Ancient India and China

Ancient India and China

Location of Ancient Indian Civilizations Farming villages first appeared in South Asia about 3200 BCE in the fertile plain between the Indus and Ganges rivers.  Climate of Ancient Indian Civilizations This region's climate is dominated by monsoons rains and a wall of mountains to the north and west partially isolate its people. Urban Centers of Ancient Indian Civilizations Urban centers appeared about 2500 BCE with Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa being the most significant. 

Ancient India and China

The Cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in Ancient India Little is known about these early civilizations because historians are unable to read the written language of the region but urban planning in Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa indicate the presence of a strong central government.  The cities were elevated and surrounded by earthen walls and levees to protect them from flooding.  Inside the walls, the streets were laid out on a grid system. Homes were constructed of baked brick, each with its own bathroom served by a city-wide sewer and plumbing system. Each city had a fortified citadel in the center which likely served as the political and religious center.  Archaeologist have found a large number of children's toys and few weapons, indicating that these societies were generally peaceful. The economy was dependent  on agriculture with evidence of trade with the Middle East and Central Asia. 

Ancient India and China

Fall of the Original Indian Civilizations Urban decay, possibly brought on by earthquakes and soil exhaustion set in around 1750 BCE.  A new group of people, the Indo-European Aryans, migrated into the region in about 1500 BCE. This group eventually established the Magadha Kingdom which controlled a portion of northeast India by the second century BCE.

Ancient India and China

Location and Agriculture of Ancient Chinese Civilizations The farming villages between the Huang He and Yangtze Rivers of China grew into cities about 2000 BCE. These urban areas both benefited from and suffered because of the rich but loose yellow silt called loess deposited by the flooding of the Yangtze.  While the soil supported agriculture its loose nature made major shifts in the course of the river and massive floods common.  These struggles are recorded in Chinese Legend as the Xia Dynasty whose Emperor Yu is said to have brought flood control and irrigation to China. 

Ancient India and China

Dynasties in Ancient China The first documented dynasty of China was the Shang which was founded about t 1700 BCE. This dynasty started a long tradition of governance in China that included a hereditary monarch supported by a complex bureaucracy. 

Ancient India and China

Cities in Ancient China Like other early civilizations, during the Shang period urban centers were walled and surrounded by large agricultural areas. While the economy was dominated by agriculture, craft production and trade were also present.  China developed a writing system, complex urban planning, irrigation and flood control in this period. 

Ancient India and China

Religion in Ancient China This period also saw the emergence of foundational and interconnected Chinese religious principles. These include concept of Yin and Yang which offered an early and enduring understanding of the universe as balanced between male and female forces.  Daoism, founded by Lao Tsu, asked humanity to respect and live in harmony with nature and ancestor worship venerated deceased family members in the hope they would intercede with the powers in heaven on behalf of the living.