Unit 3 East Asia

Lesson 2

Engineering and Learning Outcomes:

• Learn about life in ancient China by
Civilization in Ancient examining the engineering and metal
technology of Ancient China, and the
China building of the Grand Canal.

Vocabulary

metal technology

Ancient China, Grand Canal

bronze casting

The Great Wall of China

Shang Dynasty

terracotta (clay)

Han Dynasty

Confucius

The Analects

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TIMELINE OF CHINESE HISTORY
AND DYNASTIES TO 200 CE
The timeline lists dynasties in Chinese history and major milestone of each.

3000 BC 2000 BC 1000 BC 0 1000

Xia Dynasty
2100 BC-1600BCE
Shang Dynasty
1600BCE-1050BCE

Introduction of the Chariot

1300BCE

Zhou Dynasty
1046BCE-256BCE
Laozi and Taoism
604BCE

Life of Confucius (Kõngzï)

551BCE-479BCE

Warring States Period

403BCE-221BCE

Qin Dynasty
221BCE-206BCE

The Great Wall of China

220BCE-1644CE
Han Dynasty
206BC-220AD

Introduction of Buddhism to China

Approx. 100BCE-Approx.100CE

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Unit 3 Lesson 2 90
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Xia Dynasty The Xia (Hsia) Dynasty

2100 BC-1600BCE

Shang Dynasty Its capitals were located near the present-day cities
1600BCE-1050BCE of Zhengzhou and Anyang

Introduction of the Chariot

1300BCE

Zhou Dynasty The Eastern Zhou Dynasty flourishes and moves

1046BCE-256BCE the capital of the city of Luoyang

Laozi was and early philosopher and writer of legal

Laozi and Taoism
texts and a book called Tao Te Ching. or Tao that
604BCE formed the basis of philosophy known Taoism.
Taoism states that the source of existence is
unseen and that one must live in harmony with it.

Confucius (Kôngzî) was one of the worlds great

Life of Confucius (Kõngzï) ancient philosophers. His teachings and philosophy
551BCE-479BCE and morals inspired the development of Chinese
civil servants and teaching. He taught the Way of
the Dao, a universal order, that were written down
by his students as Analects or texts to be studied
by later generations.

Warring States Period A long period of civil war that ended the Zhou Dynasty,
403BCE-221BCE It ended with the victory and eastablishment of the
Qin Dynasty.

Qin Dynasty Qin (Ch in) Dynasty was ruled by China s first
221BCE-206BCE emperor. Qin Shihuangdi Who died in 210 BCE.

The Great Wall of China The Great Wall is the world s largest and longest
structure and was built over many centuries. the
220BCE-1644CE
best known and most substantial portions were
built during the Ming Dynasty 1368 - 1644

Han Dynasty
206BC-220AD

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Activity 1: Interpreting Photos
The pictures show artefacts or structures from ancient China. Describe the artefact
or structure in one or two sentences. What was it used for? Answer the questions
next each picture.

Bell: Eastern Zhou Dynasty (475-221 BCE)

What does this bell show about the development metalworking in ancient China?

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it was very good and very sturdy metal work
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Unit 3 Lesson 2 92
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

End of Grand Canal in Beijing in 1900

How do you think workers dug the canal in 1900?

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Why do you think that in later centuries, during the Ming Dynasty, the Grand
Canal was extended to Beijing?

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Activity 1: Interpreting Photos

Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at CHINA, Hangzhou.

Why do you think the bridge at Hangzhou is arched so high above the canal?

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so boats can pass under it
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It is the known as longest artificial river in the world, Why?

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it is a man-made river and the longest one at that
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Unit 3 Lesson 2 94
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Terracotta Army, part of the First Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum, Xian China
What does this indicate about the Qin Emperor’s view of his power as Emperor?

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he viewed his power as unstoppable and very powerful as he could command
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lots of armys and ppl
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Activity 2: Vocabulary Practice
List words that you did not know and write their meanings next to
them. A few have been given to get you started.

Word Meaning

A mausoleum is a large and impressive tomb or a

building that houses the remains of a deceased person
mausoleum or a family. The term originates from the Mausoleum at
Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World, built in the 4th century BC for Mausolus,
a Persian satrap.

