinese society. They were highly respected and feared by the people.
7. The Chinese lived in joint families where the eldest male member was the head of the family. The families lived in groups or clans.

The following points illustrate that the Chinese metal workers were masters in their art:

1. They produced magnificent vases, cups, bronze daggers, axes, bows and arrows.
2. The Chinese made a number of ritual vessels of bronze. These included containers for food, wine and water to be kept in tombs for the dead.
3. A large horse, over a metre high, made of bronze has been discovered.

The Chinese worshipped forces of nature. They believed in a chief God, called 'The Ruler Above'. They followed the practice of consulting oracles or holy priests for knowing their future. The chinese also worshipped their Ancestors because they believed that after death, the dead are transformed into all-powerful spirits. The dead were buried in tombs along with furniture, pottery, bronze vessels and other objects.
The two major religions which developed in China are Taoism and Confucianism founded by Lao Tse and Confucius, respectively. Taoism preached the importance of leading a simple life. Confucianism laid stress on the rules of conduct of society rather than on Gods and death. Its followers practised virtues such as hard work, honesty, truth, respect for elders and ancestors.

(a) Architecture: The Chinese constructed huge palaces and other structures of wood.

1. A remarkable feature of Chinese architecture was Stupa-Style temples known as Pagodas. The interiors of the Pagodas were decorated with beautiful sculptures.
2. The great marvel of the Chinese architecture is the "Great Wall Of China". It was built by Chinese ruler Shi-Hwang-Ti in the 3rd century BCE to prevent invasion by Tartars. It is 2900 Kilometers long, 22 feet high and 20 feet wide with watch towers at intervals.

(b) Invention: The Chinese made following contributions in the field of science and technology:

1. The Chinese invented a Seismograph in the 2nd century CE to record Earthquakes. It was called Houfeng Didong Yi.
2. The Chinese invented Gun powder, Mariner's compass, Water clock, Water mill, Wheelbarrow and Umbrellas.
3. The Chinese invented paper.
4. The Chinese developed the art of block printing. This was done by carving out blocks of wood and then putting ink on them. The blocks were then pressed on paper to get the impression.

(a) The person in the picture is Confucius.

(b) The religion he founded in China was Confucianism.

(c) Confucius laid stress on the rules of conduct of the society rather than Gods and death. He asked his followers to practise such virtues as hard work, honesty, truth, respect for elders and ancestors.

(d) The other major religion followed in China is Taoism. Its founder was Lao Tse.