Luiza + Rose. Ancient to modern China Timeline Date Event Notes

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1 Luiza + Rose Ancient to modern China Timeline Date Event Notes ~5000 BC Neolithic Era Around 5000 BCE, in many of the river valleys of today's China, neolithic cultures emerged. People grew crops, made pottery and textiles, and lived in permanent settled villages. The pots and the textiles made life easier pots meant people could carry and store food and water; and the clothes and other textiles kept people warm BC Late Neolithic Period and earliest use of bronze technology The late Neolithic period was a time of increased contact between communities in China. Many walled sites were constructed and society was becoming more complex. Around 2000 BCE, at Erlitou, in the Yellow River Valley, a civilization emerged whose people learned how to cast bronze, which they used to make vessels for ritual feasting and drinking. The bronzes found at Erlitou are the earliest in East Asia. The Erlitou bronzes are the first manifestation of what was to become the Shang, a civilization which would eventually encompass the entire central plain of north China. ~ BC Bronze Age and Shang Dynasty The Shang state was a Bronze Age civilization, which emerged around 1600 BCE in the central plain of north China, near the Yellow River. Shang cities had palaces and temples, housing areas for the upper classes and commoners, as well as craft workshops for metal workers, potters and stone carvers, and burial grounds. Several large settlements of the Shang period have been discovered, including Zhengzhou and Anyang. The people of Shang China engaged in large-scale production of bronze vessels and weapons, unknown anywhere else in the world. ~1200 BC Lady Hao Lady Hao, or Fu Hao, was wife of Shang king Wu Ding. Very unusually, she was also a military leader. Most of the information we have about Fu Hao comes from oracle bone inscriptions. They show that Fu Hao was involved in ritual ceremonies and military activities. She led numerous military campaigns against the neighbouring tribes. One oracle bone, for example,

2 asks whether Fu Hao should gather soldiers before an attack BC Zhou Dynasty In early texts, three great Zhou rulers, King Wen, King Wu, and his brother named the Duke of Zhou, are said to have made the Zhou state strong. They formed alliances with neighbouring states and tribes, overthrew the Shang dynasty in the battle of Mu Ye in 1046 BC, and significantly extended the Zhou territories. Chinese in later periods - including notably Confucius - looked back on the early Zhou as a golden age. ~500 BC Zhou Bi Suan Jing and Suanshu Shu BC Warring States Period BC Imperial China & Qin Dynasty These mathematical works are important works which were compilations of problems meant for study. They held problems covering a broad range of topics from arithmetic to interest rate and approximate square roots. It was believed officials would study from these texts to learn how to properly solve problems in their professional fields. The Warring States was a period of massive warfare surrounding China were the goal was to combine all of the smaller empires into a central Chinese Empire. The states fighting for dominance were the Qin, Han, Wei, Chu, Zhao, Qi and Yan. In spite of the warfare at the time, several projects were able to be completed. One such project was Dujiangyan, which was a concrete weird meant to irrigate water over the Min River. Another project was the Hundred Schools of Thought, where many Chinese scholars came together to centralize philosophies and ideas. This was the first of the imperial dynasties, after Qin Shi Huang forcibly established the first Chinese State. This was the beginning of the system of nature interpretation began. It revolved around ideas of tao, yin-yang and ch i. These ideas will shape the future of science and religion in China. During this period of time, the philosophy of Legalism was also strongly advocated for. The Qin Dynasty sought out to regulate the conformity of thought and maintain centralized control. Through a strong bureaucracy, it was thought that the empire could be controlled. Due to these principles, there was a period of book burning and scholars were heavily shunned. There were some

3 206BC - 220AD Han Dynasty technological advances, such was the beginning of the Great Wall and the building of the terra-cotta army. Both of these projects portray the resources available during the time, given that both required the entire attention of the state. It was the first durable state governing the entire Chinese heartland; first Chinese cultural "golden age". The nation saw growth in money economy and promoted Confucianism as the state philosophy. Buddhism made its first inroads into China. During this period of time there was the invention of gunpowder, magnetism, compasses, paper and printing. There were also standards created for money, measuring and writing. When these standards were created 28 billion coins were cast from copper, tin and lead which allowed metallurgy to become a significant industry. This dynasty also was important for the salt production where China experimented to find the best way to product salt from seawater. ~ BC Paper It is believed that paper was first invented during the reign of Emperor Wu, which began in 141B. In the beginning, hemp was the material of choice. Later, paper will be re-invented when the attribution is then given to Cai Lun(50-121CE). The purpose of this paper, instead of writing was to pad containers and wrap fragile products. In 105, a new papermaking process was made by Cai Lun who recycled old materials to make a light, flexible and cheap product. A cheap way to make paper was key to expand literacy to lower working classes BC Sima Qian One of the greatest Han historians and astronomers, Sima Qian s work would be copied for generations, such as his Shiji. This scholar also reformed the old luar calendar into a more accurate days per year and days per month CE Zhang Heng An astronomer, mathematician, scientist, engineer and cartographer, Zhang Heng built the groundwork for scientific advances in China. He became chief astronomer and minister to the Emperor at the time, An-ti. He studied geometry, number theory and measurements of pi. Zhang Heng was the first Chinese

