Ancient China Scaffolded Reading
ESL Reading Resource World History • Ancient China
Name: ______________________
Date: ____________
Rise of Empires: Ancient China: Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasties
Key Vocabulary: English definition + Spanish cognate
Resumen en español: 2-3 sentence summary after each chunk
Chunk 1
The Rise of China
Huang He Valley
Dating back more than 6,000 years, China has one of the world’s oldest cultures. China also has the largest population of any nation and is made up of more than 50 ethnic groups that speak several languages and many dialects. The diversity of its people reflects the diversity of its land and climate. First permanent settlements arose along the Yellow River or Huang He Valley because of fertile land and opportunities for irrigation. Each dynasty established over the next 2000 years expanded the Huang He region into what we now know as Mainland China.
Resumen en español
China posee una de las culturas más antiguas del mundo y una gran diversidad de pueblos y climas. Sus primeros asentamientos permanentes surgieron en el valle del río Amarillo (Huang He) por la fertilidad de su suelo y el acceso al agua para riego. A lo largo de dos mil años, las dinastías expandieron este territorio hasta formar la China actual.
Vocabulary & Cognates
Dynasty
A succession of rulers from the same family.
Cognado: dinastía
Irrigation
Supplying land with water for growing crops.
Cognado: irrigación
Chunk 2
The Zhou dynasty (1045 B.C. – 256 B.C.)
Bureaucracy, Mandate & Feudalism
The Zhou dynasty, the longest lasting dynasty in Chinese history, ruled for almost 800 years (1045 b.c. to 256 b.c.). At the head of the government was the Zhou king, who was served by an increasingly large and complex bureaucracy. The Zhou dynasty divided the kingdom into territories governed by officials. The officials of these territories were members of the aristocracy. They were appointed by the king and were subject to his authority. The Zhou king was in charge of defense and commanded armies throughout the country.
The Zhou dynasty claimed that it ruled China because of the Mandate of Heaven. It was believed that Heaven, which was an impersonal law of nature, kept order in the universe through the Zhou king. The king was the link between Heaven and Earth. Thus, the kind ruled by a mandate, or authority to command, from Heaven. The concept of the heavenly mandate became a basic principle of the Chinese government.
The Zhou dynasty also began to unite the scattered farmers and villages of vast China by implementing a system of feudalism. This allowed farmers to stay on their land, but technically gave ownership to the king or ruler. This gave the government the ability to control the farming peasants, ensure food was provided for the ruling class, and began the march towards China being one large nation instead of many tribes and villages.
Resumen en español
La dinastía Zhou gobernó casi 800 años mediante una compleja burocracia y nobles asignados por el rey. Justificaron su poder con el Mandato del Cielo, la creencia de que el rey gobernaba con autoridad cósmica para mantener el orden. Además, usaron el feudalismo para organizar la producción agrícola, alimentar a la clase gobernante y unificar a los pueblos dispersos.
Vocabulary & Cognates
Bureaucracy
A body of non-elected officials who manage government departments.
Cognado: burocracia
Mandate of Heaven
The divine authority granted by nature to rule justly.
Cognado: Mandato del Cielo
Feudalism
System where rulers hold land farmed by peasants in exchange for food and loyalty.
Cognado: feudalismo
Adapted from McGraw Hill World History Ancient China Scaffolded Reading • Page 1 of 3
Rise of Empires: Ancient China
The Qin Dynasty • Unification, The Great Wall & The Terra-Cotta Army
Part 2: The Qin Dynasty
Chunk 3
The Qin Dynasty
Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (221 B.C. – 206 B.C.)
The Zhou formed around 1000 b.c. and ruled a complex civilization that lasted hundreds of years. From approximately 400 b.c. to 221 b.c., however, China experienced a bloody civil war. Powerful states fought one another and ignored the authority of the Zhou kings. One state—that of Qin—gradually defeated its chief rivals. In 221 b.c The Qin ruler declared the creation of a new dynasty.The ruler of the Qin dynasty was Qin Shi Huangdi, meaning “the First Qin Emperor.” An ambitious person, he came to the throne in 246 b.c. at the age of 13. In 221 b.c., he defeated the last of his rivals and founded a new dynasty, with himself as emperor. The famous Chinese historian Sima Qian described Qin Shihuangdi as having “the chest of a bird of prey, the voice of a jackal, and the heart of a tiger.”
