History of China

Vitaly Novikov

China is mystery country for Europeans. This book is a summary history of China. Easy style and large amount of information will help you understand this great country.

History of China

Vitaly Novikov

© Vitaly Novikov, 2018

ISBNВ 978-5-4485-0331-3

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Shang

People have inhabited the territory ofВ modern China inВ the Stone Age. Archaeologists have found traces ofВ their activity. The earliest finds date back toВ the third millennium BC. The ancient Chinese had aВ matriarchy, as the other ancient peoples. The kin was conducted byВ aВ father, but not aВ mother. Gradually the power passed into the tribes toВ men toВ the leaders. The leader ofВ aВ tribe ruled together with the council ofВ elders.

InВ the 18th century BC, the tribe Shang won Xia tribe. Shang created own state. Their political center was located inВ present-day Henan province. Shang is sometimes naming Yin. The social system ofВ the Shang was the slave. InВ this state, the production ofВ tools and weapons made ofВ copper and bronze was established. Animal husbandry and agriculture were distributed. The millet was the most popular culture. At this time the moth has already bred for the production ofВ silk. Mulberry trees were grown. InВ everyday life and for the war elephants were used, which brought the dependent tribes. AВ manufacture ofВ various products has increased and therefore began toВ establish the exchange ofВ goods. The measure ofВ value was the cowrie shell, and when it did not have its analogues made ofВ jade and other materials.

The Emperor ruled by King – Wang. Wang is about the governor. Hieroglyph Wang consists of two elements: a great and unique. Wang called the son of the sky, that is, his power in the ideological sense, had a divine origin. Wang was the nominal landlord of all the lands of the state, the high priest and the chief rolled into one. The slave-owning aristocracy was a step below in the hierarchy. These were the sons, relatives and subordinates of the king. Warlords called Hou. Bo literally means uncle. Bo used to be the rulers of areas. Zi also ruled areas. Zi is the king’s son. A broad layer of free people is represented mainly by farmers-commoners. These people are called Min – people or Xiaomin – small people. Slaves were the lower strata of society powerless they traded for things, sold, and sometimes sacrificed to the gods as well as livestock. The Shang had the army and prisons. The criminals were subjected to different executions: burning at the stake, hanging, quartering, beheading, burying alive in the earth. There were other punishments: cutting off the nose and ears, eye gouging, cutting off the hands and feet. Hieroglyphics suggest that people kept in the stocks, cells and pits – it was a species of a prison.

Shang kings subjugated neighboring tribes and their lands attached to their country. Other tribes became dependent from Shang kings. These tribes were paying tribute. The leaders of these tribes received various titles and honors from Shang kings. In this kind of dependence were tribes – Sian, Shoo, Chou. A lot of trouble brought Shang State nomadic tribes living in the north of its borders. Shang often fought with them. State Shang was destroyed Zhou tribe, when the leader of this tribe U Wang has defeated the army Shang ruled Shaw (Di) Xin in the Battle near Moe. A betrayal and a desertion to the enemy of the few Shang commanders contributed to the Zhou victory. The last ruler of the Shang Shou (Di) Xin rules from 1154 by 1122 BC (dates tentative, the exact dates are considered only from the 9th century BC).

WesternВ Zhou

Western Zhou Civilization existed from the 12th toВ the 8th century BC. The center ofВ this state was inВ what is now Shaanxi province. Western Zhou occupied aВ vast territory. It was divided into regions and principalities, the rulers ofВ which must be during special ceremonies bring gifts toВ Wang. These ceremonies had aВ great importance. A