The builders of Chinese civilisation

By Amal Hewavissenti

China is an interesting country with an interesting civilisation. During the period where great civilisations flourished in world history, this unique country too was the home for great traditions of art, literature and a superb civilisation.

Geographically, the most isolated and barren part of China is the Tibetan Plateau in the west and the two rivers the Huang He and the Chang Jiang (Yangtze) flow from the plateau towards the sea in the east. The Huang He (also known as the Yellow river) carries large amounts of fine yellow silt which is generally left behind when the river floods producing highly rich soils.

Bamboo forests across much of central China are home to giant panda and other rare animals.

And ninety percent of China's population belong to Han people but they speak multiple dialects of Chinese. There are also over fifty non-Han minority groups with their own distinctive languages and traditions.

In the past

Chinese civilisation is one of the most primeval in the world. From at least two thousand BC until the twentieth century, China was ruled by a series of dynasties which were respectively named and identified by the family of the ruling emperor. Before that, the earliest known Chinese people had centred their civilisation around the river Huang He which nourished the great Chinese culture which was to spring up soon.

The most prominent feature in the earliest Chinese is that their culture developed independent of any foreign culture or a life style of contemporary civilisations elsewhere. As the early Chinese civilisation grew largely isolated, it was rather slow in gaining new changes and developments.

By 2000 BC, Chinese had built villages on the banks of the river Huang He which practically served as the lifeblood for their agriculture and transport.

Dynasties

The earliest rulers of China are typically identified as "Sage Kings" and history records three Sage kings who were said to be intelligent and highly righteous. When these rulers became incapable of ruling due to the old age, they nominated a fitting successor to their throne. For instance, Kings such as Yao and Shun nominated their best ministers for kingship after their retirement.

These rulers had no practice of transferring the Kingship from father to son and even the tribal states had a considerable level of unity in them. The first four dynasties were the Shang Zhou, Quin and Han according to the historical evidence.

These dynasties unified China as a single country, introduced irrigated rice growing and built the greatest monument in China, the Great Wall to prevent invasions of "Barbarians" from the north. Buddhism was introduced to China during this period, the literature and arts flourished and philosophers such as Confucius carried their noble messages to people.

China dominated much of central and South-East Asia during the Tang and Song dynasties. The capital of Shang emperor was Anyang and small towns of traders, artists and craftsmen were built around it.

The architectural practices prevalent in the city of Anyang demanded sacrificing of men and women before erecting buildings. The buildings were built on the dead bodies of men and women who were sacrificed to gods for some particular reason (probably for the safety of the future generations). Archaeological excavations on the city of Anyang have unearthed around 850 skeletons of persons thus sacrificed.

Around 400 BC, China witnessed one of the biggest rebellions in its history as Chou rulers failed to control the higher officials. The insurrections subdued as Shi Huang Ti rose to power and established Ching empire which was perhaps the basis for the country's name China. Emperor Shi Huang merits the credit of building the Great Wall of China.

Confucius

When we consider China's history of religions, it is evident that most religions in China flourished in the 6th century BC. There is ample evidence that around hundred religions and philosophies existed in China by this time but only three religions were largely accepted by the public. The religions and philosophies were Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

The Chau invaders from west ousted Shang rule and reigned over China for nearly eight hundred years. During this period, philosophers and religious leaders acted as travelling teachers of young noblemen and officials and illustrated their philosophies to public. The greatest among these philosophers was "Kung fut se" or Confucius who was a contemporary of the Buddha in India.

Confusius reshaped the Chinese culture and thought. Some years after his death, his teachings were compiled in analects - books which teach that the best kind of life is one full of peace and harmony. Confucius fervently believed that peace in the world depends on the proper organisation of each country that a peaceful country depends on a peaceful family.

The teachings of Confucius were developed and handed on by Mengzi in the 4th century BC. Much and published to be read all over China and - all over the world. This was the basis for the great Chinese civilisation.