The Dynasties of Ancient China Although direct ancestors of modern-day humans may have lived in China for tens of thousands of years, with evidence of early paleolithic tribes being found all throughout China, the first solid evidence historians have of a Chinese civilization only dates back 5,000 years. Starting as small farming settlements along the Huang He and Yangtze rivers, small tribes of Chinese settlers evolved over centuries into separate states. Often, these states would fight over territory and the control of resources. The families in charge of the stronger states would rule over those they conquered, passing down control of their kingdoms from generation to generation.
From the evidence collected by archaeologists, historians have been able to piece together China's history, placing it into distinct periods marked by the extended, unbroken rule of a these ruling families, known as dynasties. The Chinese believed that leaders of these dynastic families were the Junzi (Ideal man), and were given the right to rule by Tian (God), through the Tianming (Mandate of heaven). This mandate was governed by the following 'rules':
Each dynasty, and each ruler helped shape China's history, some rulers were seen as just and fair by their subjects, others, such as Di XIn: the last Shang king, have gone down in history as insufferable tyrants. Some rulers were ruthless and warlike, expanding China's borders rapidly during their rule and securing China's natural borders [See video]. While other rules focused on unifying China's people and increasing agriculture or trade. Although the dynasties of Ancient China varied in length (the longest being over 700 years, and the shortest only 15 years), each one would eventually fall, and be replaced. This cycle of the rise and fall of Chinese dynasties was dictated by the Mandate of Heaven, and formed what is recognised as 'the dynastic cycle' [See picture]. |
This video shows the spread of Chinese Dynasties from mid-Zhou (1000 BCE) to the current day People's Republic of China
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