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Jan 9, 2023 · Ancient China was often connected to the rest of the world through trade, not only along the famous Silk Road but also via merchant ships that sailed the Indian Ocean, connecting East Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
- Mark Cartwright
- Publishing Director
Learn how the rivers, mountains, and deserts shaped the civilization and culture of Ancient China. See a map and facts about the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, the Himalaya Mountains, and more.
This map shows the varied topography of ancient China, which included fertile plains, river valleys, numerous mountain ranges, deserts, and a long running coastline on the eastern edge. (credit: “China topography” by Tom Patterson, US National Park Service Natural Earth/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Concrete evidence of the existence of maps in ancient China can be found in the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). The three silk maps found at the Mawangdui tumulus in Changsha , Hunan Province are traced back to the 2nd century BC.
- Joshua J. Mark
- Prehistory. Well before the advent of recognizable civilization in the region, the land was occupied by hominids. Peking Man, a skull fossil discovered in 1927 CE near Beijing, lived in the area between 700,000 to 300,000 years ago, and Yuanmou Man, whose remains were found in Yuanmou in 1965 CE, inhabited the land 1.7 million years ago.
- The First Dynasties. From these small villages and farming communities grew centralized government; the first of which was the prehistoric Xia Dynasty (c.
- The Zhou Dynasty. Around the year 1046 BCE, King Wu (r. 1046-1043 BCE), of the province of Zhou, rebelled against King Zhou of Shang and defeated his forces at the Battle of Muye, establishing the Zhou Dynasty (1046- 256 BCE).
- The Spring & Autumn Period & The Warring States. During the Spring and Autumn Period (c. 772-476 BCE and so called from the Spring and Autumn Annals, the official chronicle of the state at the time and an early source mentioning General Sun-Tzu), the Zhou government became decentralized in their move to the new capital at Luoyang, marking the end of the 'Western Zhou' period and the beginning of 'Eastern Zhou'.
Explore the maps of major Chinese dynasties in Chinese history, from Neolithic Age to Qing Dynasty. Enlarge the maps and learn more about the culture, history, and geography of ancient China.
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Ancient Civilization: China. Ancient China is responsible for a rich culture, still evident in modern China. From small farming communities rose dynasties such as the Zhou (1046-256 B.C.E.), Qin (221-206 B.C.E.), and Ming (1368-1644 C.E.). Each had its own contribution to the region.