He created a single monetary system and ordered the building of a system of roads throughout the entire empire. Surprisingly, the emperor left behind a remarkable artistic legacy too, another sign of a classical civilization. In 1974 farmers digging a well about 35 miles east of Xian discovered an underground pit near the burial mound of the First Qin Emperor. The pit contained a vast army made out of terra-cotta, or hardened clay. Chinese archaeologists believe that it was a re-creation of the imperial guard, meant to be with the emperor on his journey to the next world. To achieve individuality in the faces of the soldiers, 10 different head shapes were used, which were finished by hand.
Perhaps most notably, Qin’s foreign policy towards aggressive invaders from the north began China’s greatest project to date: The Great Wall of China. During the Qin dynasty, it was little more than rocks and sand piled into loose walls, but it laid the foundations for one of mankind’s greatest architectural achievements.
Resumen en español
Tras un periodo de sangrientas guerras civiles, Qin Shi Huangdi derrotó a todos sus rivales en el 221 a.C. y fundó una nueva dinastía con un sistema monetario unificado y extensas rutas viales. Para defender el imperio de invasores del norte, comenzó la construcción de la Gran Muralla, y mandó elaborar un ejército monumental de miles de soldados de terracota en arcilla cocida para acompañarlo y protegerlo en la otra vida.
Vocabulary & Cognates
Civil War
A war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country.
Cognado: guerra civil
Monetary System
A standard system of coins or paper money in an economy.
Cognado: sistema monetario
Terra-cotta
Hardened, brownish-red earthenware clay used for pottery and figures.
Cognado: terracota
Historical Fact: Over 8,000 life-sized terra-cotta soldiers, each finished with unique handcrafted facial expressions, were buried to protect Qin's tomb.
Adapted from McGraw Hill World History Ancient China Scaffolded Reading • Page 2 of 3
Rise of Empires: Ancient China
The Han Dynasty • Confucianism, Moral Philosophy & The Civil Service
Part 3: The Han Dynasty
Chunk 4
The Han Dynasty
Confucianism & The Civil Service Examination
The first Han emperor had expressed his desire to discard the harsh policies of the Qin dynasty. He did abandon the use of cruel and unusual punishments that had been part of the Legalistic approach to law enforcement.
During the Qin Dynasty, an ethical philosophy known as Confucianism began to gain popularity and followers. Although considered a religion, it is actually a philosophy. It is based upon the teachings of Confucius, which are grounded in ethical behavior and good government.
The teachings of Confucius focused on three areas: social philosophy, political philosophy, and education. Confucius taught that relationships are based on rank. Persons of higher rank are responsible for caring for those of lower rank. Those of lower rank should respect and obey those of higher rank.
These, rather than Legalism, soon became the basis for the creation of a new state philosophy. However, Han Gaozu and his successors found it convenient to keep some of the practices of the First Qin Emperor, including the division of the central government into three ministries—the military, civil service, and censorate. The Han rulers also kept the system of local government that divided the empire into provinces and counties.
Most importantly, when the Han rulers took over, they looked to Confucianism for guidance. The Han rulers continued the Qin system of choosing government officials on the basis of merit rather than birth. To create a regular system for new officials, the Han dynasty introduced the civil service examination and established a school to train these candidates. This system for officials developed in classical China influenced Chinese civilization for 2,000 years. Students were expected to learn the teachings of Confucius, as well as Chinese history and law. By creating a group of well-trained officials well versed in Confucian thought, the system ensured the influence of Confucianism on government for a long time.
Resumen en español
Los emperadores Han reemplazaron los castigos crueles del legalismo por el confucianismo, una filosofía basada en el buen gobierno, la moral y el respeto mutuo según los rangos sociales. Conservaron los tres ministerios de los Qin pero implementaron exámenes del servicio civil, lo cual permitió elegir a los funcionarios públicos por su propio mérito y estudio en lugar de su nobleza de cuna, influyendo en China durante dos mil años.
Vocabulary & Cognates
Confucianism
Philosophy emphasizing ethics, order, and family duty.
Cognado: confucianismo
Legalism
Strict philosophy requiring harsh laws and unquestioned state power.
Cognado: legalismo
Civil Service
Government branches where employees earn jobs through tests.
Cognado: servicio civil
Merit
Being deserving of a position based on demonstrated skill and knowledge.
Cognado: mérito
Adapted from McGraw Hill World History Ancient China Scaffolded Reading • Page 3 of 3