4 mathematician to attempt calculations based on theoretical ideas, introducing the field of theoretical mathematics to China. The invention of the odometer and China s first star chart were some of his other accomplishments. His writings about the universe was under the title Lin Xian, which became famous for his theories BC Liu Xiang A polymath scholar who lived during the Han Dynasty, he recorded lunar observations, such as the Moon's orbital path. These observations will help further later astronomical science and will be built upon by scholars such as Yi Xing. 593 CE Printing on Paper During the Sui Dynasty, emperor Wen-ti mentions the first printing of pages. He commanded that Bddhist images and sutras were printed on paper. Previously, the same technology existed, but was used to decorate clothing and produce seals. During the Tang Dynast, it would become common for long texts and books to be printed. This printing allowed for more books to be produced, spreading literacy and knowledge CE Tang Dynasty Founded by the Li family, medical advances were a significant aspect of the Tang Dynasty. The medical knowledge at the time was to the point were providers knew that the blood traveled in the body through vessels controlled by the heart. Doctors were emphasizing health by directing people in preventative medicine Other scientific advancement was composed of clockwork and timekeeping advances, woodblock printing, cartography, and engineering. The Tang dynasty was able to reap the benefits of economic success brought by the Silk Road. The golden age of Chinese art and literature was also represented by this dynasty. Poetry was highly regarded, to the point where a Classical Prose Movement was started CE Yi Xing Yi Xing was an astronomer, mathematician, engineer and Buddhist monk who lived during the Tang Dynasty. He devised a celestial globe which sed a clockwork mechanism to explain the way astronomy functioned. While working on this, through his observations he proposed that the stars were not fixed in place, but the idea was not widely accepted. Yi Xing would also work

5 with supernova observations, which modern astronomers will use as a basis for observation CE Song Dynasty While weaker than the Tang empire militarily and politically, Song rule marked a high point of Chinese classical culture, with flowering of literature, scientific innovation and the adoption of Neo-Confucianism as the official state ideology. 9 th century Gunpowder Gunpowder was discovered in the 9th century by Chinese alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. By the end of the 12th century, Chinese formulas of gunpowder had a level of nitrate capable of bursting through cast iron metal containers, in the form of the earliest hollow, gunpowder-filled grenade bombs CE Magnetic Compass During this period of time, compasses began to be used widely for navigation purposes. It is believed that originally, compasses were invented during the Han Dynasty. They were made from bronze plates and magnetite spoons placed on top. In the beginning, compasses were used solely for divination, nonetheless showing the advancement in scientific thought CE Mongol Rule & Yuan Dynasty Mongols conquer China and establish their own Yuan Dynasty, founded by Kublai Khan. Marco Polo and other Westerners visit. Beijing becomes the capital of a united China CE Ming Dynasty Ming Dynasty overthrows Mongols and establishes sophisticated agricultural economy, underpinning strong centralised bureaucracy and military. Great Wall of China completed in the form seen today CE - 19 th century Qing Dynasty In 1644 AD Qing Dynasty drives out Ming. Chinese empire reached its zenith, with the annexation of Tibet, Mongolia and present-day Xinjiang (Turkestan). However, in the 19 th century Qing Dynasty began a long decline. Western powers imposed "unequal treaties" that created foreign concessions in China's ports. Regional warlords rose as central government atrophies CE Boxer Rebellion "Boxer Rebellion" in Northern China seeks to stifle reforms in the Qing administration, drive out foreigners

6 and re-establish traditional rule. Defeated by foreign intervention, with Western powers, Russia and Japan extracting further concessions from weakened Qing government CE Establishment of Republic of China Military revolts led by reform-minded officers lead to proclamation of Republic of China under the first president of China - Sun Yat-sen and abdication of last Qing emperor. Sun founds the Nationalist Party, Kuomintang (KMT) and later resigns in favor of Yuan Shihkai. Shihkai attempts to reinstate the monarchy but fails, and after his death in 1916 the country is left without a strong central leader, and the country descends into a period of control by warlords CE World War II China declared war on Germany and Austria CE The Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party was founded in Shanghai. Mao Zedong emerged as a new leader and led the Long March and established revolutionary headquarters in Yenan CE Sun Yat-sen dies After Sun Yat-sen s death, Chiang Kai-shek assumes leadership of KMT and launches the Northern Expedition that reunifies China under Nationalist government. In 1936 Chiang Kai-shek declared war on Japan. 1920s-1950s New laws Traditional arranged marriage continues in both the legal system and local customs; it is marked by complex negotiations of families through matchmakers regarding the bride price and the bride s dowry. References Fitzgerald, R. D. (2013). China's Warring States Period. Salem Press Encyclopedia. Issitt, M. L. (2017). Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng, 1. Yearley, C. K. (2013). Sima Qian. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, Montgomery, S., Kumar, A. (2015). A History of Science in World Cultures: Voices of Knowledge. Taylor & Francis Group

True of most river valley civilizations.

True of most river valley civilizations. China under the Shang Dynasty Chinese legend says that Pan Gu the first man created the universe. The first legendary dynasty was the Xia. Scholars are not sure