Chinese civilization - Essay Example

Chinese Civilization There are factors that are believed to have influenced development of Chinese civilization, including educational theories and institutions, civil bureaucracy, religious traditions, relations with the outside world, and family and ancestors. However, the factor that influenced the development of Chinese civilization most is family and ancestors. The main reason for the choice of family and ancestors is that family formed the common bond between people in the villages and clans that grouped up to form the Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties.

The dynasties created a lasting foundation for the development of a lasting authority at the Yellow River Basin considered as the cradle of civilization in China (Keightley, 4). The Yellow River Basin gave the earliest hint of civilization that later spread to other areas. The family unit of the ancestors of the current Chinese people in the Yellow River basin allowed for the passing on of culture from the Xia through to the Shang dynasty within which civilization began. The height of the bronze culture began during the Shang Dynasty due to the start of smart casting and smelting for the generation of beautiful wares (Keightley, 12).

There was also a development of pottery making, silk weaving, and sericulture, caving in jade and ivory during the same period facilitated by the family unit and the ancestors spurring civilization. The other development that has been documented of the Shang dynasty is Chinese writing for oracular purposes on the shoulder blades of pigs owing to the family unit to which the dynasties formed their basis. This development continued to the 15th Century when China was the most powerful country in the world, and it occupied the position of the most productive and technology advanced country.

There were a number of advances that were made that all came from the family and ancestors, who together gave the seeds for civilization including developed agriculture, independent medicine, botanical knowledge, and developed irrigation. The family and the ancestors in China also were the main factors for civilization because they were able to make cast iron in industrial scale leading to the civilization in China. Work CitedKeightley, David N, and Noel Barnard. The Origins of Chinese Civilization.

Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983. Print.