Terracotta refers to a type of fired clay, typically

brownish-red in color, that is used to make pottery,
terracotta sculptures, and architectural elements. It's been
used by various civilizations throughout history for
artistic and functional purposes.

The afterlife is a concept that refers to the existence or

life that is believed to follow physical death. Different
afterlife cultures and religions have various beliefs about what
happens to a person's consciousness or soul after
death.

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area that is

recognized by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as
world heritage site having cultural, historical, scientific, or other
significance and is legally protected by international
treaties. These sites are considered important to the
collective interests of humanity.
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same
family, usually in the context of a monarchy or a ruling
dynasty system where power is passed down within a family.
Dynasties can last for several generations and are
often associated with particular eras or periods in
history.

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 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

CONFUCIUS AND THE ANALECTS

Confucius (c. 551 - 479 BCE) was a teacher and a philosopher in ancient China. The
teachings of Confucius emphasized moral behaviour of people founded on the oldest
and most respected traditions of Chinese society. His teachings were written down by his
students and are collected together in a work called The Analects.
Read some excerpts of Jen (meaning Humanness). Look up any words you do not know.

JEN (HUMANENESS)
XV.23: The student asked, "Is there one word which may
serve as a rule of practice for all one›s life?"

The teacher said, "Is not reciprocity such a word? What you
do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."

XIV.36: The student said, "What do you say concerning the

principle that injury should be recompensed with kindness?"

The teacher said, "With what then will you recompense

kindness? Recompense injury with justice, and recompense
kindness with kindness."

IV.25: The teacher said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. He

who practices it will have neighbours."

XV.8: The teacher said, "The determined scholar and

the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of
humanity. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their
humanity."

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Activity 3: Group Work
Your teacher will divide the class into groups. Each group will take one excerpt from Jen
(Humaneness). Discuss what it means with your group. Write notes about any words you
do not know.

Create a glossary of new words:

What do you think your excerpt means?

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 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Activity 4: Critical Thinking

Possible interpretations of each of the excerpts are listed below. Match each
excerpt with a possible interpretation. (The first one is done for you.)

Excerpt Number Possible Interpretation

25.IV “Each person is known by the friends he/she keeps.”
“It is better to die with dignity than to live in shame.”
“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
“Do to others as you want others to do to you.”

Can you think of other interpretations? Write them here.

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Activity 5: Using Your Creativity

Write a philosophical thought of your own. What does it mean?

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Activity 5: Vocabulary
Write the word from the box next to the description in the box.

first Qin Emperor Confucius humaneness and virtue Analects

Key Word Description

first Qin Emperor Essential characteristics of a civilized person; to have good

character and considerate of others
Analects His tomb had thousands of terracotta warriors

humaneness and The title of a collections of sayings by Confucius

virtue
Confucius A philosopher who lived in China in the 5th century BCE

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Unit 3 Lesson 2 100
Unit 3 East Asia

Lesson 3

Chinese Learning Outcomes:

• Learn about the development of East
Technology, Science Asian and Chinese civilization.

and Medicine

Vocabulary

printing

moveable type

mulberry tree

paper-making

silk

technology

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 TECHNICAL ADVANCES FROM CHINA
In 1947, Joseph Needham, the physician and scholar of the history of Chinese science and
technology, gave a lecture on Science and Society in Ancient China. It was the start of a
major effort to study the origins and influence of Chinese technology and science in world
history. This project has led to the ongoing series of 9 or more volumes that are still in the
process of being added to as a type of encyclopaedia: Science and Civilization in China.
Because of this initiative, people are more aware of advances in technology, engineering,
science and medicine during all periods of Chinese history.

Activity 1: Check Your Understanding

Answer the questions.

Who was Joseph Needham?

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What was his profession?

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What is he famous for?

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 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Activity 2: Critical Thinking

Read about each of the Chinese inventions. Write whether we use still the invention today and
how it has changed.

Invention No. 1: Paper Making and Using of Paper

Paper making went through three steps
Selecting and separating and then washing the raw materials
Cooking and stirring the fibres
Pounding, separating and drying the paper fibres in a mould

Pounding boiled fibers to make pulp

Filling a mold with pulp Removing dried paper from mold

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What is the invention?

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Do we still use it?

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How has it changed?

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Why was this an innovative technology

and how did it make life easier or better for people?

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Unit 3 Lesson 3 104
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Activity 2: Critical Thinking

Read about each of the Chinese inventions. Write whether we use still the invention
today and how it has changed.

Invention No. 2 Block Printing

The invention of blocks of type that could be used to repeat printing of words, individual
letters and seals was developed in China using wooden blocks. The wooden blocks
could be used to print on paper, silk, or other materials.

A page from the Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting (Jieziyuan) Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access

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What is the invention?

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Do we still use it?

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How has it changed?

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Why was this an innovative technology

and how did it make life easier or better for people?

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Unit 3 Lesson 3 106
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Activity 2: Critical Thinking

Read about each of the Chinese inventions. Write whether we use still the invention
today and how it has changed.

Invention No. 3 Moveable Type

The Chinese started using moveable type for printing books in 1040 CE. They carved a
single word into a block then put the blocks to form page of writing. Pages were printed
to form a book.
Illustrations from the Imperial Printing Office of the Qing Dynasty Court show the
making and setting of movable type. First, one group of artisans made blanks out of
blocks of wood. Another group carved the words out of the wood blocks. The blocks
with words were placed in sorting trays. Finally, the blocks were taken from the sorting
trays to form the text of a book or document.

Chinese woodblock printing

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What is the invention?

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Do we still use it?

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How has it changed?

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Why was this an innovative technology

and how did it make life easier or better for people?

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Unit 3 Lesson 3 108
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Activity 2

Invention No. 4: Making Ceramics

Making ceramic pottery is an ancient type of technology. To make a ceramic pot, artisans
first retrieved clay from the earth. They stirred and mixed the clay with water until it was
the right consistency to use. The clay was shaped on a wheel. Most pots were painted and
glazed to produce colour and add a shiny coating. Finally, the pots were heated at high
temperate in a furnace to melt the glaze and produce a strong and beautiful pot.

Potters wheel Painting Pottery

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What is the invention?

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Do we still use it?

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How has it changed?

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Why was this an innovative technology

and how did it make life easier or better for people?

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Unit 3 Lesson 3 110
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Activity 2
Read about each of the Chinese inventions. Write whether we use still the
invention today and how it has changed.

Invention No. 5 : A silk reeling machine

Silk was one of the most valuable goods on the world market for many centuries. The
Chinese were the first to develop elaborate spindles for home weaving and later for
industrial production. Silk is made through a delicate process of unwinding the long
fibres from the cocoon of the silkworm which lives in the mulberry tree.
With the development of the silk industry, the weaving of silk into fabrics became
more elaborate. In the classical Chinese silk-reeling machine, the operator rotates the
main reel with a crank and pulley. In modern times, the reeling machine is powered by
electricity using a driving belt.

Photo of silk loom

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What is the invention?

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Do we still use it?

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How has it changed?

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Why was this an innovative technology

and how did it make life easier or better for people?

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Unit 3 Lesson 3 112
 Moral, Social & Cultural Studies | Grade 07 | Term 1

Activity 3

Write a short reflection on one of the inventions from ancient China. Discuss
what the invention contributed to civilization. How did it improve society? What
other innovations occurred because of it?

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Activity 4: Review the concepts
Write a short reflection on one of the inventions from ancient China.
Discuss what the invention contributed to civilization. How did it
improve society? What other innovations occurred because of it?

mulberry tree Wooden blocks Paper pottery

Key Word Description

A process of printing on paper
This use of shaping and baking terracotta and clay made this possible
This invention allowed for the development of writing and making of
scrolls
A rare tree found in East Asia in which the silkworm grows and is
harvested

Activity 5: Reflection
Reflect on how respect for the hard work skills of different trades and crafts
contribute to civilized society? Write 25 to 50 words in the space below.

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Unit 3 Lesson 3 114